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Joe Hirsch HirschHorsemen Horsemen Take PreDerby Pressure in Stride Face PressTV Invasion in Gracious Manner Thats Why They Call the Dean Sunny Jim JimCHURCHILL CHURCHILL DOWNS Louisville Ky May 3 Grace under pressure according to Evan Shipmans erood friend Ernest Hemingway is a characteristic greatly to be admired and before delving into the mechanics of this 83d and perhaps best of all Ken ¬ tucky Derbys a word or two of praise might be in order for the way most of the interested par ¬ ties have conducted themselves under the onslaught of one of the biggest assemblages of turf writers ever to cover a single race Train ¬ ing a thoroughbred race horse is a ticklish business at best The average fan recognizes a name and more or less expects him to run back to some pre ¬ conceived level of form every time he goes to the post Unfortunately such is not the case where the human element is involved involvedThere There are days when for one reason or another horses do not choose to run their hardest and there is only so much that trainer or rider can do about it Working with most horses a veteran conditioner once told us is like playing a violin You have to take a little off here and put a little on there and you have to step very lightly because you may be missing some ¬ thing along the way wayFanfare Fanfare Brings Added Difficulty DifficultyIts Its difficult enough to conduct training under the cold bright glare of the publicity spotlight particularly when the shedrow is crowded during working hours with questioning groups of writers many of them seeking different kinds of information In other times when horsemen were less aware of the significance of news ¬ paper coverage in helping to build racing and conse f quently purses and stakes there was not nearly the degree of cooperation with the press that exists today This season particularly trainers of Derby horses have gone out of their way and have been particularly gra ¬ cious in answering the endless streams of questions posed by writers from papers throughout the country most of this done during valuable training hours hoursJimmy Jimmy and Ben Jones Jack Williams Milton Reiser Tennessee Wright Jimmy Conway Johnny Nerud Del Carroll Bud Carter and grand old Sunny Jim Fitz Simmons have been as accommodating a group as we have known during the course of this ones travels about the country There is more pressure on trainers during the preDerby period than for any other single race in America with constant demands on time for dinners luncheons speaking engagements radio and television appearances magazine and newspaper inter ¬ views and the like likeIn In addition most of the horsemen involved have stock other than Derby candidates on the grounds that must continue to receive training and racing during this period It adds up to quite a load believe me which is why we feel that those concerned deserve a merited salute from the press And while all of the trainers as noted above have cooperated to the utmost we dont believe or hope that anyone will feel slighted if we toss a special tribute to the 83yearold dean of American trainers Mr Fitz who many years ago acquired the nickname Sunny Jim and has never failed to live up to that handle in our experience experienceReal Real Pal to Fourth Estate EstateIts Its a revelation to see the way the old gent conducts himself among the writers each morning his mind just as clear and as sharp as the days when he was sending out suchTiard hitters as Gallant Fox and Johnstown and Omaha for the late chairman ef The Jockey Club William Woodward Sr No question is too embarrassing none too pointed none goes unanswered almost always to the complete satisfaction of the one who raised the issue And so to Mr Fitz a welldeserved toast May you return to Louisville for many more years sir with Derby horses and Derby winners winnersAs As for the race itself we have for several months considered the result of the Florida Derby to be a thor ¬ oughly true bill and therefore that Calumets Gen Duke is the best threeyearold in the country If his recent hoof injury comes around we see no reason why the generous son of Bull Lea and Wistful shouldnt get all the money on Saturday As his rider Bill Hartack notes he gives you everything hes got in the stretch and up to now that has been enough on occasions to turn back Bold Ruler and all the others However this year the field is so well balanced that almost all of the others could win the race without causing undue eye ¬ browlifting in the press box Thus whatever the out ¬ come America is assured of a brilliant renewal of its blue ribband of the turf
