Result Of Derby Trail Cuts Down Derby Field: Only Ten May Compete; Fourteen Contestants Seen as Top Number of Starters.; Appearance of T. M. Dorsett Doubtful on Saturday Because of Illness--Johnstown Top-Heavy Choice., Daily Racing Form, 1939-05-04

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RESULT OF DERBY TRIAL CUTS DOWN DERBY FIELD A ygy ONLY TEN MAY COMPETE Fourteen Contestants Seen as Top Number of Starters. and Appearance of T. M. Dorsett Doubtful on Saturday Because of Illness — Johnstown Top-Heavy Choice. BULLETIN. LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 3.— William Woodwards Johnstown pronounced favorite for Saturdays Kentucky Derby, had a final dress rehearsal for his engagement in that 0,000 stake when he worked a mile between the third and fourth races at Churchill Downs this afternoon. With his Derby rider, Jimmy Stout, at the reins and hard held, the Woodward colt covered the distance in 1:38% after negotiating the first quarter in :24%, half-mile in :49, and three-quarters in 1:14, leaving nothing to be desired in his condition for the big race this week-end. LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 3— A field of no more than fourteen, and perhaps as few as ten horses, today was the prospect for Saturdays running of the 0,000 added Kentucky Derby as a result of developments yesterday and this morning at Churchill Downs. Several Derby challengers eliminated themselves from further consideration as starters in Saturdays race through defeat in the Trial Stakes Tuesday. Joe W. Browns T. M. Dorsett became an improbable contestant when he developed a temperature over night; Mrs Cecil Gregorys Lostagal will remain on the sidelines unless the track is muddy and William Woodwards Challenge and William Ziegler, Jr.s Our Mat are not likely to start unless their more illustrious stable companions, Johnstown and El Chico, respectively, are incapacitated. In addition to Johnstown, now a top-heavy favorite for the race, and El Chico, those which appear certain to strive for honors in the mile and a quarter three-year-old marathon this week-end are William L. Branns Challedon, Herbert M. Woolfs Technician, John Hay Whitneys Heather Broom, Emerson FI Woodwards Viscounty, Mrs. Bessie Franzheims Xalapa Clown, W. E. Boeings Porters Mite, Junius W. Bells Steel Heels and Mrs. Ethel V. Mars On Location. CANCEL WORK. T. M. Dorsetts status will be determined tomorrow and if he has not fully recovered by that time, he will be withdrawn from Saturdays engagement. The brown colt was to have indulged in a training move today but that assignment was cancelled when the colt was found to be ill. His present ailment was the second to interrupt T. M. Dorsetts training this year, for in New Orleans where he wintered and received his early preparations, he was stricken with toxic poisoning of the kidney and laryngitis. He recovered quickly, however, and after being shipped east gave his connections much encouragement by his splendid racing. John B. Theall, trainer of T. M. Dorsett, said the colts condition is not believed to be serious but that no chances of permanent injury would be taken with him. Tommy Driscoll, who is looking after Johnstown and Challenge, said the latter would not likely be sent postward in the Derby unless it becomes impossible to start Continued on twenty-seventh page. RESULT OF DERBY TRIAL CUTS DOWN DERBY FIELD Continued from first page. Johnstown, which, on his record, does not appear to need the assistance of a running companion. Johnstown and Challenge arrived yesterday from New York in the same car which brought T. M. Dorsett to Louisville and both are in excellent condition. WORKS HANDILY. Challenge worked a mile and a furlong around the main track this morning and though bearing out in his trial accomplished the task in 1:55, handily. He went the first half-mile in :50, three-quarters in 1:16%, and mile in 1:41 to signalize his fitness for Saturdays test if Johnstown is unable to represent his masters Belair Stud. Johnstown was introduced to the Derby course later in the day. Our Mats status in the Derby picture is much the same as Challenges, for he is here only as understudy to El Chico, whose seven straight stakes victories in an unbeaten juvenile campaign, made him the early favorite for the Derby. El Chico has lost some caste through defeats in his only two engagements this spring, but trainer Matt Brady has every confidence in his charge and was enthusiastic over the private trial the son of John F. Grier had this morning. Our Mat, which also worked, turned in a faster move, but Brady said El Chicos was the more impressive. In traveling a mile in 1:44% and galloping out a mile and an eighth in 1:59, El Chico went the first quarter in :27, half in :53%, and three-quarters in 1:19%, breezing all the way. Our Mat ran a mile in 1:43%, the half in :50%, and three-quarters in 1:18. Although their combined showings were far short of sensational "Viscounty, Technician, Steel Heels and Porters Mite displayed Ctfough in the Trial Stakes yesterday to earn a chance to start in Saturdays feature, while Yale o Nine, American Byrd and Timeful were dropped from further Derby consideration by their disappointing efforts in the same race. J. R. Gregory, who trains Lostagal, also a contestant in the Trial, said he did not expect the son of Hadagal to show a great deal on yesterdays fast track, but that the gelding would try for classic honors this week-end if muddy footing prevails. DERBY THREAT. By his nose victory over Technician, Viscounty established himself some sort of a threat for the Derby while Technicians defeat was a sharp blow to the Wests chances of a triumph on Saturday. Had the Woolf horse been able to win yesterdays engagement in the manner his 3 to 10 odds suggested he would, he might have been installed second choice to Johnstown in the Derby. As it was his stock took a dip and Challcdon now stands out in public opinion as the horse most likely to defeat the star of Belair if, indeed, he is to be beaten. Steel Heels was making his first start of the year and though he was a well beaten third his effort was not too disappointing to his owner, although Porters Mite hardly encouraged supporters when he finished a tiring fourth after pacing the field for three-quarters of the distance. Heather Broom, who earned a place in the Derby picture by winning the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland a week ago and turning in a most impressive mile and a quarter private trial at the same track last Monday, is to receive his final "prep" for the big race tomorrow, while Xalapa Clown had his this morning and On Location got his last long drill yestercfay. Xalapa Clown went a handy mile unaccompanied in l:43/s, the half-mile in :50, and the three-quarters in 1:16, and again warmed out of the soreness he customarily shows when brought on the track. PILOTS ENGAGED. Most of the jockeys who will have Derby mounts are on the grounds, the latest arrival being Jimmy Stout who has the enviable assignment on Johnstown. George Seabo, who is coming west to pilot Challe-don, is due tomorrow, while Heather Brooms rider, Basil James, is coming Friday and Nick Wall, who will guide El Chico, is to get in either Friday or Saturday. Charles Kurtsinger, who rode Twenty Grand and War Admiral to their Kentucky Derby triumphs, today accepted the mount on Steel Heels while Warren Yarberry probably will handle Lostagal if he starts on Saturday. Late today it was learned that the Wool-ford establishment was attempting to contact jockey Eddie Arcaro to offer him the mount on Technician. It is known that owner Woolf and trainer B. A. Jones were not satisfied with the ride Ira Hanford gave the Insco colt yesterday, although they admitted the horse might not be as good as they thought him to be. Arcaro rode Law-rin to a Derby victory under the Woolf silks last year. Other jockeys who will have Derby engagements are Silvio Coucci, Xalapa Clown; Johnny Adams, Porters Mite; Alfred Robertson, On Location; and Leon Haas, T. M. Dorsett. No rider has been engaged yet for Viscounty. A. P. Canale, Memphis turf patron, who has several horses in training here in charge of Frank Canale, is here and will remain until after the Derby.


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800