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I- t Here and There on the Turf Technician Loses Prestige Figured to Win Trial Easily Viscounty Rates Chance Porters Mite Disappoints * ยป Technician didnt gain any new prestige by his effort in the Derby Trial Stakes and more probably he lost some. If the son of Insco and Glister had run to expectations in that mile event at Churchill Downs Tuesday, he not only would have been returned a comfortable winner but he would have easily shaded the time of 1:38%. This is very slow time for the mile at Churchill, where only one turn is negotiated, even though the track may be considered a second slow, and if that was Technicians effort in the Derby Trial his chances Saturday are far from what they appeared to be following his victory in the Flamingo Stakes and in a six furlongs sprint here last week-end. Needless to say, Herbert M. Woolf and Ben Jones, owner and trainer of Technician, respectively, were two very disappointed persons after the Trial. In his sprint last Saturday, Technician breezed in 1:12, but in the Trial the first three-quarters were covered in 1:12% with the Woolf three-year-old just a length away. As the final quarter was covered in :26, the Kansas-Missouri colt shaded it only a fifth and that is not very respectable for a horse considered to be a leading Derby candidate. Under different handling, perhaps, than was given him by Ira Hanford, the son of Insco might have prevailed but that doesnt alter the fact that he was unable to run by Viscounty approaching the furlong" pole when it meant the most, even though the latter bore over on him during the remaining distance. When unable to get by Viscounty up the stretch, Technician had to gain steadily 1 in the final few yards to finish as close as he did. j Viscounty was more or less a doubtful starter in the Derby until his victory in the | Derby Trial. He only beat Technician a j nose, and the latter was gaining on him under difficulties, but the son of The Porter ; and Trap Star might have defeated the f Woolf representative easily but for attempting to bear in so much. Carroll Bierman was unable to urge the Valdina colorbearer as he was kept busy holding him straight, at one point finding it necessary to swing his mount off of Technician. He will not be available to ride Viscounty in the Derby and very possibly trairier J. J. Flanigan will obtain the services of a jockey who can whip left-handed. The Texas-owned colt may not get anything in the Derby but he seems to fancy the Downs course and from what he has shown the Valdina owner, Emerson F. Woodward, can well afford to take a chance Saturday. None of the other contestants in the Derby Trial appears to have any chance in the classic Saturday. Porters Mite, the second choice to Technician in the event, breezed in front to the quarter pole, but soon after Viscounty and Technician ran by him in a hurry and the finish found him in fourth place, six lengths away. He proceeded to Continued on thirty-third page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. work out the Derby route in 2:09 but was all in when he completed the task. The Belmont Futurity winner just isnt of Derby caliber and he really ought to be reserved for sprint or middle distance races. Saturday will find him an extreme outsider, while the odds on Technician also will be higher than had been expected prior to the Trial. Johnstown will be a strong favorite with Challedon next in demand, regardless of whether the Derby field is large or small. The defeat of Technician by Viscounty can be construed to give Heather Broom a better chance in the Derby than he appeared to possess otherwise. The Valdina colt was a well-beaten third to the John Hay Whitney horse in the Blue Grass Stakes, and the latter has come back from that performance with a very pleasing workout over the Derby route. The effort was at Keeneland, which track is quite different from that at Louisville, but superintendent Tom Young is expected to give considerable attention to the Downs course these final few days to remove some of its cuppiness, thereby causing it to be more conducive to speed Saturday. It always has been advisable for a Derby candidate to get the feel of the Louisville track, and Earl Sande may be expected to call on the son of The Porter and Janet Blair for some sort of a workout today, probably a very slow one. r
