view raw text
CHICAGOS AMERICAN DERBY TO BE RUN TODAY , r. : ; . Nine, Including Two Fillies, to Contest for 5,000 Added Prize I Mrs. Mars Milky Way Farm Entry of Case Ace, Mars Shield and Military Certain to Rule Favorite- Crowd Depends on Weather Conditions i 1 HOMEWOOD, 111., June 18. The American Derby, one of the richest races of the Chicago season, will be run here tomorrow at Washington Park with chief interest focused on the quest of Chicagos own Milky Way Farms for its fourth Derby conquest of the year, and the duel between the two outstanding fillies for the years three-year-old championship of their sex. Milky Way Farms, maintained by Mrs. Ethel V. Mars, also is involved in the titular tilt between the fillies, one of its main reliances in tomorrows contest being Mars Shield, queen of the western turf. Her opponent in this unique duel objective will be Dawn Play, recognized leader of the eastern fillies and star of the stable of Robert J. Kleberg, Jr.s, King anch. These two equine misses, along with nine colts, comprise the field which was named overnight for the mile and a quarter fixture, which carries 5,000 in added money, and while the clash between the two fillies may transcend in importance the Derby contest, it promises to be an niteresting spectacle nevertheless. Colts named were Case Ace and Military, stable companions of Mars Shield; Emerson F. Woodwards Eagle Pass; Mrs. William H. Fursts Over the Top; P. A. and R. J. Nashs Burning Star; James W. Parrishs Dellor; Edward W. Duffys Grey Gold; Bohn and Markeys Yellow Tulip and Raoul Walshs Sunset Trail II. Of these only the latter two are doubtful starters, Robert McGarvey, trainer of the Milky Way horses, having indicated he might start all three of that stables eligibles because of probable severe track conditions. GROSS VALUE OVER 0,000. With nine participating in the race it will have a gross value of 0,675, of which 4,900 will represent the net value to the winner. The battle for this big sum, the largest to be raced for during the present season to date, is expected to be witnessed by a crowd of 30,000 or more, largely depending upon the weather, prospects for which were not overly encouraging. On the eve of the race the weather prognosticator gloomily forecast: "Showers." The entry of Milky Way Farm, whether or not it includes Military, is expected to rule favorite, and should one of its starters be returned victorious the stable would be scoring-its fourth Derby conquest of 1937. A week ago the stables leading three-year-old, Reaping Reward, captured the historic Latonia Derby, though he severely injured himself doing so. Then, at Aurora, several weeks Continued on twenty-first page. - L r i . CHICAGOS AMERICAN DERBY TO BE RUN TODAY Continued from first page. back, Case Ace made every post a winning one in the Illinois Derby. This was the second Derby score of the year for the establishment, as Mars Shield, violating tradition, Jiad previously scored in the Texas Derby at Arlington Downs. TEXAS REPRESENTATIVES. Texas, whose turf representatives this year have been playing a more prominent role than ever before, will provide the next public choices in Dawn Play and Eagle Pass, the followings of the Kleberg and Woodward horses indicating a close contest between the two for the honor of being second choice to the Milky Way Farm entry. While his recent form may have been disappointing to his connections, Dellor, the lone Kentucky hopeful, is another for which there will be strong support, chiefly because the rugged son of Rolled Stocking is known to favor such a tough, holding track as is in prospect for tomorrow. Besides the Milky Way trio, Chicago will bid with Over the Top and Burning Star, both performers of merit and both much more formidable than remote possibilities. This hardly can be said of the others, the Detroit entries, Yellow Tulip and Grey Gold and the California-owned Sunset Trail U. While War Admiral, champion of the three-year-olds as the result of his sweep of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes; Pompoon, his principal challenger in the Derby and the Preakness, and Reaping Reward, are on the sidelines, the American Derby field is one of the finest obtained in a number of years. War Admiral, like Reaping Reward, is out because of an injury, and Pompoon is having a respite following a hard spring campaign. TWO STAR FILLIES. The fillies Dawn Play and Mars Shield give the American Derby a distinction over all of the principal three-year-old fixtures already decided, while the colts, at least a majority of them, have demonstrated sufficient quality to carry on effectively with the best in the division. In addition to her Texas Derby triumph, Mars Shield annexed .top honors in the recent Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, and Dawn Play scored important victories in the Acorn Stakes and the American Coaching Club Oaks, both at Belmont Park. Case Ace has a Derby win to his credit, while Eagle Pass was second and Over the Top fourth in the Latonia Derby of a week ago. Dellor, one of the stars of the winter season, was highly regarded as a Kentucky Derby prospect, and Grey Gold, Burning Star and Yellow Tulip have consistently shown good form. CASE ACE TOP WEIGHT. There will be only a slight difference in weights for tomorrows race, though this small variance may be amplified by the distance of the contest. Case Ace will carry 121 pounds, giving three pounds to all of the colts, but only the five-pound sex allowance to Mars Shield and Dawn Play, the two fillies being required to give three pounds to all of the colts except Case Ace. Tomorrows running will be the twenty-eighth since 1884, when it was won by the filly Modesty, with Isaac Murphy, Negro saddle star of that time, at the reins. From i that time until 1894 it was run annually, and then, after a lapse of four years, was re-: vived in 1898. Not run the following year, it was reinstituted in 1900 and had renewals t in each of the succeeding four years. Shelved i with the discarding of racing in Illinois, it . was revived in 1926 and with the exception . of 1928, when it was run at Arlington Park, . was presented annually here at the new Washington Park up to and including 1935. Tomorrow marks its fourth revival. In 1935 it was also won by a filly Black Helen. Other winners include Cavalcade, Mr. Khayyam, Gusto, Mate, Reveille Boy, Windy City, Toro, Hydromel and Boot to Boot during the modern record. The Washington Park Jockey Club an-; nounced that there will be no change in post j time for the first race Saturday. It will be 1 2:15 oclock as usual.
