The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-10
LUX CASTA BIDS FAIR
FOR THE METROPOLITAN
Walden Says the Donovan Mare
Is in Fine Condition for the
Big Races.
WONDERLY IS ENGAGED
Famous Little Jockey Has Been
Chosen to Ride Lux Casta
and Courtmaid.

NEW YORK April 9.-R. Wyndham
Walden. who won the first Metropolitan
handicap, twenty-three years ago with
Greenland. and more recently with Bowling
Brook and. Filigrane, is framing his plans
10 win the last at Morris Park His
candidate this year will be III. T. Oxnard's
mare Lux Casta, the same that took show
money last year behind Gunfire and Old
England in the fastest mile ever run at
Morris Park.
II think" said Mr.. Walden 10 r. c.
Hail. OF Baltimore. that we have great
chg nee Lux Casta has been steadily i'm
proving since her two-year-old season, and
II her improvement this season is as great
as IL was last, she ought TO be hard to
beat" Lux Casta will have something in
the matter Of condition on most Of her
Metropolitan opponents.
Mr.. Walden has had her at Bowling
Brook farm, near Middleburg. Nd. all
winter She was returned to his stable by
L. l.. Graves in the fall. Graves only kept
her for a few months after the Maryland
veteran went home After q rest of two
months. during which the Donovan mare
picked up lot OF flesh, Mr.. Walden took
her up and set her going over his covered
track. She is therefore slowly hardening,
and a great deal OF work. now that the
weather is sufficiently pleasant to permit Of
work in the open track. will not be re-
quired to put her on edge.
Directly the current meeting at Bennings
closes Mr.. Walden will go to Bowling
Brook farm and make his arrangements
TO take the main division of his stable TO
Morris Park. His son, Robert Walden. will
IA no str fn Ia
maica- The elder man will not attend
either Of the early Long island meetings
Lux Casta is at the head of the string
he will take to Morris Park, and among
the horses past two years old in it are
Mr.. Oxnard's four-year-old Invincible and
his own three-year-old Petunia. by Knight
OF The Thistle. and The Southerner, by The
Commoner Tie stable will be made
up OF the horses or several owners. In
Fl, besides the runners belonging to Mr..
Walden himself, are three or four two
year-olds belonging to Hennen and Dave
Norris, which are TO race In the scarlet
jacket OF the Barbarity stable, and three
youngsters by Buddha. which are TO bear
have been al Bowling Brook farm with Lux
Casta through the winter, and they are
In healthy condition. The epidemic of ca
tarrhal fever which has affected the lesser
division Of the string here did not reach
them.
Petunia has not gained anything in the
way OF height. She is still rather small in
that particular. but she has taken on
weight about the body, and is considerably
heavier. Ii she trains again 1t will at least
take a game filly to beat her. There was
no more courageous two-year-old out last
season. The Southerner. who was also a
little fellow as a two-year-old. has devel-
oped considerably, and is nicely a
turned three-year-old as Is to be found in
these parts He will be ready TO on
the opening day at Morris Park, and prob
ably Will start in overnight race.
Mr.. Walden has engaged Otto Wonderly
TO ride Lux Casta in the Metropolitan. Won
oerly will ride her well, too, If he holds
the standard he has set here. He is one of
the jockey developments of the meeting.
Not since the year before James b. Hag-
gin engaged him at a salary of $1,000 has
Wonderly ridden cleverly he Is RID
Ing at Bennings. He is under his own
management-that Is. he is not attached to
any particular stable Before the Metro
poIitan Wonderly will ride John II. Carr
mare Courtmaid, in the Carter handicap.
Courtmaid's weight is 100 pounds. but Won
Derby probably will ride two three
pounds overweight.