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JOHNSTOWN PROHIBITIVE FAVORITE FOR DERBY S : • Colt May Be Shortest Priced Choice Since Twenty Grand Sensational Workout Between Races Wednesday Attracts New Followers for Son of Jamestown — Probable Starters Cut to Nine — Smallest Field in Years LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 4.— The smallest Kentucky Derby field in twenty years for Saturdays running of the 0,000 fixture at Churchill Downs, became probable today with the definite withdrawal of William E. Boeings Porters Mite and the relegation of Junius W. Bells Steel Heels to a small group of doubtful starters. From a list of 115 nominations the field has narrowed down to nine contestants, and one of these, Joe W. Browns T. M. Dorsett, was just recovering from an indisposition which developed en route from New York and is not certain to be found in Saturdays Derby parade. With no more than nine likely to go to the post for the mile and a quarter spectacle, the field will be the smallest. since 1918 when the great Exterminator turned back seven rivals in the historic old fixture. The race is only two days away and it how appears probable that William Woodwards hard-running Johnstown will be one of the shortest-priced favorites in a number of years. The son of Jamestown already had a substantial following when he arrived here from New York, and many more Derby;, fans flocked to his support after he had literally burned up the track.in a mile trial between races at the Downs Wednesday. Working well out from the rail and under strong restraint, he sped over the eight furlongs in 1:38%, a performance not calculated to brighten the hopes of other Derby challengers. NOW AT ODDS-ON. Johnstown was held at odds of about 7 to 10 today, and by post time Saturday the quotations on his chances might even be shorter. The last odds-on choice to capture the Derby was Twenty Grand, which paid .76 for in the mutuels after winning the race in 1931. Brevity was a 4-to-5 chance in 1936, but he finished second to Bold Venture. The Woodward colt this morning showed no ill effects from his brilliant performance Wednesday afternoon, and the only other Continued on thirty-third page. JOHNSTOWN PROHIBITIVE FAVORITE FOR DERBY Continued from first page. serious work that will be asked of him before he makes his bid for turf fame will be a short speed trial Friday morning. Decision to withdraw Porters Mite from the Derby was announced this morning by trainer Ted Horning. The Belmont Futurity winner gave a disappointing account of himself in the Derby Trial Stakes here Tuesday, and Horning said he will be thrown out of training and given a good rest. He is to be shipped to Belmont Park early next week and then will be transferred to Saratoga. FUTURITY WINNER OUT. The withdrawal of Porters Mite adds another chapter in a long run of bad luck which has pursued winners of the Futurity in their quest of Kentucky Derby honors. It is a strange coincidence that no Belmont Futurity winner, frequently hailed the juvenile champion, has ever been able to capture the coveted three-year-old prize at Churchill Downs. Porters Mite, which won the Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita early in the year and later finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, was beaten in the Chesapeake Stakes after being sent to Maryland, but his performance was encouraging enough to warrant his shipment to the Downs. When he failed to show more impressively in the Trial Stakes, however, Horning and the colts owner decided the Derby would be too much for the son of The Porter. The only Derby horse to indulge in anything other than light exercise this morning was John Hay Whitneys Heather Broom, which won the Blue Grass Stakes at Keene-land last Thursday and subsequently worked the ten furlongs of the Derby distance in the splendid time of 2:06 over the same track. Over the Downs course this morning the Whitney colt, trained by Earl Sande, traveled a mile in 1:44%, handily. He worked the first quarter in :26%, half mile in :52% and three-quarters in 1:19, to the satisfaction of his mentor. CERTAIN STARTERS. Other three-year-olds still considered certain starters in the Derby are William L. Branns Challedon, Herbert M. Woolfs Technician, Emerson F. Woodwards Viscounty, William Ziegler, Jr.s El Chico, Mrs. Bessie Franzheims Xalapa Clown and Mrs. Ethel V. Mars On Location. Besides Steel Heels, .whose performance in the Trial Stakes hardly recommends him as a Derby threat, two others which might yet be found among the contestants are Challenge, a stablemate of Johnstown, and Mrs. Cecil Gregorys Lostagal, which will try for honors only if the track is muddy. Challenge also may be called upon to start Saturday if the track is muddy, since Johnstown is believed to have a decided preference for dry footing. Challedon, second choice to Johnstown; Technician, probable third choice, and the others, indulged in long gallops this morning and will have little else to do as far as training is concerned until they set sail in Americas premier horse race Saturday afternoon.
