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- - Here and There on the Turf McGarvey Saves His Derby Aces Filly Good Enough to Win Texas Derby Whopper Recovers Winning Form Keeneland Off to Brilliant Start i. -- With Robert McGarvey, the Wilky Way Farm trainer, confident that Mars Shield was capable enough to win the Texas Derby, he failed to enter Reaping Reward and withdrew Military at the last minute. He had the race figured correctly and the daughter of Diavolo and Escutcheon conquered her seven opponents in clean-cut fashion. With Reaping Reward and Military both out of the event, it had no bearing on the Kentucky Derby, other than to eliminate Heelfly as an important candidate. The speedy colt from the Three Ds Stock Farm set the pace until well into the stretch of the mile and a furlong contest, but he was unable to match the challenge of the Milky Way filly, which is not eligible to the Kentucky Derby. Mars Shield does not begin to hold the same high status as Reaping Reward and Military in Mrs. Ethel V. Mars establishment Reaping Reward and Military were not held out of the Texas Derby because of anything being wrong with them, but they are being depended upon to give the Chicago sportswoman her first victory in the Kentucky Derby, and McGarvey just did not care about taking any chances with them as long as he was positive in his belief that Mars Shield was good, enough to take the 0,825 Arlington Downs fixture. The entire stable is moving to Churchill Downs, where the two colts will be whipped into shape for the Blue Grass classic. McGarvey had Reaping Reward, which had wintered at the farm In Pulaski, Tenn, in good enough condition to start Saturday If necessary, while Military had campaigned at Santa Anita during the winter and had been kept close to racing edge, and McGarvey should not encounter any difficulties in bringing them to their May 8 engagement. Occasioning a slight surprise was the victory of Whopper in the Philadelphia Handicap at Havre de Grace, after he had failed to threaten in the Harford Handicap on Monday over the six furlongs distance. The Hal Price Headley giant had been pointed for the Harford, but he didnt have his lick in" the sprint However, in the Philadelphia, in which he was ridden by Harry Richards, the five-year-old son of Pharamond II. and Romance went right to the front and shook off several challenges to score by a head over New Deal, to which he was conceding a dozen pounds. Whopper was the top weight among the eight starters, with 122 pounds. It seems probable that Whopper required seasoning over the Havre course before putting forth his best effort, but In winning the Philadelphia he looked more like the Whopper of early last season, it being his first victory since the Hialeah Inaugural Handicap. Richards, whose mounts won more money in stakes last season than those of any other jockey, appears headed for similar distinction this year. He already has the countrys richest race to his credit In guiding Rosemont to victory in the Santa Anita Handicap, and since returning east has won the Paumonok Handicap with Pompoon and the Southern Maryland Handicap with Calumet Dick, as well as the Philadelphia with Whopper. He is due to have the mount on Pompoon In the Wood Memorial and Kentucky Derby, and Matey in the Preakness, and by keeping up his good work he should hot want for capable mounts in other im portant stakes. Except for Matey, the stable of Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords, which has his contract, has no outstanding candidates for the early stakes, so he is available to such outside opportunities as are offered by Pompoon and Whopper. That Keeneland will have the success hoped for by its sponsors Is Indicated by lt3 Continued on twenty-third page.. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. wonderful opening unless the weather should misbehave beyond reason. Sports lovers of the Blue Grass turned out In large numbers Saturday, and the eleven-day meeting got under way at full speed. While Preeminent carried the Headley colors to victory in the featured Phoenix Handicap, much interest was shown in the performances of such Kentucky Derby candidates as Black Look, White Tie, and Chigre, with the first named colts winning over the six furlongs distance in impressive fashion. Both were making their first starts of the season and they came away in the stretch in a manner to suggest that longer distances will not be beyond their capabilities, but whether they can handle the Derby route of a mile and one-quarter is yet to be questioned. Other Derby candidates trained in that section of the country are due for early engagements, particularly the Bradley pair of Brooklyn and Billionaire, so the importance of the Keeneland meeting is not confined to that particular locality.
