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Dark Dark Star, Star, Beaten Beaten Foes Foes Head Head East; East; Nine Nine Fillies, Fillies, Mares Mares Meet Meet in in Firenze Firenze Long Island Ovals, Pimlico Destination To Prepare for Preakness; Straight Face Only Colt to Show Effects of Hard Race By CHARLES HATTON CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 4. — A strange quiet settled over Derby-town and the Downs today, as the thousands of visiting turf enthusiasts departed, and racings "big show," the American Triple Crown, went on the road to Pimlico and the 00,000 Preakness. Dark Star, Native Dancer, Social Outcast, Invigorator and Straight Face trained out at noon for Long Island, with a prospect they would meet again on the old hilltop at Baltimore, May 23. Going directly to Pimlico tomorrow are Correspondent and Ram o War, probably accompanied by Royal Bay Gem. The only Derby starter at all seriously injured, except for Native Dancers wounded pride, was Green trees Straight Face. He was going rather wide in front walking under the shed this morning, and George Poole, who has handled him here in Kentucky, said "one knee was giving a spot of trouble before the Derby and now the other is something the worse for wear." Poole could not be sure if the Count Fleet gelding, sixth in the Derby, is very "probable" for the Preakness. Native Dancer in Good Fettle Trainers Bill Winfrey of Native Dancer and Wally Dunn of Correspondent, the first and second choices, reported their charges in good fettle after chasing the victorious Dark Star a mile and a quarter in 2:02, and each took his reversal philosophically. Indeed, Winfrey said "I have more confidence in him Native Dancer than ever now. You know there has been some question about his going on. But he has so many runs, and he finished so strongly Saturday I feel sure he will stay the mile and a half of the Belmont." Chatting of Correspondents race, Dunn said "It just wasnt his day. I guess every horse has days like that." Trainer Eddie Hayward was congratulated on all sides for having stripped Harry Guggenheims Dark Star ready to run the race of his life on the date of the most famous stake in America. His confrere George Poole remarked, "That takes a bit of doing, I can tell you." Dark Star was really "sharp," simply exhuding speed, going to the front under Morenos wraps first time past the stand, and his thorough fitness was reflected in the tenacious way he stuck to his guns when Native Dan- Continued on Page Four ► I ; - • I ; - 3 | ■ 1 s ■ - I 1 ■ 5 i r t : I D 1 " g ~ !j g " n ? t ? / — — Dark Star, Beaten Rivals Head East Long Island Tracks, Pimlico Destination With Important Preakness Stakes in Offing Continued from Page One cer attacked him in that final, breathtaking struggle over the last 70 yards. Had he been overtrained or a trifle short he would never have made it. Exhibiting the Royal Gem II. colt to friends in his box here this morning, Haywood could not say too much for his intelligence and sociable disposition. "He takes his training very well," the former jockey said, "and he is quiet as a pony." The Derby winner is a neatly turned, smooth coupled brown of about 15.2 x/z hands, the generally accepted middle distance type. Dark Stars departure from Derbytown was delayed about three hours today when a two-year-old in the same car became fractious. The car in which the Derby winner was scheduled to travel had to be returned to the siding near Churchill Downs and the juvenile unloaded and vanned back to his stall at the Downs. The unruly youngster, Alinka, is owned by Mrs. John Payson Adams. Dark Star had to be rerouted through Indianapolis, getting away at 3 p.m. instead of 11:45 ajn. Expressmen, however, believe hell reach Belmont almost as quickly as if he had made the earlier train trip through Cincinnati. Native Dancer, In-vigorator, Social Outcast and Straight Face were on the first train. Meanwhile everybody was analyzing the race for everybody else. It was the concensus a that the "Dancer" would have won were the race over a distance of a mile and a quarter "and a few more strides," and b that Dark Star richly deserves the acclaim of a Derby hero considering that he made all the running, by turns standing off Correspondent and Straight Face, and finally the gray Sagamorean who never before, in 11 starts had met defeat. Bill Winfrey thought Native Dancer was beaten in the first quarter mile, observing "He broke well but hadnt his usual lick going to that first turn." We suppose many will theorize that had he put his nose on Dark Stars flank and have chased him as he did Tahitian King in the Wood, the re- suit would have been different. Perhaps, but that is second guessing. Apart from this, there was no pace in the Jamaica stake. And further, The Dancer has been taught to run waiting races. Of course the hassle on the first turn, in which Money Broker bothered him, certainly did not en-c hance this chances. But then -had he gone over the first quarter as he usually does, he would not have been back there in position to be troubled. Word of Praise for Invigorator In addition to saying complimentary things of the performances of Dark Star and Native Dancer, horsemen this morning had a word of praise for Invigorator. This colt was in claustrophobic quarters midway of the backstretch, but ran on resolutely when clear on the last turn and finished third before the "one run" Royal Bay Gem, though he was five lengths off the first two. Correspondent and Straight Face were perfectly placed to the stretch, where they made a futile thrust at Dark Star, then re-e treated all the last furlong. The only ex-? cuses people could think of for these two were that Correspondent may have fancied Keenelands footing more than the Downs, and that Straight Faces underpinning be-I trayed him, but the connections of neither entrant evoked excuses. Indeed all those behind Dark Star took defeat gracefully. And Harry Guggenheim is certainly de-li serving, having for many years maintained a racing stable and stud in the hope of one day breeding or buying and developing a classic winner. Dark Star he obtained from Warner L. Jones, Jr., who had bred the colt at his Hermitage Farm near Louisville, for ,500 at the Keeneland yearlings sales. Dark Star is in all the "Triple Crown" events, and the Classic and American Derby. Also commended on all sides today was jockey Henry Moreno, who handled Dark Star so competently. He rated the colt over the quarters of the desperate Derby grind in :23%, :24, :24%, :242/5 and held him together a final quarter in :25%. It was a masterly exhibition on the part of the dark youngster from Chicago, who had attracted some attention on the West Coast during the winter and had been engaged to ride the Guggenheim horses only a brief time before the Derby. He permitted Dark Star to assume the lead under wraps when he foundjiis mount full of run leaving the gate, saved all the ground and made no mistakes when Native Dancer challenged. It was pretty much the same sort of handling Guerin gave Jet Pilot in the 47 Derby.
