view raw text
BRILLIANT FIELD FOR WOOD MEMORIAL SATURDAY • Johnstown, El Chico, Gilded Knight, Volitant and Eight Thirty Starters Lovely Night and T. M. Dorset* Also Considered Sure Competitors in Jamaicas Big Race — Kentucky Derby Field May Be Affected by Result of Contest NEW YORK, N. Y., April 27.— Candidates for the Wood Memorial have completed their training and there does not seem to be any change in the probable field as has been announced. Yesterday morning, at Belmont Park, George D. Wideners Eight Thirty was sent along for a handy mile in 1:43%. It was a move to suggest that the son of Pilate and Dinner Time is ready for an improved performance. In the Woodhaven of Tuesday, Eight Thirty was appearing under silks for the first time this year, and he had just been shipped up from Erdenheim, where the veteran, A. J. Joyner, had supervised his training. It was indeed a tough spot that was picked for the colt when he was pitted against William Woodwards ►Johrfstown, while Mrs. F. Ambrose Clarks Lovely Night, in the same field, had been seasoned by racing. Eight Thirty was plainly short in th. -Woodhaven for he tired in the running to be beaten by Lovely Night as well as Johnstown, but it must be remembered that the Woodward three-year-old ran the mile and seventy yards in 1:40%, just one-fiflh of a second slower than the American record for the distance. EIGHT THIRTY IMPROVED. From the manner in which Eight Thirty went about his task yesterday morning, he should surely show to better advantage Saturday if he is sent to the post in the Wood as is expected. Jim Fitzsimmons has completed his training of both Johnstown and Gilded Knight, for the Wood and they were not asked for anything yesterday, though each will probably have a short breezing exercise this morning. Johnstown completed his preparation for the Wood brilliantly when he galloped off with the Woodhaven over the same distance, in record-breaking time, while Gilded Knight has been galloped since his victory in the Chesapeake of last Saturday, indicating that he is holding his form. Matt Brady is all through with the training of William Ziegler Jr.s El Chico, and the most recent move of the son of John P. Grier and La Chica, would indicate a readiness for the question Saturday. El Chico seems sure to improve over his opening day sprint at Jamaica when he was nosed out in the last stride by Gilded Knight. The swift-running little chestnut has been built up carefully by Brady, and he has never lost faith in his ability to carry his speed the Derby route, which after all is his first big objective. IMPOUND WELL-LIKED. A. G. Vanderbilts Impound is another that will have a big following in the Wood. The Sun Beau colt ran a smashing race when he was second to Gilded Knight in the Chesapeake, beating Challedon, , and since his arrival in New York a breezing mile and a furlong was enough to show that he is holding his -form. T. M. Dorsett that bears the silks of the New Orleans sportsman, Joe W. Brown, and Volitant, from the Continued on thirty-second page. BRILLIANT FIELD FOR WOOD MEMORIAL SATURDAY Continued from first page. Saratoga Stable of George H. Bull and John A. Morris, are both thoroughly ready and of course Mrs. F. Ambrose Clarks Lovely Night qualified in the Woodhaven. There may be some other of the eligibles that will go to the post but at this time it appears the field will be made up of Johnstown, Gilded Knight, El Chico, Eight Thirty, Lovely Night, Volitant and T. M. Dorsett. There is the chance that Fitzsimmons will not start Gilded Knight in the Wood, but reserve him for the Preakness and other races over a longer distance than the Saturday prize. Fitz is convinced that Johnstown is the master of Gilded Knight, racing a mile and seventy yards. Then there is also a report that El Chico rapped himself in his last workout but that could not be confirmed and it is expected he will be raced.
