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Painting by Allen F. Brewer, Jr. NATIVE DANCER — Its the champion against the field in todays Derby. Native Dancer Against Field In 00,000 Kentucky Derby Vanderbilts Unbeaten Colt Tops Twelve in Downs Classic * Correspondent, Dark Star, Royal Bay Gem, Straight Face Threaten Stars Supremacy By CHARLES HATTON CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 1. — A brilliant array of 12, epitomizing the class of more than 8,000 three -year-olds, was named this morning to "Run for the Roses" in the seventy-eighth renewal of the world famed Kentucky Derby. And as the gay crowds swarmed into Louisville in record numbers to attend this 00,000 j classic of a mile and a quarter, it appearecM a clear case of A. G. Vanderbilts unde feated Native Dancer against the field.H The sensational grays unblemished record ■ gives this Derby a special point and sig-v nificance. He is now confronted with the I supreme test, and experts in such matters think him 7 to 10 to remove the last vestige of doubt he is one of the American turfs all-time celebrities. If he can bring it off, the throng of more than 100,000 expected to attend may tell future generations with a certain pride they saw him set the seal on his greatness. Arcaro Rides Correspondent Despite his aura of invincibility, there are rivals for "The Dancer" in this history making event who are far from friendless, difficult as it may seem to the converts to rationalize another choice. Californias Correspondent, with Eddie Arcaro in the stirrups, is expected to parade postward as the second choice at about 4 to 1. And Mrs. Gordon Guiberson s improving colt, who won the Blue Grass Stakes in track record time, is confidently expected to throw down the gauge to Native Dancer at some exciting stage of this first of the Triple Crown" events. Eugene Constantin, Jr.s Royal Bay Gem, Harry Guggenheims Dark Star and Greentrees Straight Face also will have support in what promises to be a record Derby pool, eclipsing the ,565,901 poured into the maw of the tote in 1952. Also named to join the colorful cavalcade parading to the sentimental refrain of "My Old Kentucky Home" at 4:30 are the G and G Stables Money Broker, Dixianas Spy Defense, Saxon Stables Invigorator, B. S. Campbells Ram o War, T. M. Daniels Ace Destroyer, Edward Goemans Curragh King and the favorites stablemate Social Outcast. If all the 12 entrants answer the bugle, the winner will receive a net purse of 0,800. It isnt the richest Derby, but i* Continued on Page Twenty -Three Native Dancer Overwhelming Favorite in Kentucky Derby Unbeaten Vanderbilt Colt Tops Twelve-Horse Field In 00,000 Downs Event Continued from Page One promises one of the most important since Aristides won the first one in 1875. The weather forecast for Derby Day is something we do not speak of here at the Downs, for the official prognosticators prediction is a little grim, with showers tonight and in the forenoon Saturday. The course this morning was sloppy, but has a firm bottom and is drying rapidly under the influence of a bright spring sun. Though no precipitation is likely to dampen the infectious enthusiasm of those who came here for the race, via highways, planes and nearly 300 special trains, it could conceivably influence the size of the field. Money Broker Wants Mud Trainer "Tennessee" Wright of Money Broker indicated today the Florida Derby winner may be withdrawn unless the going is soft. And trainer Jack Hodgins of Spy Defense said the Bull Lea colt will start only "if something happens," whether or not he was thinking of the weather. Mr. Paradise was considered a probable until this morning, when the Rices decided not to enter. What might be termed "the luck of the draw" for post positions was with Correspondent, when he was drawn in the number 2 stall at the starting point atop the quarter mile homestretch. On the inner rail is Ace Destroyer, who is an outsider, however, in the opinion of form students. The red-hot favorite from Sagamore drew number 7, and has the dash out of the gate to obtain a strategic position in the run to the clubhouse turn. On the outside are straight Face in number 10, Dark Star 11 and Royal Bay Gem, a confirmed stretch runner, nearest the outer fence. Familiar Jockeys at Reins Since the field is not particularly large and unwieldy, these positions are not considered terribly important. And the more highly fancied entrants all will be handled by familiar jockeys, with Eric Guerin on Native Dancer, Eddie Arcaro on Correspondent, Jimmy Combest having the mount on Royal Bay Gem, Ted Atkinson on Straight Face and Henry Moreno astride Dark Star. Johnny Adams, who had ridden Spy Defense and Curragh King in prep races, agreed to ride Social Outcast in the Derby and Pete McLean was named this morning for Spy Defense, D. Erb on Curragh King. By the way, all of the Derby field are in the Preakness, excepting Spy Defense and Curragh King, who could become supplemental entrants. But these two and Money Broker also are not in the Belmont and Straight Face is ineligible