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Size of Todays Field Average7 Only Three Horses Started In Two Renewals, While 22 Competed in 1928 Running CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 6. — Tomorrows Derby field promises to be what might be termed "average." About a dozen horses, add or substract one, are expected to answer the call of starter Reuben White at the post. Derby fields have varied widely in the 74 previous runnings. For instance, only three horses answered the bugle for the renewals in 1892, and 1905. Bashford Manors Azra beat Huron and Phil Dwyer in the former and S. S. Browns Agile turned back Rams Horn and Lay son in the latter. Reigh Counts Year The largest field to parade to the post for the three-year-old classic was that of 1928 when Mrs. John D. Hertz Reigh Count defeated 21 other starters. Other "fat" fields included the 21 which went to the post and were humbled by Zev in 1923. Clyde Van Dusen beat a like number of rivals in 1929 and 20 starters went to the post in 1932, with E. R. Bradleys Burgoo King emerging victorious. War Admiral defeated 19 others in the 1937 running. In recent years, Mrs. Hertz Count Fleet, Milky Way Farms Gallahadion and Belair Studs Johnstown triumphed over seven rivals in each instance. Last years Derby also tended toward the small side, with six starters representing five interests. Hence it may be said that tomorrows Derby has an "average" number of starters.
