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RECALLS ENTRANCE OF MARS W. G. Douglas Tells of Purchase ol Yearlings From Hancock by Chicago Candy Manufacturer. LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 15 For several years the Milky Way Farm stable of Mrs. Ethel V. Mars scored stakes victory after stakes victory. Orchids were tossed to her and Robert McGarvey, but a mild little man nearing or slightly passing the half-century mark, was not in the picture. He is W. G. Douglas, now training seven yearlings for Thomas C. Bragg, California sportsman. There is a fairy book story about the Milky Way Farm stable. It was first told to the writer by John Stewart, the first trainer and re-told today by Douglas who, from the start and for three years, broke and trained the Milky Way Farm yearlings. During the summer of 1933, six weeks before the Saratoga auctions, and when the yearling market was at a low tide, the late Mr. Mars and Stewart were in Lexington to inspect the Mars saddle horses, Stewart was training. Mars was desirous of having a few thoroughbreds to carry his colors, and as Ross Long, now deceased, a show horseman, was managing Chas. T. Fishers Dixiana, they called upon him to select the thoroughbreds. Long called Arthur B. Hancock, master of Claiborne Stud in Kentucky, and the three motored to his Bourbon County Haras. PARADES YEARLINGS. Mr. Hancock paraded his yearlings, and at dusk, no selections were made. They returned the next day and finally the big band was eliminated to eighteen. They were sons and daughters of Sir Gallahad m., Stimulus, Diavolo and other great Hancock sires and matrons. "Pick from these," said Mr. Hancock and, turning to Stewart, Mr. Mars said: "How about all of them?" Stewart was unable to answer. Silence gave consent and that was the start of the Milky Way Farm thoroughbred stable. Douglas, former trainer for J. B. Respess, developer of Right On Time and others for J. L. Brown, of Winchester, Ky., and a successful harness horse trainer, took the yearlings to the farm at Pulaski, Tenn. The following year he received as yearlings Forever Yours, The Fighter, and others, and the following season Talmadee, Reaping Reward, Well Rewarded, Mars Shield, Murph and others. Sky Larking, Tiger, Mountain Ridge, Well Rewarded, John One and others were in the next band of yearlings, Douglas broke and prepared for racing and, to many, an untimely death prevented Sky Larking from being Americas leading three-year-old of 1938. TIGER DEADHEATED. Reaping Reward and Mountain Ridge were victors in renewals of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Tiger deadheated with Teddys Comet in an Arlington Futurity, Forever Yours won a Lassies Stakes, Sky Larking was considered the leading two-year-old of his year, and The Fighter is considered one of the leading sprinters of 1938. Robert McGarvey who, several months ago, resigned as trainer of the Milky Way Farm stable, is said to have sold enough horses to amass a total of 00,000. Murph and Sky Larking won renewals of the Bash-ford Manor Stakes. Douglas never speaks of the past, he is looking to the future. He paraded a daughter of Diavolo and Escapade II. and then remarked: "She might not be eligible, but if she is, there is the 1939 winner of the Arlington Lassie Stakes." He has four sons and daughters of Bostonian. One is from The Minch, another from Little Fire, another from Easthonia, and the other from Phyllis Louise. There is a son of Pompey and Inbounds, and a daughter of Justice F. and Maenora. A daughter of Justice F. and Watchola will carry the Douglas colors.
