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STAGEHAND WITHOUT MISHAP Kentucky Derby Favorite Reaches Churchill Downs in Fine Shape. Long Journey From California Fails to Bother Great Colt Tiger and Mountain Ridge in Good Trials. LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 12. The long trip from California at an end and refreshed by a good nights rest, Stagehand, the horse which a majority of racing fans believe will be the one to beat in the Kentucky Derby, continued to take it very easy at Churchill Downs today. The sensation of California racing apparently suffered no ill effects from his long journey eastward, for complete examinations both last night and this morning indicate that the Maxwell Howard colt was normal in every respect. Stagehands condition was a source of much relief to his young trainer, Earl Sande, who at the end of the trip was far more fatigued than the horse or any of his stable companions, which included The Chief, another Derby eligible owned by Howard. TEN HOURS LATE. The horses arrived here Monday evening at about 5:30 oclock, some ten hours later than they would have had not train connections been missed by a matter of minutes in Kansas City. This somewhat disturbed Sande, as naturally it would, because the delay near, the end of such a hard trip increased danger to the horses, but when all apparently were Continued on fifteenth page. STAGEHAND WITHOUT MISHAP Continued from first page. in favorable condition upon unloading, the trainer quickly recovered his usual affability. Stagehand, The Chief and their companions were permitted to limber up this morning by walking around the barn. None of them were out very long, and Sande indicated it may be several days before all of them are sent to the track. Sande plans to keep Stagehand here until he has filled his engagement in the famous Derby on May 7. The stable hopes to start The Chief in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 28, the final day at Keeneland, and the showing of the Pennant colt in that race will help Sande decide whether he also will saddle him for the Derby. Incidentally, Sande won the Blue Grass Stakes last year with Howards Fencing. This horse and Sceneshifter were included in the California shipment, and if all goes well they will fill handicap engagements at Churchill Downs this spring. IMPRESSIVE GALLOPS. This was work-day for Mrs. Ethel V. Mars Tiger and Mountain Ridge, other outstanding Derby horses among the many nominees for the 0,000 added fixture assembled at the local course. Robert McGarvey, the Milky Way trainer, had the two colts ready for i their drills at an early hour, sending Mdun-J tain Ridge one mile and Tiger five furlongs. With ideal conditions prevailing and working from the three-quarters post back, Mountain Ridge accomplished his assignment nicely in hand and in. the impressive time of 1:44 Tiger was tabbed in 1:02 and, like his companion, was not pushed at any stage. The Arkansas Derby winner completed the first quarter in :24 and half mile in :49, while Mountain Ridge reeled off the quarter in :24, four furlongs in :49 and six furlongs in 1:15. Both horses cooled out nicely from what was the first serious training for each since their arrival from Oak-lawn Park. Lawrin, H. M. Woolfs Flamingo Stakes winner, which has been unusually well sirfce arriving from Florida, made a gallop of about two miles, as did Mrs. Payne Whitneys Gangplank and others of the Derby horses.
