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TRAVIS KERR rv l E ° A t v T ix Derby First tor Owner Travis Kerr Round Table Totes Oklahpmans Silks SilksAlso Also Will Be Viewing His Initial Rose Run Fancies Breeding End of Sport SportBy By OSCAR OTJS OTJSCHURCHILL CHURCHILL DOWNS Louisville Ky May 31 When Hound Table starts in the Kentucky Derby tomorrow he will be the first horse ever owned by Travis M Kerr to race in the Run for the Roses It will also be the first time that Kerr has seen the classic classicKerr Kerr who was born in Ada Okla went to work in the oil industry after leaving high school instead of going to college He started as a driller had some luck and pyramided his holdings until he had amassed a fortune Later he branched into the refining end of the business and re ¬ cently entered the uranium field in New Mexico MexicoLover Lover Boy Ole Travis Best Yet Developed Kerr first became interested in racing as a fan around Chicago in 1935 and became a frequent visitor to California tracks in 1940 In 1948phe entered racing as a part ¬ ner of M R Beans Latimer of Denver The partnershipwas eventually dissolved but Kerr had developed a taste of the turf and switched his interests to California He first acquired horses then breeding stock and last the farm of J HRyan Kerr said he gets his biggest pleasure ests though he enjoys his racing stable stableTo To date the two best horses we have developed have been Lover Boy a stakes winner and Ole Travis he said I have about 30 mares seven of whom are in Ken ¬ tucky Six are at Dan Scotts place on the theContinued Continued on Page 37 D Today Is Derby First for Kerr KerrHas Has Initial Starter in Race In Round Table and Will Be Seeing Event First Time TimeContinued Continued from Page 17 D DRussell Russell Cave Pike and one at Spendthrift The rest are at the Byana ranch ranchI I have one stallion Bullfighter at Ryans place he continued but I have made up my mind to stand Bobby Brocato the best horse I owned until Round Table at Ryanain 1958 We still havent decided whether Bobby Brocato will be retired Jbhis fall or after the winter season at Santa Anita But it is definite he will stand in California CaliforniaKerr Kerr revealed he purchased Round Table privately in Florida last winteisfrom A B Hancock Jr through Joe Hernandez the west coast horsetrader and announcer He took the colt on Hernandez word that Round Table was worth the money Final purchase was approved following an in ¬ spection by Dr J L Peters a west coast veterinarian who flew from Santa Anita to Florida to examine the colt coltKerrs Kerrs first trainer was the late R H McDaniel Willie Molter his present trainer took over after McDaniel died Kerr said he picked Molter as his trainer because He had a box next to mine at Hollywood Park and I became acquainted with him I liked him and liked the way he trained horses horsesWife Wife Daughter Visit California CaliforniaMr Mr and Mrs Kerr and their daughter Nancy have spent considerable time in California recently watching their horses race They also enjoy the farm life at the Ryan showplace However Kerr pays close attention to his vast oil interests and com ¬ mutes by air between his headquarters in Oklahoma City and the west coast coastCalifornians Californians feel it is significant that he is centering his expanding breeding in ¬ terests in the Golden State StateWhile While Round Table is not a California horse and is destined to return to Clai borne if he proves worthy of being a sire at that farm after his racing days a Derby victory would be hailed in the West WestKerr Kerr is the next thing to being an adopted son of California The colt is westernstrained has raced at both Santa Anita and Bay Meardows
