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NINE IN JAMAICA STAKE Johnstown Favored Over El Chico — | Rain May Change Status. Muddy Footing May Lengthen Belair Colts Odds and Lessen His Chances of Winning. - NEW YORK, N. Y., April 28.— Johnstown, present favorite for the Kentucky Derby and considered little short of invincible in that stake by the majority of New York turf-goers, will have a public final for next Saturdays mile and a quarter at the Jamaica course this afternoon when he goes forth to battle El Chico, unbeaten* juvenile champion of 1938, and seven others in the Wood Memorial. The colt from Belair rules the choice, with 3 to 5 being the overnight quotation. The son of Jamestown and La France ran away from his company in his only two starts of the season, making a new track record for the Wood distance of one mile and seventy yards as recently as Tuesday. If hes pressed today and the going is fast hell probably lower his own mark of 1:40% and in so doing set a new worlds record. GILDED KNIGHT MISSING. The Metropolitan Jockey Club stake, though it will bring into action two of the most widely publicized three-year-olds in the land, still loses considerable interest through the absence of Gilded Knight, recent winner of the Chesapeake Stakes. Like Johnstown, he is trained by "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, which may or may not account for his inaction. At any rate, the majority of folks will take it as an indication that the veteran considers William Woodwards colt the better of the two. Now it .will remain for the Preakness to provide the answer to this theory. ■ Overnight the skies were threatening, suggesting rain and a muddy track for todays racing. All of which would serve to lengthen Johnstowns price and lessen his chances. El Chico, Volitant, Impound, Eight Thirty and Lovely Night all have shown ability to handle themselves well in the mud. HAS EASY BREEZE. The Belair colt, which raced a mile in 1:37 under restraint in his recent mile and seventy yards outing, in a performance which said he was ready, liad an easy half mile breeze in :51% at Aqueduct this morning, under stout restraint throughout. All of which was sufficient and plenty after Tues- Continued on thirty-fourth page. I JOHNSTOWN, EL CHICO NAMED FOR THE WOOD MEMORIAL —GILDED KNIGHT OUT Continued from first page. days race. Hell have 120 pounds up and it is impossible to find a single excuse for him. El Chico, certain to be second choice to the Belair colt, with 4 to 1 the overnight quotation, lost considerable prestige when beaten by -Gilded Knight on the opening day of the meeting. Some of this was regained when the latter moved into Maryland to take the Chesapeake from Impound, j Challedon and others. The son of John P. Grier went a quarter in :22% at Belmont Park today to demonstrate that he held his speed, easing up three-eighths in :35%. In front of that he vanned over to the Jamaica course to work a mile and a furlong in 1:52%, handily, first mile in 1:39. The only way he can defeat Johnstown is to take him by the head, and so doing he may beat himself. Eight Thirty keenly disappointed his connections through his recent defeat by Johnstown and Lovely Night. Still, it should not be forgotten that he was a first-time 1939 starter, facing two colts which had been tightened by racing. He came back Thursday to breeze a mile in 1:43% at Belmont with the fog making it impossible to get any fractionals on the move. A stout stayer and a good whip horse, he seems certain to improve. VOLITANT READY. Volitant showed a world of speed at Aqueduct today in going five-eighths in :59%, while prior to that he worked a mile in 1:39% at the same track. After these moves one must throw out his race in the Chesapeake. Mayhap the Display temperament asserted itself in that stake. Impound, runner-up in the Chesapeake, breezed a mile and a furlong in 1:57% at Jamaica in his extended final, the first mile in 1:43. He is a possibility, the same holding true for T. M. Dorsett, driving winner of the Stuyvesant Handicap last Saturday. That fellow also has the mile Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes to his credit, indicating staying ability. Lovely Night is a steady •sort and one which would move up plenty in the mud, while Chief Onaway and Book Plate appear too ambitiously placed. The Jamaica Handicap should start a stake double for William Woodwards Belair establishment, as Fighting Fox shapes up as generally best of the nine entrants. He will be the top weight with 123 pounds and the favorite as well.
