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CHARLES F. PRICE SAYS i I EXTERMINATOR BEST OF j | ALL DERBY WINNERS j LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 1.— Now in his fiftieth year as an official at Churchill Downs, presiding steward Charles F. Price has a greater knowledge of the Kentucky Derby than anyone in racing. The Derby of 1896 in which Ben Brush won out over Ben Eder thrilled him most. Judge Price, who is presiding steward in charge of racing at all tracks operated by the American Turf Association, has witnessed every Derby since 1876, the year in which the race had its second running and was won by Vagrant. Prior to his association with racing, Judge Price was city editor of the old Louisville Post. His first affiliation with racing and Churchill Downs came in 1886 when he was employed by M. Lewis Clark, founder of the old Louisville Jockey Club. Judge Price served as assistant racing secretary until 1892 when he was made secretary. "Many have asked me to name the best horse I ever saw," began Judge Price in answer to a question. "Until Exterminator came along I regarded Hindoo the best horse I had seen race, but Exterminator won at distances from six furlongs to two miles and a half, carried any weight allotted him with equal effectiveness and it would be hard for me to name his peer. "Thoroughbreds are hard to classify. Trying to distinguish between the thoroughbred of another day and one of the present time is like saying Jack Dempsey was a greater fighter than John L. Sullivan."
