Johnstown Runs Away With Derby: W. Woodward Triumphs for the Third Time in Famous Race; Trainer James Fitzsimmons Shares in the Honor--Challedon Second, Heather Broom Third--Largest Crowd in the History of Derby in Attendance, Daily Racing Form, 1939-05-08

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JOHNSTOWN JOHNSTOWN RUNS AWAY WITH DERBY » — , W. Woodward Triumphs for the Third Time in Famous Race — ♦ Trainer James Fitzsimmons Shares in the Honor — Challedon -Second, Heather Broom Third — Largest Crowd in the History of Derby in Attendance LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 6.— Johnstown is all the horse theyve been saymg he is! He won the sixty-fifth Kentucky Derby in a common canter just as he has his three previous starts this season. Never urged by Jimmy Stout at any time during the mile and one-quarter journey around the historic Churchill Downs track here this afternoon .and, with his 126-pound impost feeling as easy as a gentle breeze, the son of Jamestown and La France proved himself one of the easiest victors in Americas greatest turf classic. Eighty thousand persons, constituting the largest crowd ever to witness a horse race in this country, gave William Woodwards colt the benefit of all their cheers, not simply because he triumphed in the manner of a great colt, but because they had installed him the shortest-priced Derby candidate since 1905. Running the distance in 2:03%, slower by a second and three-fifths than the track record, but comparatively good considering that the Downs track has not been so fast during the past few years, Johnstown gained Derby laurels and the first award of 6,350 by eight lengths over William L. Branns Challedon, the second choice. Trailing at the lat-ters heels came John Hay Whitneys Heather Broom, as Emerson F. Woodwards Viscounty was another half-length away. Challedon earned ,000, Heather Broom ,000, •and Viscounty ,000. GOLD TROPHY. For the third time in Derby history, William Woodward, New York banker and chairman of The Jockey Club, received the ,000 gold trophy emblematic of victory. He was presented with the beautiful cup by Albert Benjamin Chandler, governor of Kentucky. With him at the ceremony was Jame3 Fitzsimmons, who long has been the Woodward trainer, and jockey Stout. Only E. R. Bradley has owned more winners of the classic and only the late H. J. Thompson has trained more, each having four to his credit. As the Derby was run, it was Johnstown all the way. Sleepy looking in the paddock and during the parade to the post, he became a high-geared racing machine the instant starter William Hamilton caught the field in a suitable alignment. The start was not a good one, however, although the horses had Continued on twenty-third page. JOHNSTOWN RUNS AWAY WITH 65TH KENTUCKY DERBY Continued from first page. been in the starting machine only a half-minute. El Chico and Heather Broom swerved out and Johnstown headed for the inside with the result that Viscounty and On Location were pinched back. El Ghico was the first to settle into his stride, but Johnstown was right after him, the pair coming down the stretch as a team as T. M. Dorsett trailed at their heels. Heather Broom, Challedon and Technician were next in order. Completing the first quarter in the time of :23%, Johnstown dropped his head in front of El Chicos and as the field swung around the lower turn, the Belair Stud colorbearer drew out, although Stout made no apparent move with him. JOHNSTOWN GAINS RAPIDLY. Heading into the back stretch with the first half-mile run in :47%, Johnstown opened up an advantage of two lengths on El Chico, which was flanked by T. M. Dor-sett, while Heather Broom was fourth, -tfith Technician fifth, Challedon having dropped back somewhat. By this time On Location was definitely out of the competition. Continuing to stride easily, Johnstown increased his margin to four lengths in the run down the back stretch, covering the three-quarters in 1:12%. El Chico and T. M. Dorsett held their same positions, but Viscounty had slipped through on the inside to reach fourth place at the far turn, while Challedon had advanced between horses to be slightly ahead of Heather Broom. The fourth quarter took its toll on El Chico and T. M. Dorsett, but Viscounty, Heather Broom and Challedon all moved forward as though they would overtake Johnstown, giving the latters many support-jers their only anxious moments during the race. Stout knew what he was doing.however, and as Johnstown passed the starting point to complete the mile in 1:38, he let out a wrap and the Woodward speedster drew away again to be five lengths in front entering the final furlong. With his