New-York tribune., 1922-04-02
Traditions of
Derby Attract
Fleet Norwich
Undefcated Two-Year-Old
Passes Up Preakness for
Churchill Downs Classic

pchJdHtH bioCkJ oi lNcE i OK lily,
whose colors the brilliant California
bred two year old Norwich bore to
eleven successive victories last season,
that Norwich is to start in the i'm
pending renewal Of the Kentucky
Derby. race of enc mile and quar-
ter. to be run on May Is. will be re-
ceivcd with keen satisfaction by ths
racing fraternity Of the United States
and Canada.
The Kentucky Derby and the Freak
ness Stakes, both races OF $4,000
(added money, the Derby a gallop Of
one mile and a quarter, the Prcakness
dash of one mile and furlong, will
be renewed on the same day, the
Preakness at the old Pimlico course
of Maryland. the Derby at Churchill
Downs, Louisville.
The shipping phase OF Morvich's
seem to have favored his starting in
the Preakness. He trains at Jamaics,
l.. L., only couple OF hundred miles
from Baltimore. Churchill Downs is
600 or 700 miles away. The winners
share of the Preakness purse, now that
the Maryland Jockey Club, jealous OF
the prestige Of its best spring race,
has added $4,000 TO it to meet the
competition of the Derby for leader
ship as regards purse values in the
field Of American three-year-old rae
ing, may this year ton by few dollars
the Winners share of the Derby purse
But these considerations were
waived By Mr. Block when he came TO
In \ ja
with the juvenile champion of the sea-
son past and the most highly thought
of three-year- old Of the season coming.
Mr.. Block has chosen the Derby as
the great spring race in which Nor
vIch VIII start for variety of res-
sons, in all of which there are ele-
nents Of sentiment. The Derby, the
Oldest American threeyear-o spe-
cial of unhroken history, is the best
known and most widely popular race
on the American calendar. Wherever
thorouehbrods are produced, wherever
racing is a popular sport and the
news of the thoroughbred is printed
and discussed by wholesome men and
women, the Kentucky Derby is some
thing Of byword.
From tho time the nominations for
its successive renewals are announced
IN February to the day OF it's running
the daily and weekly papers of the
United States and Canada. of Europe,
Australasia and South America are
full Of news of 1t, of information Of
the past performances of its appar-
emily sure and potential contestants
and speculation as TO their future
prospects.
Millions Wagercd on Outcome
In spite of restrictions with which
narrow legislation has everywhere
hedgcd harmless speculation, thou,
! sands and tens of thousands Of
Americans and Canadians manage to
make bets on the outcome of its re-
newals. Millions of dollars are wagered
in future" handbooks winter after win
ter on the chances of the various Derby
nominations, notwithstanding winter
betting On the results Of other So
called classics that are annually re-
vived on this side of the Atlantic was
| long ago discontinued.
Probably the betting in the so-called
future books on the outcome of the
impending Derby, in which Norwich
rules favorite over all of his rivals of
last season, but over Kai Sang and
Lucky Hour particularly. has been
heavier than has been the speculation
on the result of any other Derby since
Ullman. This is a circumstance M
Block, small bettor himself, has care
fully considercd
| The popularity of Kentucky Derby
renewals, merely as contests, is regu-
| larly attested by the size and repre-
sentative character Of the crowds that
gather al Churchill Downs to witness
! them. From every point of the conf
! pass men and women journey thousands
OF miles to see successive Derby fields
gallop their gruelling mile and a quar-
ter, whether the sun be shining and
! the going fast or the skies be overcast
| and the footing heavy.
/ Every element and condition oa
American and Canadian life is to pc
/ found in these crowds. Special trains
| roar east from the Pacific Coast, pick
| ing up sleepers at Salt Lake City, Den,
YER, Kansas City and St. Louis; north
and northeast from New Orleans and
Mobile and the fluid oil country Of
Mexico. Oklahoma and Texas; north1
west from the winter resorts of Cuba,
I Florida and Georgia; south and south
west from Minneapolis and st. Paul,
/ Winnipeg, Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit
Montreal, Buffalo and Toronto; west
Washington and Pittsburgh.
The most cherished traditions Of
American racing are interviewer In
the fascinating history of the Kentucky
Derby. which. Instituted in 1878, NUM-
/ bers among its winners such flyers as
Aristides, Vagrant, Fonso, Hindoo,
Leonatus, Joe Cotton, Ben Ali, Spokane,
Riley, Typhoon, Halma, Ben Brush,
Plaudit, Alan-a Dale, Sir Huon, Merids
ian, Old Rosebud, Regret, Georgs
Smith. Omar Khayyam, Exterminator,
jSir Barton. Paul Jones and Behave
yourself When horse gets down in
front in Kentucky Derby renewal he
| wins a race that gives his memory
fame that will never die. He writes
his name on a roster that will foreve1
shine uminously in the annals Of tha
American thoroughbred.
Norwich acc compljshcd greet things za
a two-year- old. BY galinpsrg through
eleven races without meeting defeat he
earned distinction that has been won
only by such juvenile flyers rs IRE.
mont, Sensation, Domino. Colin and
Tryster, a distinction that was denied
even so great a horse as Man o Wan
He earned in stakes and purse son1t
sl15,0 greater sum by $4,000 than
! Man, o. War accounted for in his frst
/ strenuous season Of racing.
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