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GOV. CHANDLER WINS PURSE Defeats Birthday, Gangplank and Others at Keeneland. Metz Derby Candidate Qualifies in Good Fashion for Big Race at Louisville May 7. LEXINGTON, Ky., April 26. In his first start since running third in the Arkansas Derby, Gov. Chandler, Kentucky Derby hopeful of J. C. Metz, young Covington, Ky., turfman, displayed a courageous performance to gain a head victory over the Greentree Stables Birthday in the Glenview Purse, featuring this afternoons Keeneland program as the meeting entered the home stretch. Birthday finished two and a half lengths before his stablemate Gangplank, as Valdina Farms Lassator .was a similar distance fartber back. Knee Deep completed the field of fair three-year-olds clashing at a mile and a sixteenth. With summer-like weather prevailing and the track at its fastest, another good-sized crowd was present. The patrons installed the Greentree entry the favorite by virtue of Birthdays recent second to Bull Lea, as Menow was third, but Gov. Chandler was a well-backed second choice. Ridden by Willie Garner and carrying 117 pounds, Gov. Chandler ran the distance in 1:45, a second and one-fifth off the track record. He had to be hard ridden in the stretch to outgame Birthday, but held the latter safe after the Greentree colt had moved up to him at the six- teenth post. LASSATOR SETS PACE. Lassator set a steady pace to the stretch, but the gelded son of Reigh Count and Saucy Sue followed at his heels, while Birthday was placed on the outside of the Metz colorbearer until making the far turn. There Gov. Chandler began xhis move, going forward on the outside of the leader. After he had gotten clear, Birthday attempted to advance on the inside, but no opening was available. Gaining fast, Gov. Chandler overtook Lassator inside the furlong post, but just as he put the Valdina colt away Birthday ranged alongside and the two horses fought it out in determined fashion to the wire, but the Metz gelding held his challenger by a head all during the duel. Gangplank came from well back to be third over the tiring Lassator, while Knee Deep was never a factor. Displaying marked improvement over his first start of the season, Crossbow II. carried Warren Wrights Calumet Farm silks to a handy victory in the Castleton Purse, the second feature, by running the six furlongs in 1:11, just three-fifths of a second off the track record. Top weight under 120 pounds, and ridden by Irving Anderson, the five-year-old son of Crusader and Slow and Easy took the lead leaving the back stretch and held it to the end, where he was a length before Bacon, from the Tall Trees Stable. Mrs. A. M. Creechs Miss Dolphin, winner over practically the same company last week, was third, another three-fourths of a length back. Arabs Arrow ran fourth in the field of seven capable sprinters. WINS AT FIRST ASKING. Hope Diamond, which the Indian Lake Stable of F. H. Williamson purchased from H. P. Headley Monday morning, won for her new owner at the first asking in taking the opening dash over the Headley course. Under a hard ride by Jack Richard, the daughter of Apprehension and Precious ran the distance in :47 to defeat the Wood-vale Stables All Spades by a neck. Druselda, from the Tall Trees Stable, was another three lengths away and a haHnength before My Woman, the favorite.
