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TECHNICIANS PARALLEL PATH Herbert Wootf Stars Record Almost Identical With Lawrins. Neither Insco Colt Created Much of a Furor as Juvenile Technician Sounder Than Stablemate. LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 5. Technician, a colt, with which Herbert M. Woolf, of Kansas City, hopes to win his second Kentucky Derby, is traveling a path almost parallel to the one which Lawrin trod on his way to victory in the same race last year, under the Woolf silks. Like Lawrin, Technician created no furor among the two-year-olds in his juvenile season, and, also like Lawrin, he shouldered his way to the forefront among Derby eligibles through his exploits early in his three-year-old form in Florida. Lawrin sounded a note of warning that he would be heard from in the future three-year-old competition, when he captured the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Park, in 1938, and Technician made his challenge to others of his age by accounting for the same race just a few weeks ago. Lawrin became the first development of winter racing to take the classic Kentucky Derby since Black Gold came north from New Orleans in 1924 to inscribe his name on the scroll of winners of Americrs premier horse race, and it is not beyond the pale of possibility that Technician will be another. GIVEN PLENTY TIME. Both Lawrin and Technician were given plenty of time in their juvenile seasons to develop and grow, and to hit their best strides. Lawrin went to the post fifteen times as a two-year-old, winning three races and finishing second six times. Technician made fourteen trips postward last year, and won two races and took second honors, four times. Lawrin fan five times before he got into the money, and then he finished first while Technician got second money in his sixth try as a two-year-old. Neither of them won a stake as a two-year-old. Early in 1938, however, Lawrin "arrived." He won the Hialeah Stakes and Flamingo Stakes in Florida, and then came the crowning success of his career in the famous Kentucky Derby. From Louisville, he was sent to California, to add further to his laurels by capturing the American Invitational Three-Year-Old Championship at Hollywood Park and the Hollywood Trial Stakes. In all, Lawrin earned 21,990 last year, 7,050 of which was his reward for taking the Derby. BRILLIANT RECORD. Technicians record this year is as brilliant as Lawrins was at the same time, a year ago. In Florida, this winter, Technician won three of his four engagements, finishing second in the Bahamas Handicap before his smashing triumph in the Flamingo Stakes. Since his arrival at Churchill Downs, where the Derby will be run on May 6, Technician has been taking things rather easy, but trainer Ben A. Jones last Wednesday returned him to more serious training. He is in excellent physicial trim, and, barring the unforeseen, trainer Jones has every confidence of bringing him up to the big race at the peak of his condition. Although the records of Lawrin and Technician are similar, they are not alike in temperament and identical training methods are not applicable to both. Technician is tall and high-headed, like Lawrin, but the latter was the larger at the same time of their careers, and proT ably a more rugged type. Technician is a free worker and performs every task ahead of him, whereas Lawrin had to be drilled laboriously. In the afternoons, . according to Jones, Technician will run the best race he can with a minimum amount of Handling from his rider, but Lawrin had to be driven and required more vigorous tactics from his pilot. Eddie Arcaro gave Lawrin just such a ride to get him home in front, in last years Derby, but Jones said that whoever handles Technician in the May 6 special will not be given the same instructions. GENTLE AND GOOD "DOER." In his stall, Technician is gentle and, considered a good "doer." He eats moderately, but well, whereas Lawrin was a big eater and, as Jones says, "Hed eat straw just like it was hay." Physically, Technician will have at least .oneadvantage over Lawrin, Technician is as j sound as a bell, while Lawrin was handicapped in his early Derby training by an injured hoof. While trainer Jones fairly exudes confidence in the Woolf colt, he sees this years Derby as a wide open one, and he believes that right now any one of eight or more nominees have royal chances of victory. He, naturally, points with pride to the condition of Technician, but he is not losing sight of the fact that others are showing equal promise. Of only one thing is Jones sure that Technician, barring mishap, will be as fit as he can make the son of Insco and, that he will be in there doing his best on Derby Day.
