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■™*™ JUDGES STAND By Charles Hatron Eight Track-Record Crowds Are Reported k Jeep Growing in Favor for Downs Classic M Concentration of Derby Blood in Pedigree I Fighting Frank Proves Runner in Debut LOUISVILLE, Ky., June 1. Derbytown Talk: The *orm of Hoop Jr. by Sir Gallahad m. At Jamaica, and Fighting Step and Fighting Frank by Fighting Fox at Churchill Downs, is a source of unbounded pleasure to A. B. Hancock, at whose Claiborne they were bred. He has others of these sires issue in the Keeneland sales. . . . Col. Matt Winn is plugging the Seenth War Loan Drive at the i Downs. . . . Free for Alls regrettable mishap is similar to that which befell Hail Vic- ; tory at Miami in the winter and impelled j Plain Ben to farm him out. the Calumet mentor recalls. Reigh Count literally jumped I out of a tub of ice to win the Derby, but he ; then disappeared until midsummer. . . . "I i suppose she is worth a little more now," Nick j Burger Burger reflected reflected concerning concerning Traffic Traffic Court, Court, I ■™*™ Burger Burger reflected reflected concerning concerning Traffic Traffic Court, Court, I after the mares half-brother Jeep captured the Wood Memorial with such a flourish of speed to spare. . . . Buck Weaver, Derby- ; towns own turf scribe, has not yet decided who shall win the Roses" this year, nevertheless has no doubt that Calumets In | Earnest will prove the 1946 Derby winner . He picked this son i of Blenheim II. before his Thursday debut — perhaps to avoid the possibility of being confused by actual form. . , . Track record attendances were reported by eight of the 10 courses operating on Decoration Day — Jamaica. Santa Anita. Gansett, Hawthorne, Delaware Park, North Randall. Charles Town and Beulah Park reporting the largest single days crowds in their respective histories. ... If you care for a run-down, there are "5 "probables" for the seventy-first edition of the Kentucky Derby, previous to j the Blue Grass. These are Air Sailor. Alexis, Best Effort, Burning Dream, Bymeabond. Darby Dieppe. Darien, Fighting Step, Foreign Agent. Hoop Jr., Icangetit, Jeep, Pot o Luck, Sea Swallow and Adonis. There will be subtractions, and possibly the addition of Fair Jester. . . . Durazna, sharper than a serpents tooth, may appear toward the end of the Downs meeting. If it becomes obvious that she will not stand, the Combs mare will be bred. . . . Jeep might be the Derby favorite in "normal times," but the wagering is localized this spring. Col. C. V. Whitneys Eton blue panoply has been conspicuously absent from recent Derbies, but the New Yorker has a worthy standardbearer in Jeep, Joe Williams assures us. And if Burg-el-Arab stands, which is a moot point, the colonel has an "ace in the hole" for later stakes. By the way. are not the Whitney silks the only set carried successfully in both the Epsom and Kentucky Derbies? Jeeps showy spring form compensates somewhat for Pukka Gins misfortune last season. lie became desperately ill almost on the eve of the Derby after ruling the choice all winter. There is a saying that "racing luck comes out even in the end." Jeeps form also vindicates Colonel Whitneys judgment in paying a reported 0,000 for Mahmouds potentialities as a sire. The colt is in the hands of a competent horseman in Lydell Ruff, who was foreman for Ed Snyder when the latter trained the Whitney string, later assuming the training of the western division. Before that he scuffled about Ohio half-milers with a few "manes and tails." All of which doubtless was experiencing. Whether or not Jeep captures the Derby, pedigree experts say he has a nice background for it. Mahmoud won the Epsom original in record time and is by Blenheim II., himself an Epsom Derby hero and sire of Whirlaway, proprietor of the Kentucky Derby record. Further, the Whitney colt is from a Broomstick mare. Broomstick once held the American mile and a quarter record, sired Whisk Broom II.. credited with a dubious 2:00 •flat," and the Derby winners Regret and Meridian. Jeep thus has a concentration of Derby blood which, if it does not help him, at least should not retard him. It occurs to us that a Derby victory for Pot o Luck would not be an altogether unmitigated reversal to the Whitney camp, as he is from Potheen, a Wildair mare whom Colonel Whitney sold to Warren Wright. W. S. Vosburgh never enthused over two-year-olds form, no matter how scintillant. preferring to await "the end of the story," at three or later. His long experience as an observer on The Spirit of the Times taught him the wisdom of being reserved in his opinions. His is a good example, but we should feel we were short-changing the customers to fail to take notice of Fighting Frank. Anything less than an estimate that he is a "runner" would be insipid and inadequate. Mrs. Louise Donovans colt was opposing two youngsters who had won by almost the length of the stretch when he met Ariel Ace and Chalmette in the Bashford Manor, which marked his debut, but he made them appear quite ordinary, and a "slow" track look "fast." By Fighting Fox, from Stony Stare, by Campfire, Fighting Frank was acquired by Mrs. Donovan at the yearling bargain counter for ,200. Calumets In Earnest and High Shine also impress us as smart two-year-olds uncovered in the Midwest this spring. All of which reminds us that Maud Lea. who has yet to start but whose trials have bordered on the sensational, is mending from the injury she sustained when rapping an ankle. There is an interesting prospect that she will emerge under the devils red at Washington Park.
