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SOFT TRACK FOR AMERICAN DERBY SATURDAY - .m t RAIN DAY AND NIGHT Continuous Showers Leave Washington Park Course Deep in Mud. Large and Well-Matched Field Assured Despite Bad Weather Look for Tremendous Crowd. HOMEWOOD, 111., June 17. Unless the weather man, who has not been too charitable in providing pleasant conditions during the current meeting of the Washington Park Jockey Club, comes through with a greatly improved kind of weather over the assortment of inclement elements of the past several days, the twenty-eighth running of the historic American Derby will be decided over an off-track at Washington Park here Saturday. As the Washington Park racing strip was deep in mud Thursday and only the most favorable sort of drying elements during the next 48 hours could bring it into a good, or firm condition, horsemen and racing fans seem resigned to seeing the three-year-old classic contested over a dull track. The weather angle, the arrival from the East of the sparkling filly Dawn Play and from western points Dellor and Grey Gold, and the possibility that a mild illness might keep Over the Top from the post, came in for chief discussion by racing fans of greater Chicago and the turf colony at Washington Park Thursday. HOPE FOR CLEAR WEATHER. With some hope that clear weather may prevail Saturday, Walter L. Gregory and Ben Lindheimer, of the Washington Park management, went ahead with plans to receive a capacity crowd at their splendid racing plant for the Derby and this, irrespective of a possible withdrawal from the prc-nt lineup, as the race is assured a crack field. The illness of Over the Top, owned by Mrs. William H. Furst and one of the stronger candidates, while not serious, had trainer Bert B. Williams very uneasy. During the night the slashing Man o War colt developed a fever and, while it had diminished this afternoon, trainer Williams said that no definite decision could be made before tomorrow. The safe arrival of Dawn Play, owned by Robert J. Klebergs King Ranch, ready to defend her three-year-old filly championship of the East against Mrs. Ethel V. Mars Mars Shield, which as an entry with Case Ace looms favorite for the 5,000 added prize, gives the race envied importance as the battle between the two crack fillies will present the unusual spectacle of a- race within a race. Mars Shield has won the Texas Derby and Kentucky Oaks, while Dawn Play scored in the recent renewals of the American Coaching Club Oaks and the Acorn Stakes. The Derby will mark the first ap- Continued on thirty-eighth page. SOFT TRACK FOR AMERICAN ! DERBY SATURDAY j Continued from first page. pearance in the West of the Texas owned filly. , i . Dellor, which is to carry the Derby hopes of James W. Parrish, came in from Latonia, while Grey Gold, the property of Edward W. Duffy, got in later from Detroit, where he signalized his fitness for Saturdays stake in a smart victory in an overnight event, Wednesday. While the Milky Way entry is expected to rule the favorite, a muddy or heavy track might be to the disadvantage of Case Ace, j 1 whose best performances have been over fast racing strips. Mars Shield, however, it is believed would be at home regardless of track conditions. The only Derby starter to work this morning was the Shandon Farms Burning Star, which went the full Derby route around the dogs over the sloppy track in 2:12, breez-i ing, in a most creditable move. The Mars I horses, also Eagle Pass and Over the Top, had hard trials Wednesday and will be given , their final exercise tomorrow morning. Despite the poor showing this week of Sunset Trail IT:, Yellow Tulip and Teddy Green, all three are still regarded as possibilities for the big race. Yellow Tulip was j not at home in the soft footing and will not start in the Derby unless the track is fast, j J Teddy Green raced better than his fifth i would indicate, while Sunset Trail H. has J ! performed better on occasions this year than j his recent form would indicate. With the Derby carrying a gross value of better than 0,000, second money is worth ,000, third, ,500, and fourth 50. Starting fee for the event is 00. The probable Derby field follows: Horse. Wt. . Rider. Case Ace 121 A. Robertson Mars Shield . 116 C. Kurtsinger Dawn Play 116 L. Balaski Eagle Pass 118 - B. James Over the Top 118 J. Westrope Dellor 118 C. Corbett Grey Gold 118 J. Rosen Burning Star 118 . E. Steff en Sunset Trail II. 118 I. Anderson Yellow Tulip 118 . D. Haas Teddy Green 118 B. James Milky Way Farm entry Case Ace and Mars Shield.
