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Here and There on the Turf The Chief Dodges Bull Lea Needed to Aid Stagehand Wood to Produce Eastern Hope Derby Trial Is Good Test j Earl Sande has decided against transferring The Chief from Churchill Downs to Keeneland for tomorrows running of the " Blue Grass Stakes, stating that the son of Pennant and Transit was needed to work along with Stagehand. The reason is a sound one, because the colts went evenly together in their recent fine workout at a mile and probably will continue to do so. Furthermore, the Kentucky Derby is the ob-! jective of both Stagehand and The Chief and Sande is taking no chances in following what he considers the best course to have the two colts, particularly the Santa Anita Handicap-Derby winner in complete readiness for the Churchill Downs classic. Not that it makes any difference, but Sande was one of those horsemen very much impressed with the effort of Bull Lea last week when he established a new track record for the mile and one-sixteenth while defeating Me-now. Presence of The Chief in the Blue Grass Stakes would add much to that mile and a furlong event, because the field will be so small, but the race will not be just another clash between Bull Lea and Menow, as the Greentree Stable, one of the best supporters of Keeneland since its inception, shipped Redbreast from New York for the contest. The son of Chicle and Robins Egg will have to be at his best if he is to be troublesome in the Blue Grass, because Bull Lea already has demonstrated his fitness and ability, while Menow demonstrated in his workout Monday morning that he deserves another chance. In fact, the Belmont Futurity winner went so well over the mile and a furlong route, doing the final three-eighths in :37, that some observers believe he has it within him to reverse the decision over Bull Lea, especially as he will be giving the latter, only two pounds. The Blue Grass Stakes is certain to produce one of the favorites in the moderate field likely to start in the Derby, just as will the Wood Memorial Saturday, even though Jamaicas 0,000 added special for three-year-olds will have several starters which are not candidates for the May 7 race. Fighting Fox and Nedayr are the principal eastern-trained Derby hopefuls aiming for the Wood Memorial, and a line on them will be gained through the presence of Bourbon King in the field, as the Headley colt was second in the Flamingo, raced at Keeneland and captured the Chesapeake Stakes last Saturday, so the public knows about his -capabilities. If the son of Whichone and Ancient Queen thoroughly tests Fighting 3Tox and Nedayr in the Wood, the outstanding candidates in Kentucky will gain greater followings. Both Stagehand and The Chief are likely starters in the Derby Trial, along with Mountain Ridge and Lawrin, and that mile test, which has been made a stake for the first time, probably will uncover the best of the candidates which have been located at Churchill Downs. That race also will determine just how well Stagehand has fared since his sensational triumph over Seabis-cuit in the Santa Anita Handicap after having won the Santa Anita Derby. On the basis of those two victories and satisfactory preparation since making the long trip from California to Louisville, Stagehand properly has been a steady favorite. He must be tested, however, and the Derby Trial is very suitable, coming as it does four days before the classic. Not only will it have the effect pf tightening up the son of Sickle and Stage- craft, but the event may show just where he stands in the Derby picture. Whether or not Dauber could have won the Chesapeake is a matter of conjecture, but in view of the fact that he won an overnight race at Havre de Grace in convincing fashion previously, it is assumed that he would have gone well in that mile and one-sixteenth affair. The Foxcatcher Farms colt will be transferred to Churchill Downs Sunday and apparently his next race will be the Derby. As Stagehand had only a half length on the son of Pennant and Ship of War in the Santa Anita Derby, his chances for the forthcoming classic are to be respected, particularly as Richard E. Handlen has brought him back so ably. He, too, may be expected to be included among the four or five best supported Derby starters, the others of which will be the stars of the Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial and the Derby Trial.
