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DAVID HURN Sends out the locally owned Lextown in todays renewal of the Peabody Memorial at Washington Park. OF Skipper Will Seek Lincoln Fields Fixture Has Whirling Dough as Fit Entry Mate While Opposing Provocative, Lextown, Ky. Colonel Over Nine-Furlong Route WASHINGTON PARK, Homewood, 111., May 28. While Olympia, Ponder, Capot, Palestinian continue their struggle for sophomore honors in the East, the midwestern division of three-year-olds, which annually produces a ranking contender, is just beginning its process of elimination. Initial stepping stone is to be encountered here Monday when the Lincoln Fields Racing Association offers the 5,000 Peabody Memorial, richest event of the meeting, and which headlines a program that is expected to attract a crowd of some 40,000, weather, of course, being a determining factor. Walmac Farms Billings, who captured the Peabody last season, later was voted as the runner-up to Citation as the leading sophomore of the year, and a number of other stalwarts have taken the Peabody since it was inaugurated in 1929. Just what Mondays eight-horse field will produce is a moot question. Several have on occasions shown signs of unmistakable class, and out of the race could very easily emerge a staunch contender for divisional honors. Listed to start are Mrs. Emil Denemarks Provocative, Joseph A. Goodwins Ky. Colonel, John Marschs formidable pair, Whirling Dough and or Skipper: David Straus Mr. Smug, Lexbrook Stables Lextown and Brown Hotel Stables Saint Nicholas. Won Sophomore Bow With Ease Ol Skipper, a prepossessing bay son of Occupation Seaway, is attracting most attention in the Peabody, and there are a number of observers who believe that subsequently he will prove superior to the Eastern stars. The colt was nominated for the Kentucky Derby, but his connections decided against putting him under too much early pressure to be ready for the mile and quarter run. Instead he was brought along slowly and carefully, after roaming the pastures for several months. When he returned to competition here Wednesday in- a six-furlong race, he performed as if he outclassed his opposition that included his stablemate, Whirling Dough, Thank You Sir, Saint Nicholas and Wellsab. Last year Ol Skipper showed enough to convince all that he was a good sort, but a series of accidents kept him from sustaining top form. Nevertheless, he succeeded in soundly drubbing Provocative, Continued on Page Three . Or Skipper Seeks Peabody Memorial Entry With Whirling Dough While Meeting Provocative, Five Others at Washington Continued from Page One Olympia, Ocean Drive, Mr. Busher and most of the others who had an eye on the two-year-old crown. Whirling Dough, the other part of the Marsch entry, could very easily become a formidable contender should Ol Skipper fail. He also made his seasonal bow here in the race won by his stablemate and from the head of the long stretch to the finish he was running much the fastest, although it must be admitted that Ol Skipper was not pressed. That race was part of his training program for the Pea-body, for he was worked an additional eighth of a mile after the finish. Lextown, in the hands of the former E. R. Bradley rider, Dave Hurn, appears to have found his best stride for the first time this year. He raced at Hot Springs without winning and before coming here he "couldnt be found" at the finish of the Kentucky Derby. However, in a sprint over this track he dashed to the fore at the start and merely galloped to his foes. Since Lextown rang up a series of three consecutive victories last year, Hurn has been of the belief that the flashy colt was a topnotcher. Captured Hyde Park Stakes Provocative is another who took turns with the others at victory in important stakes last year and has been given a special and impressive prep for the Peabody by trainer, Bob McGarvey. The bay son of Roman Dusk n. showed superlative speed during the Oaklawn Park meeting, but was unable to maintain that form in a pair of Kentucky races. Last year he was victorious in the Hyde Park Stakes at Arlington Park, where he downed Ocean Drive, Olympia and others. Ky. Colonel, in the hands of John M. Goode, gained a throng of admirers in his pre-Kentucky Derby efforts at Keeneland, but was far back in the Blue Grass classic. In his first start of the year he whipped Petey Cotter, winner of the Louisiana Derby, but Goode says the colt did not train to his satisfaction thereafter, even though he started in the Louisville event, Cacomo, winner of the Arkansas Derby, beating Lextown and others, has not started since that afternoon of March 26. The Tennessee-bred gelding, however has an excellent record. Mr. Smug has breeding in his favor as a potential distance -running star.
