The New York herald., 1921-04-21
MRS.PAYNE WHITNEY |
HAS NO DERBY COLT
Touch Me Not DisappOints in
Trials and Will Not Go to
Kentucky.
ny HENRY ". KING.

Mrs. Payne Whitney is greatly disap-
pointed because she will not bs repre-
sented In the Kentucky Derby. She felt
confident her good colt Touch Me Not.
which won the Great American last year,
would carry her famous colors promi-
winning the coveted classic with him.
Few colts had more speed thar Touch
Me Not last year. but he was an erratic
and stubborn fellow and ran on.y Wnen
he had a mind to. Early this season he
went into training acting like a weli
trained Airdale. He did anything and
everything Willie Midgley, his trainer.
asked him to do He broke instantly,
ran straight and true and showed good
flash of speed So good was his early
work that his trainer believed he would
go on and give the best of the three
year-olds a fight for stellar honors. But
as his training progressed his temper be-
came unruly. He would not break with
field. and when he did he showed so
little early speed that the commonest
kind of a colt could outrun him.
During the last fortnight Mrs. Whit
ney visited Belmont Park In the morn
ing to see him work. In his tests ne
was fast epough to warrant the belief
that he would have c4-"~-
coveted classic, and after trial yester-
day il was decided to keep him for the
local meetings.
This does not mean that the colt ia
ordinary. He is high class Fellow,
and probably will give q good account
Of himself later In the season. especially
in races In which the fields are small.
High Speed, the two-year-oid colt
by UItimus--velocity. belonging to
Frederick johnson, seems to have been
well named. He has high turn of speed.
and Joe Notter. the young trainer who
Is developing him. believes he will carry
his speed over n distance of ground.
Over a track fetlock deep with mud yes
terday morning. he ran a quarter OF a
mile aroIrd a turn in "a 1-5 seconds. 1t
was the best move so far by youngstar
at the course this season. Veteran
trainers said 1t would have been we'll
under "a seconds on fast track.
Notter has several other speedy
youngsters in his string. the best look
ing of which are Excelsis. by Ultimus--
Melissa, and Apex. by Ultimus--Crazy-
quilt. They were out yesterday morn
ing and breezed a half mile In 0 81.
Under Notters handling Care Free, the
speedy but stubborn son OF Colin ard
Domino Nofre. Is becoming as tame as
lamb. He breaks from the barrier like
a Compadre and has all the speed he
displayed last year. Summit. the $685.
600 filly, Is also coming around. She Is
showing no signs OF suffering from her
injured feet Cote dor, brother of Lion
dor. has grown greatly during the win
ter and Is going along nicely. He has
not been set down yet. but Notter says
he is sure he viii not disgrace his Illus
trious brother when he goes to the races.
Sixteen two-year-olds are on their
way from California to Belmont Park.
EIGHT of them are the property of A. X.
Macon,ber and the other four belong TO
] II. Rosseter. They will be In charge
OF George Straight. who will handle both
the Rosseter and Macomber strings this
season.
The tracks at Belmont Park are in
wretched condition because of the recent
rain. The new top soil has become soft
mud and horses sink In 1t nearly foot.
1t Is bad on both .he main track and
the training track and several trainers
confine their workouts 10 slow gallops.
QnteSS DaN WeAtftT CONTINUES TIE en-
tire course will be ready for racing by
May l. Yesterday superintendent Pells
began erecting the steeplechase fences.
Sam Turner of the Globe Theatre and
Dude Harris OF the Fulton Theatre have
chartered a special train to accommo-
date their friends who will attend the
Kentucky Derby at Louisville on Satur-
day. May Z. The special will leave the
Grand Central Station Thursday after
noon. May 5, arriving in Louisville the
following afternoon. Departing shortly
after the $4,000 classic is run. the spe-
cial will arrive in New York late SUM-
day.
Seven horses In charge OF Jimmy
Johnson arrived at the park yesterday
afternoon. They are the property OF
Edward Arlington.