for the Belmont as a gelding. Royal Bay Gem in Short Breeze Six of the Derby field were on the track this morning for final blowouts and Correspondent made the going appear fast when he skipped a handy five furlongs in 1:0035. Royal Bay Gem breezed three furlongs in :35%, Ram o War going over the same ground, well in hand, in 36 seconds. Ace Destroyer, Invigorator and Dark Star went a half mile, Invigorator moving handily in :47, Dark Star breezing in :49 and Ace Destroyer in :52. The Derby record of 2:0125, established by Whirlaway in 41, still could be challenged this week end. For the track has a firm bottom, which gives it a good deal of bounce, and the desponding prophesy concerning the weather may prove fajse. Unless there is a sharp rainfall, it is entirely possible the track will be fast by Derby time. Maj. Bill Corum, president of the Churchill Downs Club, is optimistic this will be one of the great Derbies. The requests for reservations exceeded those of any previous renewal, suggesting a record crowd of perhaps 110,000. But, of course, falling weather would tend to diminish innnerfield attendance in some degree. The stage is set to run this Derby in all the classics traditional pomp, drama and color. Gov. Lawrence, Wetherby will present the tall, coveted gold vase to the winning owner. The band, or rather one of several entertaining between races, will play My Old Kentucky Home. The winner will be "led in" to the flower bordered enclosure reserved for Derby heroes, bedecked in a wreath of American beauties, and trays * — of Kentucky mint juleps will be served clubhouse patrons by white-coated waiters. As a spectacle, the Derby is unsurpassed in the sphere of American sports. Maj. Bill Corum, who succeeded the late Col. Matt Winn as president of the Downs Club, confidently expects that this "Run for the Roses," as he was first to call it, will attract the largest assemblage ever to see a horse race on the North American continent. He is basing this expectation on the unprecedented flood of requests for accommodations. These far exceed the available reserved and box seats, as they have for several years. Estimates of past Derby crowds have ranged as high as 110,000, and more than 15,000 may be accounted for in the tote, gate, parking, catering and other staffs, plus the horsemen. In addition to the lions share of the Derby purse, the winner will receive a handsome gold trophy and considerable lasting fame. The second to finish will be awarded 0,000, with ,000 to the third horse and ,500 to fourth place. The trainers of the first three receive prizes of ,000, ,000 and ,000, respectively, and their breeders respective ,000, ,000 and 00 awards. Gates Open at 8:00 A. M. The gates will be thrown open at 8 a. m. tomorrow, and there will doubtless be the usual throng of hundreds of early risers awaiting the opening of the turnstiles, to gain vantage points from which to see this mile and a quarter event. The Derby tote windows will open at 9 a. m. for preliminary wagering on the big race. And the first of the nine events goes to the post at 11:30 oclock. The Debutante Stakes, for two-year-old fillies, will be the secondary feature and is to be presented as the fifth event, with the Derby itself going to the post as the seventh race at 4:30. The radio and TV broadcasts of the classic begin at 4:15. The Downs Club this year has donated the fees for television of the race to the American | Red Cross and it is expected that this organization will net 00,000 from this source. An appeal will be made for blood donors among the TV audience. The management has expressed pride to associate the Derby with the Red Cross and its accomplishments. The Derby will be presented in its tradi- N. R. YORK IE McLEOD— Sends out the Saxon Stables Invigorator in the Derby. tional and colorful fashion, complete to the playing of "My Old Kentucky Home" as the nations finest three-year-olds parade to the post, the wreath of American Beauties for the winner and an armful for his rider, the compliments of president Corum and Gov. Lawrence Wetherby, who will present the trophy. Assorted bands will entertain the crowd between races, and there will be flags all over the place. Training Grind of Three Months The field for the Derby has completed its long and arduous training grind, extending over a period of some three months, and each has more or less qualified as a "Derby horse" through tests of his ability in actual competition. As the hour of his most searching engagement nears, Native Dancer is almost literally "raring to go," and it is nearly unanimous that he is the horse to beat. His unbeaten record of 11 successes in as many starts links him with the appeal of a performer who, in this Derby, may prove worthy of a place alongside Colin, Man o War, Hindoo and other of the turfs all-time greats. If he has yet to convince skeptics he can stay a mile and a quarter, then so have his rivals. It is interesting that "Plain Ben" Jones, a most accomplished judge of Derby talent, sees A. C. Vanderbilts magnificent big, long-striding gray