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BETWEEN RACES ,r os™ cms CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 3. — Quite a bit was made in this Blue Grass country last week about the ineligibility of Phalanx in the Derby Trial, and while no kicks were made, the whole subject of prelim Derby races came up for discussion. Nominations for the Derby Trial, a 0,000 mile stake, close along with the Derby. It costs but 5 to nominate. The Downs racing secretary. Larry Bogenschutz, is definitely not in favor of opening this race up to all comers, i.e., making a regular allowance race of it and thus giving a last-minute opportunity to any and all to run. By limiting the field, he believes he is doing the actual Derby contenders true justice in that the Trial would not be cluttered up with horses with no intention of running in the Derby, and perhaps in certain years, drawing a large field with consequent greater chance for mishap. There will always be a six furlongs allowance race to which Derby horses will be eligible early in the Downs meeting, and the Trial will remain as is. Most Derby horses trained up to the race at other tracks, most notably in Florida, California and New York, plus, of course, the Keeneland meeting which directly precedes the Derby season here. At no time will the Derby Trial be enriched to the point it would take away any luster from the Derby itself. AAA There are not many apprentices saddlesmithing here, but those who are have been showing to advantage. Kentucky, like New York, California and other metropolitan racing centers, is not an easy locale for a novice rider to "get going," but the youngsters have been riding their hearts out and some of the most observant horsemen say this Kentucky crop has much promise. The leading apprentice at the meeting is George Monson, a diminutive youngster of French-Spanish extraction and who hails from New Orleans. Monson, 18, is under contract to Al Wellman of Detroit, who lifted the boy from No Change in Prospect for Derby Trial George Monson Graduate of Gas Station Starter Ruby White Stamps His Approval Other Downs Novices Show Keen Promise the prosaic job of pumping gas, greasing and polishing cars, fixing flats, etc., at a New Orleans gasoline service station. While Monson has not "been around" what might be regarded as the minimum time to make good, there are other facts concerned which makes owner-trainer Wellman believe this item can be safely discounted. A check into the Monson background would tend to confirm this opinion. AAA "Ive been riding ever since I can remember," says Monson. "We used to race cold bloods on the levee of a Sunday afternoon at New Orleans. The authorities finally chased us off the levee, so we started holding our impromptu races in a huge sand pit near the river. We finally had to abandon that when they started some construction work, and a friendly farmer plowed up and harrowed a straight-away track in the middle of a cow pasture. On Sundays, he would transfer the cows to another part of the farm and we could then hold our races as we wished." Monson quit school in his second grade of high, took the gas-pumping job, but in all spare moments haunted the stable area at the Fair Grounds track. He came under the eye of trainer Wellman, who judged the boy had "something upstairs," i.e., in his head as well as potential skill, and signed him on. That judgment has been vindicated by the results to date. Monson, of course, will accompany the 25-horse Wellman barn to Detroit for the summer. AAA Jimmy Combest Is another riding doing okay, although his best meeting was in New Orleans this winter, where he rode some 58 winners despite a fall which kept him on the ground for several days. Combest is a native of Columbia, Ky., and it was only natural he should aspire to become a race rider inasmuch as an elder brother, Nick, had made good in the saddle before him. Combest took advantage of the novice school at Detroit, where he came under the observation of the pony boy, James K. Gordon, who has been handling his book here and at New Orleans. Combest is riding for the able Monte Parke. Dale Pruitt, whose home is only two blocks from Churchill, is getting on to the hang of things and has been knocking at the door. His success would appear only a matter of a little more seasoning. Gordon Potter, 17, a product of Phoenix, Ariz., is a graduate of the Alfred Johnson riding school, and is doing all right, too. AAA Harold Featherston and Clair Peabody may be rated as novices here in Kentucky, but both have quite a bit in their favor for future reference. Both are in the hands of competent horsemen, who know how to develop a rider, as proven by their past records. Featherston is under the tutelage of the veteran Benny Creech, who helped such as Ivan Parke, Jack Richards and Joey Inzelone, to mention a few, along the road to fame. Featherston is a natural lightweight at 100 pounds and has, by way of tradition, an Idaho background. He won several races at Hot Springs and a few at Keeneland. The 16-year-old Peabody is under contract to J. D. Mikel, a veteran horseman. Peabody was given a thorough seasoning at the farm galloping and breaking yearlings. Tab for Chicago reference. The other apprentices to come under our ken was Earl Knapp, who rode his first winner late in the New Orleans season. He is a Grove City, Ohio, boy who came to the races at Beulah Park. He, too, Is a graduate of the Detroit novice races.
