view raw text
----- ..-..-------..--t Here and There on the Turf Bourbon King in Best Effort Yet Fails to Impress as Derby Hope Races of Fighting Fox, Nedayr Alike Mountain Ridge Requires Work ; ---4 Unless Bourbon King will prove a vastly improved colt, no outstanding candidate for the Kentucky Derby came out of Saturdays renewal of the Chesapeake Stakes, as it did last year, and in 1934 when War Admiral and Cavalcade were the respective winners and Maryland hopes for one of its performers to prove successful at Churchill Downs on May 7, must center on Dauber. The Foxcatcher Farms colt was ,not named overnight for the Havre de Graces spring special for three-year-olds just when he appeared to possess an outstanding chance for victory. Nothing in Bourbon Kings record suggests that the Hal Price Headley colt is a top ranking Derby prospect, although his performance in the Chesapeake appears to be the best yet for the son of Whichone and Ancient Queen, by Archaic, as he ran the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:45, three-fifths of a second slower than Cavalcades record, and one-fifth off the mark made last year by War Admiral. However, both of these colts won in much easier fashion than the Kentucky invader. The Chesapeake running eliminated Sun Egret as a threat for the Derby, and the speedy Sun Briar colt apparently is in need of a respite from steady campaigning. Bourbon King won the race with a meritorious effort, one which should prompt his connections to ship him on to New York for the Wood Memorial Stakes, for whose running : this coming Saturday he is the lone Headley eligible. His showing in that mile j and seventy yards affair for a 0,000 added purse will give some sort of a comparison between the outstanding New York-trained hopefuls and those which have seen service at Keeneland. Bourbon King went to the Harford course after a mile and one-sixteenth race at the Blue Grass track, in which he defeated Lassator by a length and a half in the time of 1:46, with Birthday, less than another length away. Next time out Birthday finished three lengths back of Bull Lea, with Menow trailing" at his heels. Winter campaigners comprised the bulk of the Chesapeake field, with "the first three places going to horses which had started in the Flamingo Stakes, Bourbon King, second; Mythical King, seventh; and Blind Eagle fourth. Stormscud, a non-eligible to the Derby, ran fourth in the Havre de Grace feature in his second start of the season, but he encountered considerable bad luck and probably would have made a strong bid for victory otherwise. The Wheatley Stable racer was only defeated two lengths and a head, and undoubtedly deserves another chance in the Wood Memorial. Before his recent Keeneland victory, Bourbon King had been almost knocked over the fence in the running of the Louisiana Derby and went well for three-quarters in the Widener Challenge Cup. His best effort of the winter was in running second to Lawrin in the Flamingo after his previous form was just so-so. As a two-year-old he won the Remsen Handicap, after having rt the .pace for a good part of the Belmont Futurity in behalf of his stablemate, Menow. Kentucky Derby doings at Jamaica Saturday centered around Fighting Fox and Nedayr, both of which were making their 1938 debuts. Fighting Fox began his campaign in auspicious fashion insofar as the margin of his victory was concerned, but from a time standpoint it was no better if any than that of Nedayr. Carrying 122 pounds, the brother to Gallant Fox won easily in the jtime of 1:12 for six furlongs. Nedayr was beaten slightly more than six lengths, with 126 pounds on his back by Merry Lassie, but the Wheatley Stable filly covered the three-quarters in 1:11. Figuring a length equal to one-fifth of a second, Nedayr ran in faster time, but Fighting Fox was under restraint as he galloped to victory. Both colts may be expected to improve off their initial outings, and their activity in the Wood Memorial will be viewed with great interest. Mountain Ridge, principal Derby hope of the Milky Way Farm, used the Ben Ali Handicap at Keeneland, for his debut, but the son of Royal Minstrel and Ethel Dear, was a well beaten colt at the wind-up of the mile and a sixteenth affair, after flashing excellent speed for five furlongs. However, trainer Robert McGarvey has learned that Mountain Ridge requires a companion to force him to train satisfactorily, and so the colt was entered in competition. In the Ben Ali he was under a choking pull while setting the pace, but after being joined by another horse. Mountain Ridges breathing quickened and he tired. The effort probably did him much good, and Mountain Ridge may have another race or two in the effort to get him properly fit for the Derby. Not being eligible for the Blue Grass Stakes and no other race at Keeneland fitting him, Mountain Ridge will have to get additional competitive seasoning at Churchill Downs where opportunities await him on opening day and again on Tuesday, May 3, in the Derby "".rial.
