Evening star., 1925-05-15

Men and women have travelled days
10 witness a contest which will last
eeout two minutes and four seconds.
ltaclng here in Kentucky is on hal
lowed ground. This is the home OF the
thoroughbred. Kentucky without its
Clean-hmbed race horse would be Ham
let with the gloomy Dane left out.
Not Field of Glass
1t is not the classiest field that ever
went to the post. the one carded to
start tomorrow. There is no Zev, no
Norwich, no Sir Barton, no Omar
khayyam, nor even a lowly Black
Gold, but it is Derby and that is
enough.
People get the Derby habit. They
come here year after year-bankers,
brokers, doctors, lawyers, merchants,
Chiets-and the number appears to be
ever on the increase. Each year the
Erandstands, paViions and clubhouse
enclosures at Beautiful Churchill
Downs are enlarged. but each year
they prove inadequate.
1t is estimated that between 10000
ana 100, 900 men and women will sec
this fifty-first running of the race and
the division of the sexes will be just
about $3.50, for down here in Ken
thcky the women know as much about
racing and thoroughbreds as the men.
1t is born in the blood
One of the remarkable things about
Derby day at the Downs is the fact
that probably nine-tenths of the peo-
pie present will not place bet upon
the race. 1t would be impossible for
all to bet, even if they wanted TO.
The throngs come to the Derby as
they would go to no other sport. 1t
unquestionably is the most colortul
outdoor event in America
To keep pace with the times a fly
ing field has been added TO the track
equipment, and it was said today that
at least 40 planes will have arrived
In louisville by Saturday noon. Some
OF these will leave Immediately after
the race, carrying photographs of the
event to newspapers in cities as far
away as New York.
Great Homecoming Time.
Derby week is great Homecoming
tine for Kentuckians from all parts
of the country. They come back to
exclaim that the Ohio is far more
beautiful to them than the Hudson or
the Columbia, and that God never
made grass so green or locust trees to
bloom in such fra GRANGE as here upon
the hills OF the old home State.
The very air is redolent of My Ola
Kentucky Home" the darkies are
SiIlSlIlS HISn dIlu low, the ola Men
lucky hams are Steaming in the pots
and everywhere there is lavish South
ern hospitality, famed the wide world
over.
The remarkable thing about the
Kentucky Derby is that the profess
sional horSemen are quite as dippy
about it as the general public. There
is greater honor in being the owner
of a Derby winner than is TO be
found in any other turf event in
America. Mil!ionaires of the turf, who
have suffered disappointment with
lheir own colts or FLIES being pointed
for the Derby, have been offering
fabulouf prices for a Derby entrant.
Hamilton Cotton. the multimillion-
aire of California. has been in Louis
Vile several days offering unlimited
money for a Derby contender. But
no owner has even thought of the
temptation. Air. Cotton has bought
out one entire racing establishment.
but he would pay as much again for
a single colt or tilly thought to have
a chance in the big race.
There is even the case of Earl
Sande, the jockey, offering a brother
money and all the Derby fee from the
owner TO get a chance to ride in the
great event. Sande won the Derby
in 1923 with Zev. owned by Harry
Sinclair. The famous oil magnate has
nc entry this year.
Few jockeys ever have won the
Derby twice. Sande. who is to ride
Flying Ebony, is anxious TO be one of
them. With a field of 20 or more
starters the race will be worth more
than $50 900 to the winner. The field
promises to be the biggest in history.
The record was y starters in 1923.
Indications today are that at least
% will go on Saturday.
And today nothing has happened
to do other than strengthen the belief
of the experts that Quatrain will win.
This son of Omar Khayyam has been
TO the races Just seven times in his
career. He has won six of his starts
and finished third once