as the probable winner. "He is the best looking of them, and the best horse," in the Missourians expert opinion. Californians, who are here in large numbers, are hoping that Mrs. Gordon Guiber-sons improving Correspondent can bring off the favorites first defeat in this rose run. Correspondent is a product of the stud in the Golden State, which once before developed a Derby winner in Morvich. The smallish, nevertheless very fast, nerveless and thoroughly fit son of Khaled and Heather Time ran the biggest race thus far in his career in his latest sally, in the Blue Grass Stakes of nine furlongs at Keeneland. Jockey Eddie Arcaro gets on with him famously, and has become well acquainted with his peculiarities. Correspondent flipped over in the gate once at two and has a tendency to hesitate an instant when the break comes in his races, but Arcaro sprinted him to the lead in his Keeneland engagements. The Cali-fornian also is inclined to ease himself up about the furlong pole it doesnt seem to matter how far he is going, and Arcaro is aware of this and stirs him up at this point, whether or not there is a rival challenging him. It is expected that Correspondent will be the one to catch in todays race. Texans have a rooting interest in Eugene Constantin, Jr.s, Royal Bay Gem, who seems well suited by the mile and a quarter distance. "He likes a lot of early pace," trainer Clyde Troutt observes, "so that horses come back to him." The ,500 son of the Australian importation, Royal Gem, is himself devoid of any real dash out of the gate, but runs on stoutly down near the finish of,his races. He won the recent Chesapeake in this way and was closing, if belatedly, in the mile Derby Trial. His chances of winning the Derby would be much enhanced were the versatile Native Dancer, who can run on the pace or come from behind, to engage in a speed duel with Correspondent early in the race. He can run in the mud, but is not unlike nearly all horses in that he prefers dry going. Harry Guggenhein of New York acquired a capable colt when he paid ,500 for Dark Star, another of the progeny of Royal Gem, at the yearling sales in 1951. This Continued on Page Thirty-Seven I Its Native Dancer Against the Field Unbeaten Vanderbilt Colt Tops Twelve-Horse Cast In 79th Derby Running Continued from Poge Twenty-Three colt made a bold run at Correspondent in a seven-furlong race run in 1:23 at Keene- land and supplemented that by •winning ; the Derby Trial in a flat 1:36. He was four j lengths before Money Broker at the end of that event. Trainer Eddy Hayward has brought him up to the Derby nicely and if he can pick up 11 pounds off the Trial and go another quarter mile, he may be a J serious factor. Close observers expect that Green trees , j homebred Count Fleet gelding, Straight ; Face, will improve over his second in the j Blue Grass in this engagement. The Count Fleets stay well, and George Poole, who has been directing Straight Faces training for the Derby, is among those who feel that this rather angular animal will improve. "He is better now than ever he was in Florida last winter. Poole opined to- [ day. Straight Face is not unlike Native j Dancer in the sense he also can run on the pace or come from behind, as he did in winning the Flamingo. Son of Brookfield Invigorator is rather a thin little son of Brookfield and a Wise Counsellor mare. but his race in the Wood, in which he fin-1 ished third was fairly good. Apparently, h«.-t stays reasonably well though his pedigree j suggest a sprinter. He is, like Royal Bay Gem and Dark Star, a bargain yearling] having been picked up at the Lexington ■actions for ,000. As a two-year-old he won the Babylon and Cowdin and, while he has not yet won at three he has earned placings in the Gotham and Experimental. ; as well as the Wood. ! Money Broker is a Detroit development who improved during the winter when he I was second to Matagorda in the Louisiana j Derby at Gulfstream Park. Although the Grissom and Grosf ield colt is by the rather : j unfashionable Half Crown and does not look a particularly robust animal, trainer "Tennessee" Wright seems to feel he requires a great deal of work. The colt was a steady if distant third in the Blue Grass a week ago yesterday, then finished second against lesser horses in last Tuesdays Derby Trial. His chances today, like those of Royal Bay Gem, would be enhanced were there a great deal of early pace. He is a lumbering colt and does not seem to . have a sharp turn of speed, but is the sort! to pick up tired horses. Curragh King is an interesting entrant,; as an Irish-bred son of the noted Nasrul- lah. He has not had much racing experi-j ence, but managed to scratch home in thei Arkansas Derby. His race at Lexington was] a bit better than it looks on paper, for he was backing up in his stall when the break came, then made up many lengths around the final turn to finish third in a mile and a sixteenth allowance race. But if this colt, or such as Ram o War and Spy Defense wins the Derby, it will mark one of the most startling upsets in the long history of the race.
