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Derby Derby May May Bring Bring Out Out Twenty-Four; Twenty-Four; Eighteen Eighteen Entered Entered in in Kentucky Kentucky Oaks Oaks filly Stake Draws Outstanding Field Sickles Image, Tilly Rose, Aunt Jinny, Ruddy, How and Juliets Nurse Go Postward By J. SWEENEY GRANT Staff Correspondent CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 3. — From every indication, the three-year-old filly division this year remains as complex as the admittedly-bemud-dled Kentucky Derby situation. In previous years, when outstanding colts and geldings were among the missing, such members of the fairer sex as Busher, Twilight Tear, Gallorette and First Flight proved capable of defeating their usually more highly regarded male rivals. Last year, several fillies performed adequately while competing against members of their own sex, but were not successful when matched against colts in leading juvenile events. Five fillies were named for the 1951 renewal of the Kentucky Derby. Failure to return to their two-year-old form left the feminine ranks without a representative in the "Run for the Roses." While owners of the present three-year-old fillies are reluctant to start their performers against members of the opposite sex, they appear willing to test the respective merits of their charges against other sophomore misses. As a result, tomorrows edition of the 5,000 added Kentucky Oaks attracted 18 of the more promising fillies. Race First Run in 1875 The Oaks, often referred to as the "Derby for Fillies," had its initial running in 1875, the year Aristides registered his victory in the first Derby. Since that time, standout fillies have accounted for the one mile and one-sixteenth essay. This years presentation of the Oaks shapes up as one of the most interesting in its lengthy history. In addition to several of the leading juveniles of last season, the Oaks field comprises one of the largest arrays of female talent ever to contest the event. Under the allowance conditions of the Oaks, Greentree Stables Ruddy, Clarence Hartwicks Sickles Image, King Ranchs Tilly Rose, and the Brown Hotel Stables Juliets Nurse, will be asked to parade post-ward under equal top imposts of 121 pounds. Comprising the remainder of the group are Dixianas Astro. Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Collins Biddy Bid, C. B. Carters Break of Day, Woodvale Farms entry of Boot All and Sister Louise, F. Zids Docility, Duval A. Headleys Aunt Jinny, H. B. Del-mans How, Lucas B. Combs On Velvet, I. D. Peats Sun Tan Gal, H. F. Krimen-dahls Roman Miss, E. D. Axtons The Continued on Page Five - Oaks Lures Crack Field of Eighteen Sickles Image, Tilly Rose, Aunt Jinny, Ruddy, How and | Juliets Nurse Go Postward Continued from Page One Ghizeh, C. C. Boshamers Carolina Queen, and C. V. Whitnys Fleecy Cloud. Astro J will answer the bugle under 109 pounds, whereas other starters, with the exception of the high-weighted members, have been 1 assigned 116. Sickles Image, winner of the Hollywood Lassie and the James H. Connors Stakes, most likely will share favoritism with Ruddy, Tilly Rose, and Juliets Nurse in the , 77th running of the filly event. According to a survey it was revealed that the striking daughter of Sickletoy and Ariel Image has 5 trained over approximately 15 tracks during her brief career and has won on nine different racing strips. Following her ■ lengthy journey from the coast, Sickles Image was transported from Oaklawn Park to Lincoln Downs, where she scored at " first asking. The miss was then shipped to New York, where she took top honors while , competing against the better fillies in the ; Metropolitan sector. Sickles Image then was transferred to Keeneland where she impressively accounted for the Ashland Stakes. From Lexington she was vanned j to the Downs where she defeated among r others Ruddy and Biddy Bid in an allowance sprint. Jockey Billie Fisk is expected | to come in from New England to handle x the Hartwick miss. Ruddy annexed top honors in her last race at Jamaica previous to her arrival | here. The Greentree filly was defeated the b narrowest of margins by Sickles Image in their last meeting. In tomorrows encounter . Ruddy should benefit by a three-pound shift in weights. Ted Atkinson will be astride. Tilly Rose Unbeaten to Date Tilly Rose will be making her first appearance before Blue Grass patrons since her purchase from Warren Gale Douglass. She won two races at Jamaica early last month. Both victories were of the sprint variety, but in each Tilly Rose gave every indication that she would equally prefer intermediate distances. Aunt Jinny, voted the champion two-year-old filly of 1950, displayed but a minimum of talent in her initial start of the year at Keeneland in which she was decisively bested by Sickles Image, Juliets Nurse and How. Considering the "off" condition of the track and since it was her first effort following a lengthy rest it is generally acknowledged that her disappointing showing could be dismissed. Aunt Jinny has been training cleverly since, and i with jockey R. L. Baird at the reins, must be regarded dangerous. Juliets Nurse, second to Sickles Image ; in the Ashland, registered successes in both i the Debutante Stakes at the Fair Grounds i and Churchill Downs last year in addition i to her victory, in the Miss American Stakes. ; She also captured Hialeahs Jasmine Stakes during her winter campaign. How finished one and three - quarter lengths behind Sickles Image in the Ashland. She will be benefitted by the saddle services of jockey Eddie Arcaro. The Wood-vale duo of Boot All and Sister Louise has been impressive in morning trials and must i be regarded the dark horses of the field. The former in particular has amazed the Downs dockers with her fleetness. Several of the other candidates have shown speed on occasion and could garner at least a portion of the purse should they come forth with their best efforts. Should all 18 go seven of the fillies would be required to comprise the mutuel field, which j should prove interesting from a wagering t standpoint.
