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Stagehands Arrival at Churchill Downs Delayed Howard Stars Trip From West Interrupted Kentucky Derby Favorite Misses Connections and Fails to Reach Louisville on Schedule. LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 11. Through failure to make, a train connection en route, the arrival here of Stagehand, favorite for the Kentucky Derby, was delayed many hours, the Maxwell Howard champion of the California season reaching the Churchill Downs course this evening. If Stagehand had been able to make an uninterrupted trip from Santa Anita, where he was loaded on a car Friday, he would have arrived here early today, acording to the plan of his trainer Earl Sande. Had the Santa Anita Handicap and Santa Anita Derby winner arrived on schedule he would have been welcomed by one of the largest crowds ever to throng the Downs unloading chute. The platform was loaded with I people anxious to get a glimpse of the crack son of Sickle and present too were a number of horsemen and track representatives. When word came that Stagehand, travelling with six stable companions including another Derby threat, The Chief, would not arrive before evening, the disappointed gathering dispersed, but many of them are expected to return for the belated detraining of the current Derby choice. Stagehand and the rest of the Howard Continued on eighteenth page. STAGEHANDS ARRIVAL AT CHURCHILL DOWNS DELAYED Continued from first page J horses, including Sceneshifter and Fencing, handicap candidates, Polycletus and a pair of two-year-olds, occupy the same car which housed the stable here last spring when the establishment made an unsuccessful bid for the Kentucky Derby. While these quarters have been reconditioned arid made very serviceable in every respect, they are not the finest at the famous track. As a matter of fact Sande was offered one of the newer barns which, however, he declined in favor of the stable being used. With Stagehand and The Chief at the scene, the Louisville track, where the classic will be renewed on Saturday, May 7, harbors more of the leading candidates than ever before at this early date. Among others ranking high in present Derby forecasts also on the grounds are Herbert M. Woolfs Law-rin and Joe Schenck, Mrs. Ethel V. Mars ,Tiger and Mountain Ridge, Bert Friends Co-Sport, Myron Selznicks Cant Wait, Mrs. Payne Whitneys Perfect Peace and Gangplank, Morris Vehons Invincible and Mrs. Thelma Otts Employer. GIVEN REST. Following a rest after his sensational victory in the Santa Anita Handicap, Stagehand was put back in training at the California track and, according to word reaching I here from time to time, was in excellent condition j when he embarked for his trip across the continent. Having had the advantage of winter racing, it is not believed Stagehand will require a lot of strenuous work to fit him for the mile and a quarter test on May 7. For a few days at least he will take it easy at Churchill Downs and if he does as well as other horses which came here from California he should acclimate himself in short order. The Chief did not race on the Pacific Coast, but he also is understood to be well advanced in his training. This horse very probably will start in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 28. Although the delay of Stagehand took the edge off of interest in the doings of Derby j horses this morning, several of them were j on the track for brisk exercise while others were under saddle for assignments less stren- j uous. Trainer J. Tommy Taylor sent Cant Wait three-quarters of a mile on the prevailing good track while Gangplank worked a similar distance; Co-Sport seven furlongs and Lawrin a half mile. Tiger and Mountain Ridge galloped about two miles each. GOOD TRIAL. Accomplishing a fine trial under a snug hold, Cant Wait covered the six furlongs in 1:20. He went the quarter in :26 and half mile in :53. Gangplank was also timed in 1:20, but he stepped the first two fur-, longs in :26 and the half mile in :53. Law-, rins half mile for which he was timed in :50 j could not have been done at a more even pace as the Flamingo Stakes winner did the opening quarter in 25 seconds. Continuing to come along nicely after being dropped from training late in the Florida season, Co-Sport did his work this morning in 1:34 and was under a stout hold all the way. He was time in :27 for the quarter in j :54 for the half mile and in 1:21 for three-quarters. I For the first time in several days fine ! spring weather favored the horsemen who are preparing their stables at Churchili Downs and Douglas Park. Several more stables got away for Keeneland where the Kentucky season opens on Thursday.
