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Your Your Host, Host, Mr. Mr. Trouble Trouble Show Show Speed; Speed; Wondring Wondring Tops Tops Kentucky Kentucky Oaks Oaks Field Field Engage in Public Trials for Derby Both Travel Five Furlongs, With Whitney Colt Running Trifle Faster Than Choice * By TEDDY COX CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 4. — William Goetz* Your Host and C. V. Whitneys Mr. Trouble worked between the second and third races here this afternoon and after a thorough analysis of their moves it was the consensus of opinion that the favorite for the Kentucky Derby was by far the least impressive. The moves were studied and timed by virtually every horseman with a Derby candidate, and on the following points they agreed: Your Host lost enough ground around the turn to make up the difference in time between the two. Mr. Trouble, while saying ground, was in the heavier going along the, rail. Longden had only a light hold on his mount, while Mr. Trouble was under a very steadying pull throughout. Your Host stepped five furlongs in one minute flat. He was ridden to the unsaddling enclosure by his regular exercise boy, who dismounted and Johnny Longden, who is to pilot the colt in the Derby, was hoisted aboard. Longden jogged him over to the fiverfurlongs pole on the back-stretch where he broke off in good style. His fractionals were :11%, :23, :35, 47 and 1:00. Half way around the turn, Longden steered him out into the center of the track to find more firm footing and there he remained the remainder of the discontinued on Page Three , ► Seventeen Derby * Probables Listed Your Host and Mr. Trouble Get Public Downs Trials; Oil Capitol in Long Move Continued from Page One tance. Longden did not have a strong hold on the colt, but never at any time did he either push or. shove. Mr. Trouble, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes and who has progressed tremendously this year, also worked five furlongs and at the finish he was clocked in :59%. His fractional over the track that was termed "good" were :12, -.23. :Zi*/s, :46ys and :59%. His regular exercise boy, John Bruder, who weighs considerably more than Longden, was in the saddle. Your Hosts odd manner of going, with his head down and with his fronts legs sort of paddling in and out, created a great contrast to Mr. Troubles perfect, smooth action. Trainer Slyvester Vietch had instructed the exercise boy to go in "about 1:01%" and when the colt stepped along so fast he at first was alarmed but after considering how easily he accomplished the move decided that it would not, he hoped, have any ill effects. Precisely at 8:45 this morning, trainer Ray Barnett gained the honor of being the first to officially enter a horse for the seventy-sixth running of the 00,-000 fixture. By 10:30 tomorrow morning the list probably will have been swelled to 16 or 17 and the general belief is that at least 14 will parade postward on Saturday, regardless of track conditions, i Barnett is the- young conditioner of Black George, a very fleet colt who showed a mighty fine performance to turn back Middleground and others in the Derby Trial on Tuesday. "Hes the first one in the Derby," Barnett said, "and Im hoping hell be first around the track. They may have him to catch, too." In many respects, Black George constitutes the main threat for the favored Your Host, who, it is believed, is~a speed horse — pure and simple — one that wont allow himself to be rated. Close observers opine that if Black George is sent out to race Your Host into the ground, if possible, it may bring about the defeat of both. It is remembered that Capot dogged Olympia last season, gained command and then paid a heavy price for his premature activity and succumbed to Ponders belated rush. Draw Entries This Morning Shortly after Black George was entered, Harry Daniels, head man of the Your Host entourage, slipped through the entry booth. He was followed during the morning by Harry Trotsek Oil Capitol, Casey Hayes Hill Prince, Carl Meyer Lotowhite and Leroy J. Keating Stranded. There were several others entered during the remainder of the day. Tall lumbering "Brownie" Leach, publicity chieftain, decided to withhold their names until they were officially drawn tomorrow. Along the shedrows it was obvious that many of the trainers were suffering from severe cases of "nerves." Most of them have found it a great deal easier to tram their horses than themselves .They all attempt to assume the "its just another horse race attitude" but are extremely poor actors. During the last week or so, it has been my pleasure to stop at Your Hosts stall and pet and talk to him for several minutes. He is an unusual little horse and has a great deal of character of magnetic force. | As we strolled along the shedrow this morning and began to make our usual visit, however, trainer Harry Daniels, who is a grand person and very cooperative, ran us off as if we were "on the outs" with the fast colt. It was a clear case of extreme tension. I I There were no changes in the prospective field. Ben Jones reiterated what he said yesterday, that Theory is a very doubtful starter. "I think it will be a miracle if we run YOUR HOST — The Derby favorite worked five-eighths between races yesterday at the Churchill Downs oval. and there is not much chance that he will be entered," Jones stated. Those, most qualified to express an opinion of the Derby — the trainers of those eligible — almost unanimously agree that "Its a two-horse race" between Your Host and Hill Prince. One or two have a slight amount of faith in Middleground and regarding Oil Capitol, who at one time reigned as the future book favorite, they are virtually silent. Earl Steffen, who will saddle Trumpet King, thinks Hill Prince is the horse to beat. He says his charge had gotten over the hump that threatened to keep him out of the race for a time. The colt rapped himself slightly several days ago and there was some heat in the injured ankle, but he has responded quickly to treatment. Jones remains a Your Host man, but has weakened somewhat. After the Goetz colorbearer flew around the Keeneland track for a new track record he told the writer: "The Derby was run yesterday, so far as I am concerned." This morning he expressed the opinion that while he still favored Your Host, he thought several others might have a chance of creating an upset. Max Hirsch is of the opinion that Your Host is the tough one if the track is fast and that Hill Prince will be hard to beat on an "off" track. He did not say much about his own charge, Middleground. Of all the Derby trainers, Hayes appeared the most confident. At first, he was not anxious to express an opinion, but finally confessed that "If Im afraid of anything, I guess it is Your Host." Preston Burch, conditioner of Sunglow and Greek Ship, reports his charges are doing well and that he expects to get good performances from them, but states that hell have his hands full to match strides with Your Host and Hill Prince. Sylvester Veitch, another who exudes confidence in his own threat, Mr. Trouble, points to Hill Prince. "He can handle the distance and the condition .of the track wont make any difference." Harry Trotsek also thinks Oil Capitol will have his troubles with Your Host and Hill Prince. Crowd May Exceed 120,000 Oil Capitol was the only horse to get anything in the way of hard work this morning. He was sent a mile and one-eighth over a slow track and accomplished the move in .2:00. His fractions were :13%, :26%/:39%, :53%, 1:07%. 1:21%, 1:34% and 1:47%. Trotsek said after the spin that it was just about the way he wanted the colt to go, that he did not want a fast move from him. Generalissimo Bill Corum this morning stated that he had obtained a long-range weather prediction and that the elements may be favorable for Derby Day. He stated that if ideal conditions prevail, he expects a crowd that possibly will exceed 120,000, believe it or not. "We had well over 100,000 here in 1946," he said. "And all indications point to a much bigger crowd." Corum explained that more than 84,000 tax tickets were sold in 1946 and that at least 25,000 people were on the grounds who - gained admission through employes badges, military personnel, owners, trainers, etc. "Right now weve got 1946 beat on advance sale. I know it all sounds incredible, but I sincerely believe we will have around 120,000 people on the grounds if the weather is right."
