view raw text
COL MATT J WINN The Kentucky Derby impressario who has viewed each and every running of the famed Downs classic anticipates another great re ¬ newal of Americas premier horse race despite travel restrictions 1942 Derby One of Most Interesting Shut Out Winner 4 And Alsab Second SecondWright Wright Astride Victor as Arcaro Having His Choice Of Mounts Picks Devil Diver DiverLOUISVILLE LOUISVILLE Ky April 30 Events leading up to the Kentucky Derby of 1942 enveloped it in so much conjecture that it may always rank among the more inter ¬ esting runnings of this famous event In the first place Alsab was built up during the early winter following his amazing ju ¬ venile record as the favorite for the Derby only to lose caste when in his early per ¬ formances as a threeyearold he was un ¬ able to win although he did acquit himself with some distinction when racing with older horses in the Widener In the second place Devil Diver worked so smartly during theVweeks prior to the Churchill Downs classic that he rose in public favor to such a degree that eventually he was installed the post time choice for the race although his stablemate Shut Out had just cap ¬ tured Keenelands Blue Grass Stakes StakesThen Then there were the two Valdina Farm horses Valdina Orphan and Hollywood who captured the fancy of many through the impressive way they trained for the stake and With Regards the rheumatic speed merchant had his liost of admirers Sun Again was favorably considered in re ¬ lation to the Derby after he finished a bangup second to Valdina Orphan in the Derby Trial Stakes and Requested had his triumph in the Wood Memorial Stakes to recommend him Yet another who had his own special following was Apache who dis ¬ tinguished himself by winning the Experi ¬ mental Free Handicap HandicapSame Same Finish for Divisional Honors HonorsThe The exploits records training and gen ¬ eral conduct of these smart threeyear olds and the great appeal of the race they were expected to wage combined to at tradt to Churchill Downs a crowd estimated at 75000 persons only 18000 less than the turnout on Derby Day a year before when America was still at peace with the world worldAs As the race turned out the first three under the wire finished in just that order for the 1942 moneyearning championship among horses of their age Shut Out first Alsab second and Valdina Orphan third The victory of the Greentree Stable was no great surprise to a majority of the crowd last Derby Day but that Shut Out instead of Devil Diver should be the one to receive the garland of roses confounded the cal ¬ culations of most Even the stables con ¬ nections down to jockey Eddie Arcaro be ¬ lieved Devil Diver to be the better horse and with the choice of mounts he left Shut Out for Wayne D Wright to handle As a matter of fact even after Shut Out won the Derby Arcaro was not convinced he was the better of the two for in the Preak ness Stakes he again chose Devil Diver to ride and again was chagrinned to learn he had selected the inferior runner Shut Out didnt win but he proved himself Devil Divers master The Derby victory was the second for Greentree which won in 1931 with Twenty Grand GrandIn In winning the Derby Shut Out coasted along in behind the pacemaking With Re ¬ gards and Valdina Orphan for a mile arid then made the charge that was to earn liim everlasting turf fame He wore down the two leaders between the head of the home stretch and the furlong pole and in the final eighth pulled steadily away to triumph with two and a quarter lengths to spare Alsab as usual far back over the early furlongs made one of his character ¬ istic surges and he mowe4 down rival after rival but Shut Out was too much for him and the juvenile king of the season before had to be content with the place for which he beat Valdina Orphan a head Then came With Regards to lead home the eleven others who rounded out the field Although fieldAlthough the attendance was below fig ¬ ures for the previous year the 1942 Derby was a tremendous success and from the tracks standpoint it was the second big ¬ gest Derby Day in the history of the stake The parimutuel handle that day of 1 983011 630198 on the big race alone was second in proportions only to the 2096613 which fans wagered iiere on Derby Day in 1926