ears pointed directly to the sky and loping along with the same smoothness characterizing the early stages, Johnstown pulled further away from his opponents in the last eighth, although Stout appeared to have a stronger hold on him than at any previous time during the race. CHALLEDON EARNS SECOND. With Johnstown scoring so easily, a bitter fight ensued for secondary honors, but Challedon proved the best, wearing down Viscounty and edging away from the Texas-owned colt in the final sixteenth. As the latter faltered, Heather Broom was successful in gaining third honors in the last few strides. Six lengths beck of Viscountv came Technician, while the tiring El Chico was another five lengths away and three lengths ahead of the also weakening T. M. Dorsett. On Location was eased up after a mile, when hopelessly beaten. The principal supporting race was the Brown Hotel Handicap and it was the veteran mare Silverette, now nine years old, run three-quarters in 1:11 to beat four other useful sprinters. The hard-running daughter of Vandergrift, owned by Garrett Watts, gave a splendid account of herself to win by two lengths as Joe Schenck, from the Wool-ford Farm stable, ran second and F. P. Letelliers Southland Beau finished third. OLD SILVERETTE SCORES. Silverette, guided by J. E. Oros, sprinted to the front shortly after the break and held an advantage of two lengths over her nearest rival all the way. Joe Schenck J moved into second place on the turn and re- ; mained there while Southland Beau passed the faltering Grass Cutter and Tiger in the final quarter to be a distant third. Tiger was top weight in the race under 115 pounds, Silverette carried 113 and she was the favorite. The first race, run at noon, saw Sassy Mate, owned by Mrs. Kirby Ramsey, run four and a half furlongs within three-fifths of a second of the track record to win the first start of her career. The daughter of Mate and Belle Fair led from one end to the other and though she was bearing out badly in the run through the stretch, she was never in serious danger of being overtaken. The public choice rewarded the judgment of his backers again in the second race, a sprint at six furlongs in which Shadytown carried the silks of Herbert M. Woolf to victory. Jockey Warren Yarberry sent his mount into a good lead in the opening quarter and he maintained his advantage to the end. Miss Balko was his most persistent rival from the beginning but could not men- ace Shadytown. As. it was, she just barely lasted to save the place a head before Barbara A. HAT CHECK FIRST. Making his first start since he won here last November, Hat Check, representing the partnership of H. R. Pardue and Son, accounted for the six furlongs third race. He followed Chanting for a little more than a quarter mile and. then forged to the front himself, remaining in the lead to the end of the trip. Harold Beasy had the mount on the Pardue six-year-old, who won with two lengths to spare. Nemont was made the favorite here, but the best he could do was to finish third, second money going to Transport by a half length. The Woolford Stable and jockey Yarberry were successful for the second time during the afternoon when Robert L. proved a romping winner of the fourth race, a contest of a mile, which engaged a field of eight. The Woolford silks, which have been seen in front with uncommon frequency since the meeting opened, were in the van by four lengths after Robert L. covered the eight furlongs in 1:37%. He became the third favorite in the first four races to triumph. Manie OHara could not match the speed of the winner, but she was good enough to take the place as Gray Jack ran third, a length and a half farther back. THREE FOR WOOLFORD FARM. As the day wore on it began to appear to fans that every time they looked up a Woolford Farm horse was in front. This powerful establishment, which usually plays an important part on Derby Day programs, scored its third victory of the day when Spin On. another ridden by jockey Yarberry, captured the six furlongs fifth race. This daughter of Insco was a sharp factor from the beginning and when Yarberry put her to a drive in the stretch she responded well. It was inside the final sixteenth that she collared Flying Up and continued on to score by a half length. Flying Up, which earlier had raced Sleepy Tom into submission, took second honors two and a half lengths before Zipaway. Sleepy Tom was a tiring fourth. Steel Heels, the favorite, could hot seriously threaten at any stage.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1930s/drf1939050801/drf1939050801_1_2
Local Identifier: drf1939050801_1_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800