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Thirty-Two Kentucky Derby Eligibles Already in Churchill Downs Quarters By Jimminy Will Join Group 4 At Louisville Today; Burton Predicts Big Starting Fields LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 10.— With the Keeneland secretarial and main office forces taking over a majority of the offices at Churchill Downs today, pre-meeting activity reached the highest peak of the season. The Keeneland group opens the Kentucky season on Saturday, to be followed by a War Relief meeting, and then follows the regular Churchill Downs session, during which the Kentucky Derby will have its seventieth running. Fred Burton, racing secretary for the Lexington track, which for the second straight year invades the historic Derby course, prepared to release his weights for Saturdays renewal of the ,000 added Phoenix Handicap, checked the list of stable registrations already accepted by James T. Clark and beaming with optimism, predicted that a greater majority of the races he has conditioned will attract overflowing fields. Burton arrived from Florida, where he 4 ♦ ; ■ vacationed during the winter. He kept in , touch with racing and noticed the increased [ cost of horses and the demand for them. With these facts before him. Burton drew j up the conditions for the seven days of the ; regular meeting and the first three days of I the War Relief season. " This 10-day period I takes in what would have been Keenelands ; allotment. "With few exceptions, the horses quartered . in Louisville have been active in winter racing," said Burton. "Of course, there are many two-year-olds yet to receive their baptism of competition, but I have been informed that Kentucky enjoyed an open i winter and that all horses are well advanced in training," he added. May Start Prior to Blue Grass Of the more than 1,100 horses on hand. 32 are Kentucky Derby eligibles, and this number will be increased by invaders from Lexington and Florida. James W. Smith notified general superintendent Tom Young he is» sending Alfred Parkers By Jimminy and Biloxi Bay here from Lexington tomorrow. By Jimminy has been training in fine style at Keeneland and under present plans will fill his Blue Grass Stakes engagement. Smith probably will give him a race before that nine-furlong jaunt and the Blue Grass will be the testing ground for By Jimminy regarding his Kentucky Derby status. Other Derby candidates on the grounds are Challenge Me, Bell Buzzer, Skytracer, Shut Up, Megogo, Abignonia, Alamein. Alex Boy, Alorter, American Eagle, Black Badge. Bomb Sight, Bunda Abbass. Diavo-law, Durazna, Fire Power, Harriet Sue, , High Harp, Jezrahel, Kope Kona, My Boy, , j j Occupy, Signals Bloke, Santa Claus. Sun-nip, The Man, Old Kentucky, Top Ceiling! and Zacapet. Two champions of 1943 racing are also awaiting the opening of the Kentucky season — Dr. C. N. Finch, leading trainer with . 23 victories, and Yar, who, with seven victories, won the most races. Yar tops the Finch stable, which also includes Drollon, Brown Mate, Surgeon Dick, Burman, Lesta-bert, Hit It, Ho-Ho, That-a-Boy and Genl Manager. . While the Keeneland meeting is absorbing most of the attention, demand for box and reserved seats for Derby Day becomes ; greater each day.
