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Preakness May Bring Out Even Dozen Several Eligibles • Will Drill Today Alsab, Requested, Valdina Orphan, Fairy Manah Come To Pimlico From Churchill BALTIMORE, Md., May 5.— The rustic old Civil War course on the Pimlico hilltop presents lively scenes these May mornings, with hundreds of Marylands avid thoroughbred enthusiasts assembling at the Maryland Jockey Club grounds to welcome the Preakness colts and watch them go through their calisthenics in preparation for Saturdays "run for the black -eyed Susans." The most interesting developments of the day, Tuesday, on the Preakness front was the arrival, from Louisville, of a prominent quartet of hopefuls for the week-end edition of the 0,000 Maryland "Classic." Mrs. Al Sabaths renowned Alsab headed these invaders, who shipped in good style on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The runner-up to Shut Out in last Saturdays Kentucky Derby and his mediocre stable-mates in the Chicago-owned Sabath establishment occupied one car. Mrs. Ben Whitakers, Requested, Willie duPonts Fairy Manah and the Valdina Farms Valdina Orphan were the occupants of another car on the same train. Trainer August "Sarge" Swenke, of Alsab, declares that his charge "will hardly be beaten again all season. He has been progressing this spring just as he did as a two-year-old in 1941. You will recall that he didnt begin to attract attention last season until nearly summer. His Kentucky Derby effort was a corker." Swenke Native of Baltimore Swenke is especially hopeful of winning the Preakness, because Baltimore is the home town of this hero of World War I. It was while going a -racing at Pimlico as a lad that the Sabath conditioner became a disciple of the turf sport. Indications today were that a field of ten or a dozen will go postward in this ensuing fifty-second running for the Preakness. The current probables are Belair Studs Apache, R. S. Clarks Colchis, Foxcatcher Farms Fairy Manah, Greentree Stables Shut Out and Devil Diver, L. B. Mayers Domingo, Mill Rivers Fair Call, Mrs. Sabaths Alsab, Valdinas dlVaina Orphan and B. F. Whitakers Requested. Those appear the most probable starters. Possible starters are L. L. Haggins Air Current, Col. E. R. Bradleys Bless Me and Calumet Farms Sun Again. Training and racing of the next twenty-four hours or so may add or subtract one or two of these. Ben Ali Jones, the Missourian who conditions Warren Wrights famed Calumet Farm string, still is indecisive concerning Sun Agains Preakness status. "I dont know yet whether or not hell start," the affable Jones said this morning as Sun Again was picking grass beside the Wright barn. "I had hoped that he would move up with those races at Keeneland and Churchill Downs. But he lost weight, and its so easy to knock a horse out in the spring." Jones, obviously, is reluctant to take any chances of impairing Sun Agains future despite the considerable lure represented in the 0,000 added worth of the Preakness. Greentree Pair Strong Choice Tomorrow will be work day for a number of the Preakness eligibiles. Among those scheduled for important trials are Mrs. Payne Whitneys favored pair of the Derby winner, Shut Out, and his highly regarded stable companion, Devil Diver. Trainer Gaver, an extremely hard-working trainer of the Jimmy Rowe school, will have the noted duo out shortly after day- : break, so that railbirds must journey to the I hilltop in the wee small hours to see this 1 show. | The Greentree camp and its rapidly | growing army of followers really expect , that Shut Out and Devil Diver will finish • one-two in the Preakness. The only ques- tion in their minds concerns which of this . pair will be the victor. There will be some sentimental wagers on the meteoric 1941 juvenile leader, ! Alsab, and on Marylands Chesapeake win- I ner, Colchis, while Requesteds more loyal followers maintain he will rehabilitate himself fully Saturday for his rather dismal Derby performance in which he suffered some interference.
