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I t i Here and There on the Turf t El Chico Not Invincible Derby Appears More Open Johnstown Is Impressive Gilded Knight in Preakness 4 El Chico is invincible no longer. His defeat by Gilded Knight at Jamaica Saturday, although only by inches, and with Nick Wall not subjecting him to severe punishment, can have no other effect than to hearten others having candidates for the Wood Memorial Stakes and the Kentucky Derby. Just to further weaken El Chicos position as the Derby favorite, in the next race Johnstown won the Paumonok Handicap by six lengths in one-fifth second faster time. El Chico can be beaten, it finally has been demonstrated, and that fact cannot help but make the Derby appear a more open race. A conclusive victory by last sesaons juvenile champion automatically would hold the post of favoritism in the Wood Memorial for him and similar success in the latter not only would send him postward in the Derby at short odds, but probably would scare out some other possible starters. Under no circumstances, however, is El Chico to be condemned by his defeat. He probably would have won had Nick Wall punished him, but too much is in front of the son of John P. Grier La Chica to knock him out in his first start. As it was, his effort was most creditable, as he ran the six furlongs in 1:11 after doing the opening quarter in :22 and half-mile in :46. His training program reveals that he had not been particularly sharpened up for an unusually fast sprint, but more so with the idea of making him ready for his distance engagements later on. With that race behind him, El Chico should be ready for Continued on twentieth page. HERE AND THEREON THE TURF Continued from second page the work to put him right for the Wood, the mile and seventy yards event that should give a good line on the colts chances in the Derby and other classics over a route. Johnstown had been given sharper work than El Chico and William Woodwards fast colt used that sort of training to good advantage in romping off with the Paumonok. In stepping the first quarter in :22, the son of Jamestown and La France was able to assume a clear lead, but when he covered the half mile in ;45, he was able to take an advantage that permitted easy handling from Jimmy Stout through the stretch. Although reaching the wind-up well within himself, Johnstown ran the six furlongs in 1:11, four-fifths off King Saxons track record. If forced to pressure in the stretch, he undoubtedly would have made a better mark. "Any way you look at Johnstowns race, his impost was only four pouhds less than that shouldered by El Chico, his chances against the colt that beat him several times last season appear very promising. Both Johnstown and Gilded Knight were trained for their victories on opening day at Jamaica by James Fitzsimmons, the latter being a member of the Wheatley Stable. He is not eligible to the Derby, but the son of Sir Gallahad HI. and Gold Brick, by Broomstick, has plenty of chances to prove just how good a three-year-old he can be after just failing to hit the circle of the better juveniles last season. Gilded Knight is an eligible to the Preak-ness but he may see what he can do either in the Chesapeake Stakes this coming Saturday or in the Wood on the ensuing weekend. The Wheatley colt came along in menacing fashion last fall in capturing the Wannamoisett Handicap at Narragansett and then placing third to Challedon and Third Degree in the Pimlico Futurity, both at a mile and one-sixteenth, and in his race with El Chico, although only a sprint, he slowly wore down the latter. Fitzsimmons attempted to bag a noteworthy triple by sending Fighting Fox to Havre de Grace for the Harford Handicap but the brother to Gallant Fox was unable to handle top weight of 122 pounds against Sun Egret with that colt back in top trim Both Sun Egret and Fighting Fox came from behind in the stretch, but the former advanced in quicker fashion and drew out to win the historic sprint almost as he pleased. While Fitzsimmons, was failing to gain a training triple, another veteran horseman, Guy Bedwell, gained that honor as Sun Egret topped the early victories at the Maryland course of Ace Call and Hypocrite. The son of Sun Briar and Polly Egret was a frequent stakes winner at Santa Anita and in Maryland early in 1938, but he was far from being himself this past winter at the Arcadia course. Bedwell seems to have the colt, now a four-year-old, good again and he may remain that way for his remaining engagements at Havre de Grace and Pimlico.
