view raw text
MENOW IN MERE ROMP Futurity Winner Begins Three-Year-Old Career Auspiciously. Completes Three-Quarters in Trial Handicap at Lexington in 1:11 Pays One to Ten. LEXINGTON, Ky., April 15 Hal Price Headleys Menow, which hopes to be the .first Belmont Futurity winner to capture a Kentucky Derby, began his competitive preparation for the Churchill Downs fixture in auspicious fashion at Keeneland this afternoon. Before a good sized and enthusiastic gathering, and with ideal weather and track conditions, the three-year-old son of Pharamond II. and Alcibiades ran the six furlongs of the featured Trial Handicap in 1:11, although eased up in the final twenty yards by Charles Kurtsinger. His victorious margin was a length and one-half over Kings Heir, sporting the Dixi-ana silks as L. C. Youngs Sweep Royal was .another six lengths away. Mightily completed the field. The Headley star practically won his race in the opening furlong, that being the distance he needed to assume the lead after being outbrokn by Kings Heir and Sweep Royal in a good start. Once he found his stride, Menow galloped past Sweep Royal and then Kings Heir, after which Kurt-singer took a snug hold on him. QUARTER in :23and. Running the opening quarter in :23, the worlds record-holder for six and a half furlongs, straight.made the turn a length and a half before the Dixiana colt, as Sweep Royal was farther back. He maintained his advantage comfortably on the turn as he completed the half in :46. Entering the stretch, Kings Heir was put to a drive, which was the signal for Kurtsinger to exert some pressure with his hands. Menow responded willingly and held his principal rival at bay through the stretch in such satisfactory fashion that his rider began easing him up towards the end. The time was three-fifths of a second off the track record held by Myrtlewood. Menow, which had done his preliminary training at Hialeah Park and was tightened up here during the past two weeks, was a prohibitive favorite, returning his supporters odds of 1 to 10, the shortest-price yet established at Keeneland. TAXES EASY WINNER. Calumet Farms Taxes, making his first start of the season, easily bested six other fair three-year-olds including the Kentucky Derby candidate Dickerville, in the fifth race - at six furlongs. Second choice to the Shandon Farm colt in the wagering, the gelded son of Eternal and Lady Wave scored by four lengths over C. W. Moores Marching Feet as L. C. Youngs Ho, was another three and a half lengths away. Dickerville finished last after forcing Marching Feets pace for three furlongs. Irving Anderson rated Taxes along smooth-" ly on the outside while in near pursuit of the pace, until rounding the turn where the "Warren Wright colorbearer responded willingly to urging to bid for the lead. Marching Feet maintained his advantage to the stretch but Taxes went by him as the field straightened out for the run home and he drew out handily as Anderson took no chances. Continued on twenty-sixth page. l MENOW INJERE ROMP Continued from first page. Earl Steffens ability to ride two-year-old winners was once again evident in the opening event over the Headley course when he piloted Hal Price Headleys Grand Pageant, first time starting daughter- of Supremus and Eastern Pageant to a length victory over the Greentree Stables Mousie, the latter out-gaming W. E. Smiths Miss Sarah by a neck. My Gretchen was fourth among the dozen maiden fillies composing the field. Grand Pageant had to be hustled along all the way to run down Miss Sarah in the stretch and gain her length advantage after the latter had set a good pace from the beginning. Mousie met with interference in the early stages but closed gamely when clear to overtake the tiring Miss Sarah. With Superlee as a running mate, Grand Pageant was favored over Mousie, The time was :47. Under a vigorous and energetic ride from jockey Porter Roberts, Armor Bearer carried the pink and black silks of Mrs. Payne Whitneys Greentree Stable to their initial victory of the season in the second race, a dash of six furlongs in which a half dozen three-year-olds were engaged. Alup finished second and Fountain Head was third. FINE SPEED. Displaying a fine burst of speed and good courage the Woodvale Farms All Spades accounted for the third event, a sprint over the Headley course for two-year-olds, defeating Catechism by a neck in a driving finish. Two lengths farther back in third place was Grace Whisk. Breaking swiftly from the starting gate, All Spades took command immediately and never relinquished the forward position at any stage of the contest, although the son of The Scout-Flower of Yarrow was obliged to ward off the challenge of the favorite all during the last three-sixteenths.
