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Declare Gen Duke After QuarterMile Breeze BreezeJones Jones Announces Decision When Colt Takes Couple of Bad Steps StepsBy By JOE HIRSCH CHURCHILL DOWNS Louisville Ky May 4 Calumets Gen Duke only four days ago considered a strong and possibly oddson favorite to win the 83rd Kentucky Derby was declared from the race today by trainer H A Jimmy Jones after he watched the colt cool out from an early morning quartermile breeze breezeJones Jones said yesterday that if Gen Duke who suffered a bruise deep in his left front hoof some time ago came out of todays move in good order he would probably run back in the afternoon But Gen Duke racing from the quarter pole to the wire in excellent time this morning while wear ¬ ing a bar shoe tin his injured foot took a couple of bad steps shortly after and Jones decided he did not care to risk fur ¬ ther damage to the winner of the recent Florida Derby DerbyJones Jones phoned Churchill Downs president Bill Corum with the news of his decision at 9 ajn this morning in an effort to insure that the public would be informed prior to the opening of the wagering on the Derby itself Calumet stable agent Dee Brooks reported to the racing secretarys office at 914 with the actual scratch slip although Calumet legally could have with ¬ held its declaration until 45 minutes be ¬ fore posttime posttimeThe The declaration of Gen Duke repre ¬ sented a soulsearching decision on the part of Jones and reflected the highest credit uponhis integrity The temptation to run the colt must have been tremendous and for Jones who has handled himself with remarkable grace all week in the face of a crushing burden of questions and probing from the press it was another demonstration of his character and ability to view a painful situation realistically realisticallyJones Jones had Gen Duke out on the track this morning shortly after 6 ajn The son of Bull Lea and Wishful jogged once around and then broke off at the head of the stretch under exercise boy Joe Swartz He covered the first eighth of a aContinued Continued on Page Eight I v Declare Gen Duke Following Trial Jones Announces His Decision Early EarlyColt Colt Takes Few Bad Steps With Injured Front Foot May Be Preakness Stouter StouterContinued Continued from Page One Onemile mile in 12 and the quarter in 24 which incidentally was better time than the blow ¬ outs recorded today by his stablemate Iron Liege William S Millers Better Bee and Ralph Lowes Gallant Man ManJones Jones returned to the barn with the colt conferred with his father Ben Jones and the two left for their hotel in Jimmys long black Cadillac at about 830 am After talking on the phone with Calumet owner Mrs Gene Markey at the farm in Lexington Jones phoned track officials in order that they might broadcast the news of Gen Dukes declaration before much Derby wagering could be consummated consummatedSome Some Heat in Foot FootShortly Shortly thereafter he talked with this reporter on the phone He acted all right this morning Jimmy said He went along through the stretch OK but there was some heat and he walked a little dainty when we got back to the barn He took a few bad steps and while he probably could have beaten some of the horses in the race you cant win a championship in the condition hes in at the moment momentHes Hes not too far from a race Jones continued and he should certainly be ready for the Preakness if all goes well In fact we leave for Baltimore Tuesday ar ¬ riving there Wednesday No it doesnt look like Barbizon will be ready for that one oneThere There was some heat on the outside quarter about half way up the wall of the hoof Its an internal bruise and has been there for some time Eventually the system will probably absorb it and well see it as a little red spot when the hoof grows out Its a thing that apparently is not going to localize and Im pretty sure there is no pus pocket there thereWere Were going to leave the bar shoe on for a few days You know actually Im just a little sorry that we even had to breeze him this morning but we had to make a decision and this was the only way we could be sure Im really very disap ¬ pointed that that colt cant make it I hate to get in an injury cycle because things seem to go wrong in bunches As for treating Gen Duke Im thinking of switching from hot to cold although we may put heat on again tonight
