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PROGRESS OF DERBY ELIGIBLES Canvass of Stables Reveals Most of Candidates in Fine Condition. Benefactor and T. M. Dorsett Are the Two "If" Horses Former Suffers Leg Injury and Latter Kidney Ailment. LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 10. While there still remains four weeks before the Kentucky Derby will be run here at Churchill Downs on May 6, and many untoward things can conspire against candidates during that time, a canvass of the camps of the principal aspirants made today, revealed all except two of the eleven big letter hopefuls in perfect condition. The two "if" horses are Benefactor and T. M. Dorsett. The former injured himself in a recent training gallop over the private track of his owner, E. R. Bradley, while T. M. Dorsett, owned by Joe W. Brown, is just recovering from an infection, believed to have been caused by an insect bite. The top ranking candidates in grand shape physically and training in a manner most gratifying to their connections are the current favorite, El Chico, owned by William Ziegler, Jr., Challedon, hope of W. L. Brann, William Woodwards Johnstown, H. M. Woolf s Technician, William E. Boeings Porters Mite, Mrs. Bessie Franzheims Xal-apa Clown, Hugh W. Jacksons Ariel Toy, Mrs. Ethel V. Mars No Competition and Alfred G. Vanderbilts Impound. TO START IN EAST. All except five of these star three-year-bids are on the Atlantic seaboard where all of them probably will undergo some racing before coming to Louisville, the Chesapeake Stakes at Havre de Grace and the Wood Memorial Stakes at Jamaica serving as final pre-Derby tests for many. Technician, Xal-apa Clown and No Competition are here at Churchill Downs, while Benefactor remains at Idle Hour Farm and T. M. Dorsett is still in New Orleans where he was stricken. A cloak of secrecy surrounds the Bradley camp, near Lexington, but it is known the colt hurt himself. Admirers of this sole Derby reliance of the man who already ha3 four Kentucky Derby victories to his credit should not take the injury too seriously at this time, as reports show that while some swelling was detected in the ankle probably wrenched slightly when training the filling has receded, and trainer William Hurley has decided to wait and see what happens after again working the horse. If there is no recurrence of the swelling, preparation of Benefactor, already far advanced, will be continued, but it is known that the stable will take no chances of permanently injuring the colt. This being the case, any return of the swelling will mean his probable withdrawal from the Derby and other spring engagements. TECHNICIAN EST FINE SHAPE. Technician and Xalapa Clown, which took part in winter racing, the former in Florida and Xalapa Clown in California, are training lightly but steadily over the Derby track. Their trainers, B. A. Jones, who handles the Woolf horse and last year sent Lawrin out to win the Derby under Woolfs silks, and A. C. Dettwiler, mentor of Xalapa Clown, are satisfied to go along easily with their charges in that they will not require a great deal of training because of their activities in the South. No Competition inaugurated his local training with a breeze of three-quarters of a mile on a slow track here yesterday afternoon. Before coming here the Mars horse was brought along slowly at the Milky Way Farm in Tennessee and later at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. NEW YORK TRAINING. At New York tracks El Chico and Johnstown easily hold the spotlight among the three-year-olds as more power and speed come with each succeeding trial. Veterans among the many horsemen at the Long Island track agree that no two Derby horses ever exhibited as much in early maneuvers as these two stalwarts of the Derby line-up. James Fitzsimmons, trainer of Johnstown and who saddled Gallant Fox and Omaha for their Derby victories, is well satisfied with the state of affairs around the Woodward establishment and the same can be said for Matt Brady, who has the sensational and unbeaten El Chico in his care. The work of Challedon, triple Futurity winner, has been a source of great pleasure for his admirers, and Louis Schaefer, trainer of the Brann ace, has seen enough to cause him to predict that the horse that beats this son of Challenger II. will win the Derby. Out of Maryland have come no complaints to dampen the ardor of those fans who fancy the chances of Porters Mite, Ariel Toy and Impound, which are going through their paces in the Old Line State. Ariel Toy, fresh from a triumph in the Arkansas Derby, continues to climb the ladder of popularity and his further progress will be watched with keen interest. Out to improve over their winter performances, Porters Mite and Impound promise to do just that if their recent private trials aretrue indications. This group of eleven horses is by no means offered as the probable Derby field, but they are receiving and are entitled to the greatest consideration at this time. It is just as likely that as many more may be considered probable starters, although their past performances are not as illustrious. It therefore is incumbent upon them to win their Derby spurs between now and that memorable day four weeks away.
