view raw text
Traveler Meets Up With Six Opponents in Lawrin Purse ♦ Forrest Speedster Clashes With Dr. Ole Nelson, Birchie And Ky. Colonel at Churchill CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 16. — With but three days of the current Kentucky and Downs spring season remaining, racing secretary Fred Burton arranged an attractive program for presentation tomorrow at this historic Derby course. The Lawrin Purse, six furlongs for three-year-olds and older, is to headline the card and seven shifty performers are slated to meet in the featured sprint. Henry Forrests Traveler, who campaigned unusually well throughout the winter and early spring meetings, gets in the Lawrin with 108 pounds, providing he is handled by an apprentice, and young Johnny Turner has been named to guide the quick six-year-old gelded son of Golden Voyage and Jury Gal. Traveler won five engagements last year and also scored in a pair of Hot Springs races before his shipment to Kentucky. Although beaten off at Keeneland and the Downs, he trained satisfactorily for the Thursday dash and is favorably weighted. Traveler is to meet some sturdy opposition in the Lawrin, for Raymond Anken-bauers Famous Shake, 111; M. A. R. Saf-fiers Dr. Ole Nelson, 119; Mrs. J. M. Bran-hams homebred Shadows Start, 116; Joseph Goodwins Ky. Colonel, 113: Augustus and Nahms Sky Ranger, 113. and Miss Billie Roses Birchie, 108, are capable performers. West to Ride Birchie Jerry West, crack journeyman reinsman, has been engaged to handle Birchie in the Lawrin, Jimmy Boucher will be astride Sky Ranger, Kenneth Church is to guide Famous Shake and Douglas Dodson drew the saddle assignment for Dr. Ole Nelson. Young Larry Wilson, who has been out of action during the Downs meet, is to be up on Shadows Start, and trainer John Milton Goode had not named a rider for Ky. Colonel at a late hour today. Famous Shake, a four-year-old filly, the get of Eternal Bull and Shake Down, is generally classed as one of the best of her sex and age division and she may be the one to offer Traveler the sharpest tussle. A good winner during her juvenile and sophomore year campaigns, Famous Shake displayed speed in recent morning trials and could prove a hard one to handle should she race to top form. Dr. Ole Nelson, a five-year-old gelded son of Cravat and Sun Jesting, is to make his , 1951 debut in the Lawrin and the manner in which he has worked for the race stamps him a definite Lawrin threat. Last September, the Saffir stable star proved that he ; has plenty of class in annexing the 5,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup. The Cup, mile and I one-quarter, found Dr. Ole Nelson defeating such classy company as King Ranchs I Curandero, Walmac Farms Volcanic, Hasty House Farms Inseparable and Seaward, Mrs. H. Vasens Laico, and others. Time for the Chicago stake was 2:01% for a new track record, cracking Sun Beaus I 21 -year-old mark by one-fifth of a second. While Dr. Ole Nelson is partial to the longer routes, he has shown enough speed in morning trials to make him a dangerous Lawrin contender, although he must shoul-j der the high weight under the allowance conditions of the sprint feature. Several good supporting races are on tap for Downs patrons tomorrow: four-year -■ olds are scheduled to meet in the one mile • second and the mile and a sixteenth sev- enth. The eighth race on the bill is to I match useful middle-distance - eight per-l • formers at the mile and a sixteenth route ! ! and D. R. Laughters Little Danny, who was narrowly beaten at the same distance ! last Saturday, probably will rule favorite ! ; in the "nightcap."