view raw text
THE FIGHTER SPARKLES Mrs. Ethel Mars Candidate for Derby Honors Qualifies Handsomely. Son of Bull Dog Registers Second Victory at Arlington Downs in Blue Bonnet Handicap. ARLINGTON, Texas, April 4. The Fighter, beautifully made son of Bull Dog and chief hope of Mrs. Ethel V. Mars Milky Way Farms Stable for Texas and Kentucky Derby honors, served notice that he will play an important part in those two important fixtures when he was a handy winner of the first renewal of the Blue Bonnet Handicap, feature of a most attractive program offered by the Texas Jockey Club at its palatial Arlington Downs course this afternoon. Speeding over the six furlongs and against a strong wind the greater part of the sprint in the fine time of 1:12, the Bull Dog three-year-old carried 116 pounds to his second triumph of the meeting and his third of the year. He reached the finish a length before W. C. Stroubes Derby reliance, Bay Bubble, which led Mrs. A. M. Creechs Sound Advice by slightly more than a length at the end. The latter was two and a half lengths before Croon, another Stroube colorbearer, with Polish Beau, from the Corsicana Stable, and Biff, which pulled up lame following the leaders in the order named. The winner, which had the services of Alfred Robertson, was an even money choice and earned ,035 of the 2,500 added purse for the Chicago sportswoman. Unlike their previous meeting when Sound Advice was a strong second to The Fighter, the Creech representative, which carried the top weight of 124 pounds, was never a threat despite Harold Dudleys strong riding. SLIGHT DELAY AT START. After a short delay, caused chiefly by the winner, the small field of six got away in splendid order and, although Polish Beau was the first in motion, it was the younger Bay Bubble which sprinted into a commanding lead. Polish Beau was in closest pursuit with The Fighter showing the way to Croon and Sound Advice, and Biff always well back. Leaving the back stretch, Robertson called on the three-year-old and he moved past Polish Beau so rapidly that it was no time, before he was in striking distance of Bay Bubble. When taking command the winner was inclined to bear to the inside, .but Robertson kept him straight. However, after attaining a clear advantage, The Fighter was ready to loaf and Robertson was forced to keep him under strong hand riding until the final strides. Dudley was forced to take Sound Advice Continued on eighteenth page. i THE FIGHTER SPARKLES Continued from first page. to the outside, and despite the lads strong pressure, the Wise Counsellor four-year-old failed to make up any ground. Bay Bubble, Croon and Polish Beau were coupled as an entry, and as there were only four different interests, there were no show mutuels sold on the race. Despite a strong wind that swept across the course, and cloudy weather which prevailed until noon, the largest crowd of the meeting was present for the second holiday program of the meeting. The track was at its best, but the wind retarded the progress of the performers. Favorites were in the 1 minority. As an added attraction, Time Supply and He Did, the latter winners of the Santa Anita Derby, worked between races with their riders wearing colors. He Did was on the track before the fourth race and accompanied by Valevictorian and ridden by Charley Kurtsinger, the son of Victorian started his three-quarters task from the gate and was timed the distance in 1:14, handily. He reeled off the quarter in :24 and the half mile in :48. Supporting the feature was the Galveston Purse, for which seven three-year-olds were under colors, and it resulted in the first popular victory of the afternoon when But-sey Hernandez Lolschen, a Texas Derby eligible, which finished second to Rush-away in the Louisiana Derby, was a driving winner. Jack Carters Holl Image, winner of the Arkansas Derby, and also a local Derby candidate, was second, a half length back of the winner and two and a half lengths before Mrs. E. Haughton and Mrs. F. Wests Continuity. The latter got up to head Caliban, which, but for bearing in during the run through the stretch, probably would have saved minor honors. Bereit and Irish Ford, also eligible for the Derby, were fifth and sixth, with Lovely Spy a distant trailer at the end. There was an immediate start to the secondary feature, with Lolschen the first under way. However, Caliban outran her to the stretch, with Holl Image showing the way to the others. After reaching the final half-mile of the mile and seventy yards, Holl Image drove to the front, but after establishing a good lead he was unable to withstand the winner, which Johnny Deering drove down on the outside of him during the run through the stretch. With the exception of Bereit, which was hemmed in on the rail when Caliban swerved to the inside, the others were never factors; Heelfly, well regarded Three Ds Stock Farm juvenile which won his initial start in fine style, disappointed his backers when he finished second to Milky Way Farms Fast Express at the end of the four and a half furlongs dash that brought together seven youngsters under allowance conditions. Little Upset was third. The winner, a son of Clock Tower, which had the services of Alfred Robertson, was first under way, but he was soon displaced by Little Upset, which established a commanding lead during the run to the stretch. However, Robertson kept the winner right after him and, driving Fast Express to the front approaching the final furlong, he had enough left to withstand Heelfly, which was forced to lose ground throughout. John Bane, Z. E. McGregors seven-year-old Braedalbane gelding, chalked up his fourth victory of the year and provided a mild surprise when he turned back All Devil, March Step and nine other mediocre platers that met over the Waggoner course distance in the second race. Never far back of the pacemaking Foxy Quiller, March Step and Moonsan, the winner, gained on the leaders in steady style and wearing down March Step in the stretch lasted to beat the fast-finishing All Devil by a neck at the. end. The latter was a length and a half before March Step, which tired badly after relinquishing the lead. With the exception of Gray Porte, which came with a rush to carry off fourth laurels, and Foxy Quiller and Moonsan, which quit, the others were never factors.
