Evening star., 1927-05-15
Bv thu Associated Press.

BY the Associated rres.
LOUISVILLE, KY, MAY IA
Cupped in the hollows of the hills
to the South behind which flows the
Ohio River, Churchill Downs pulsated
today as the sporting heart of the
Nation as Wlfskery flashed to the
wire, winner of the Kentucky Derby
To the East the CRIME of city smoke
stacks sent a black pail across the
sky. making a contrasting back
ground to the brilliant green of the
race track tnfeld. The close-clipped
lawns, dotted here and there with
flower beds, alternately Glistened
under brilliant sun and darkened
skies.
Rack of this the race track stables
in rows of green and white shut off
from view the red roofs Of rows of
cottages. A huge flagstaff In the in
field was decorated in colors, the Stars
and Stripes predominating. The
British Union Jack. the French Tri-
Color, the Red Sun of Japan, the
Lone Star Of Cuba and scores of
other standards added to the gay
colors.
Enthusiasm Not Dampened.
Rain threatened throughout the
afternoon and at times 1t made the
crowd move nervously back and forth,
but it failed to .dampen enthusiasm.
In rows of boxes >along the front of
the stands that stretch three-eighths
of a mile down the track, hack of the
boxes in seats and from fence and
inf7eld and the unreserved sections,
the crowd itself told 10 the uninitiated
that IT. was Derby day.
II mattered not that showers fell
and that the crowd was so great that
aIr, 11at 10 hn f.
tered not that gusty winds at times
swirled away a straw hat. 1t did not
seem to matter much that other races
We're run before the big event. There
was just a scattered cheer to denote
"Thevre off" in the four races pre-
ceding the Derby. Everything cen
tered on that one race. and eager
eyes scanned the sky for a token of
the weather.
In the stands there was for the
day a display of all the feminine
fnery that wealth can purchase, but
there We're numbers OF the wealthy
who could not get boxes, and for
time little Kitty Kelly, who stands
daily behind department store
counter. rubbed shoulders with Mrs.
}, Smith Browne, upon whose nod the
social destines Of hundreds depend.
Men who have millions and men who
ders. all caste forgotten in the thrill
cs the Derby. For a time the great
race had lifted them above the
ordinary levels Of life. and made them
willing 10 undergo the tiresome wait
Ing and dscomforts that a big crowd
inevitably causes
Typical Derby Day Crowd.
In that race track thronG, men and
women We're undergoing all tile
euxious moments Of an ordinary life
time, more heart flutters than bless
the most ardent w0oinG and some ot
the heartaches that bring poi@nantY
sweet rememfjTa noes later, over II
all MAY time in Kentucky, wrought
fairy IA brio Of sport and laughter.
az heauty and flnory and of hopes
and happiness II WAS a nation MAX
Ing holiday from mansions on Long
Island. from palaces in California
from the lakes Of the North and the
plantations Of the South and present
700. was the butcher, the iaker and
the candleStick maker. 1t was a
Kentucky Derby crowd.
In a box AT the clubhouse was 4
N3vear-old woman who has seen every
Kentucky Derby. She was Mrs
Susan ShcrieN. who came 80 Louis
vile as the bride Of an Ohio Rtvci
piemier event in 1875. Scores -
notable men and women present in
Cluded
= Mavor Thompson of chicago. wh'
,.reecntcd the cup ia lhe winner. an,
s&or James Walker. New York
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