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MRS. PAYNE WHITNEY— Who is carrying on the Whitney family tradition by having her colors shown in todays Derby. -— — - Whitney Name Has Been Linked With Derby Twenty-Seven Years Thirty-Three Thoroughbreds* Have Carried Famous Racing I Familys Silks in Fixture LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 1.— The quest of Mrs. Payne Whitney for another victory in the Kentucky Derby is another link between the history of Churchill Downs annual spring classic and the turf adventures of the Whitney family. In the last 27 years, or since 1915, when Harry Payne Whitneys Regret defied tradition by becoming the first and only filly ever to win the race, the Whitneys have started 33 horses in the Derby. The records show that Harry Payne Whitney started 19 thoroughbreds in the special for three-year-olds and had the pleasure of winning the event twice. His second success came when Whiskery triumphed in 1927. His sister-in-law, Mrs. Payne Whitney, whose horses race under the Greentree Stable banner, tried at various times with nine thoroughbreds and she took down the coveted prize in 1931 with Twenty Grand, who set a Derby record for a mile and a quarter of 2:01%, which stood until Whirlaway lowered it by two-fifths of a second last spring. Mrs. Whitneys former daughter-in-law, Mary Elizabeth Whitney, had her colors carried in the Derby by three horses, and her son, John Hay Whitney, started one, while H. P. Whitneys son, C. V. Whitney, also has had one Derby horse. Harry Payne Whitneys turf fortunes in connection with the Derby were unique in that he won with the first and last horses he sent here for the race. Regret was the first to carry his silks in the Blue Grass event and Whiskery, who had Bostonian as a running mate, was his last. He died several years later. Upset Beoten by Paul Jones Between the victories of Regret and Whiskery, Whitney missed scoring a victory by the margin of a head when Paul Jones finished in front of Upset, the only horse ever to beat Man o War. That was in 1920, a year in which the stable had two other Derby starters, Damask, who ran fourth, and Wildair. The next year he started two other horses, Prudery and Try-ster, who were made favorftes, and they finished third and fourth behind the two E. R. Bradley runners. Behave Yourself and Black Servant. Among other thoroughbreds who carried his hopes in Churchill Downs spring feature for three-year-olds were Thunderer and Dominant in 1916; Rickety, who ran fourth in 1917; Vindex in 1919, Enchantment and Picketer in 1923, Transmute and Klondyke in 1924, Backbone and The Bat in 1925, and Blondin in 1926. Mrs. Payne Whitney made three bids for Derby honors before Twenty Grand rewarded her hopes. She started Letterman in 1922, Rialto and Cherry Pie in 1923, and Wild Aster in 1924, and then came 1931 and the brilliant effort of Twenty Grand. This colt was a member of a three-horse entry, Anchors Aweigh and Surf Board rounding out the trio. Since then the Greentree establishment has had only two other contestants. Spy Hill in 1934 and Plat Eye in 1935. Mary Elizabeth Whitney started Stepen-fetchit, who ran third, and Over Time in 1932, and Singing Wood, who went unplaced two years later. Her former husbands lone Derby horse was Heather Broom, who was third in 1939, and C. V. Whitney made his one bid for honors with Today, who was unsuccessful in 1935.
