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IN THE BLUE GRASS By Hugh J. McGuire LEXINGTON, Ky., May 31. George "Brownie" Leach, director of public relations at Churchill Downs, Saturday treated the Thoroughbred Club of America to a view of this years Kentucky Derby. The showing took place following a club luncheon at the Lafayette Hotel and the program proved to be one that obviously drew keen interest from those in attendance. This interest was so manifest that Charles Kenney has suggested that an effort be made to secure similar films of the runnings of the Preakness and Belmont. The Derby film patrol pictures were preceded by film patrol pictures of the Derby Trial and the Telenews Service panoramic films with sound of the Derby itself in which the crowd and general color was given. While the projector in use for the Derby patrol pictures did not permit of stopping the film or of slow motion, Leach re-ran several scenes which proved most interesting although leaving in doubt the identity of some of the horses. AAA Most of the interest in the featured Derby picture was centered in the few seconds after the start and the films of this confirmed the opinions expressed in the chart footnote of the race written immediately following the race and without the aid of the camera by Don Fair, trackman for Daxlt Racing Form. Soon after the bulky field of 17 was released from the starting gate Hasty Road spurted to the front from his inside post position and in doing so moved out sharply from the rail. "At the same time, Timely Tip, who had post position 14, bore over quickly to the inside. Caught between this veering pair and forced to take up were several horses of whom Determine and Admiral Porter appeared to suffer most. A close inspection of the film indicates there was reason for Johnny Adams taking Hasty Road out from the rail. The starting gate with its additional stalls, was taxed to fit the width of the track and was so set that all starters would break from a straight line. But the start was made just beyond the turn into the stretch and in the film, a line taken with the eye along the-inside rail toward f .the starting gate found Hasty Road in TCA Members View Films of Derby Attention on Incidents After Start Several Horses Forced to Take Up Number 1 stall on direct line with the inside rail or even a little to the inside: AAA Breaking fast as he does, Hasty Road could possibly have made it clear in a straight line into the stretch without brushing the inside rail but this might have been very risky business and Adams could not be censured too much for making certain that his horse was not injured by coming into forceful contact with the inside rail. That Adams may have gone out somewhat farther than was absolutely necessary appeared likely but this could possibly be excused on the grounds of a guarantee for the safety of his horse. We could see no such excuse for Timely Tip to swerve in although in the scramble immediately following the break he may have been started on his veering by horses on the outside of him, but he was never straightened up until he was in far enough to meet Hasty Road. AAA The severity and consequences of the jam after the start were questioned by those viewing the film for after the field settled into stride with Hasty Road in front before Timely Tip, it was Determine and Admiral Porter, two who had suffered, who were now racing next in line. Throughout the balance of the race to the stretch there was .little of incident except that Timely Tip was seen to be taken-to the inside to make a feeble bid to reach the leader before faltering. After a mile the camera centered on Hasty Road and Determine, who was now second, and the difference in the action of these two rivals immediately became apparent. Hasty Road, loping along effortless in front, was poetry in motion as his long, measured strides made him appear to be moving much more slowly than Determine. The style of the two riders may have aided in this illusion for Adams rode well back with a long rein while York on Determine did not appear to let up from handriding his charge whose stride was obviously much shorter and quicker than that of Hasty Road. AAA In the stretch Determine surged up on the outside of Hasty Road and disposed of him rather quickly under continued hand urging from York and it was not until he had been passed that Adams brought, his whip into play in the forlorn hope that Hasty Road would come on again. Indeed the son of Roman did appear to respond to this urging but to no avail as Determine went on to draw clear. From this: location we have no way of confirming the opinion expressed by some that there has always been a hesitancy on the part of Adams to use the whip on Hasty Road for fear of some detrimental reaction. If this be true, it was obvious that once Determine had passed him, Adams threw any fear of such an incident to the winds and flayed lis charge with vigor and without apparent harmful results. AAA In the stretch run. and well back of the leaders, Admiral Porter, who had been on the rail, was seen to move out and then drift back in again. Another horse, not readily identified in the fast action of the film without the aid of the colors of the silks, appeared to almost stagger from well out in the middle of the track down to where he met Admiral Porter on the inside. Remarkably, he did not bother other horses. No one present viewing the film could make positive identification, of the horse. At times some scenes of the horses back of the ieaders were obscured by dust, and Leach explained the position of Churchill Downs superintendent Tom Young in this respect. With rain forecast for the day, Young had to decide whether or not to water the track and concluded that it was better to have some of the trailers clouded in dust than to risk the possibility of having some horse step on slippery footing and go down. AAA Blades of Blue Grass: When questioned on the physical status of Goyamo, who is to be sold with other Woodvale Farm horses in training at Belmont Park on the morning of June 10, Humphrey Finney stated that Goyamo had not bowed and he will not be offered for sale without a clean bill of health. Examinations to determine his condition should be completed by the time yoU read this. . . . Several breeders who witnessed the patrol films of the Kentucky Derby remarked that the smooth, apparently effortless action of Hasty Road led them to believe that he had inherited this and his size from Discovery, sire of his dam, Traffic Light, while getting his color and speed from Roman. . . . Following our statement that we did not readily recall any other stallion by Wise Counsellor except No Wrinkles standing in this area, Herb Stevens reminded us of W. M. Ingrams Barre Granite, who is at the Locust Dale Farm of H. C. Fain.
