Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-17
BY ALLAN GOULD,

associated PreSS sports writer.
LOUISVILLE, KY, May Thigh
tariff or low, big Navy or small, wet or
dry-today was Derby day.
Times may have changed, more ex-
citing scenes may have ushered In pre-
vious Kentucky classics of the turf,
higher fevers of wagering may have
been manifest in more prosperous times,
but today at least the thoroughbred once
again was king in the Bluegrass region,
and Louisville, as of old, seethed with
the turbulent spirit, the thrill and hub
bub of the most spectacular of American
horse races.
1t takes more than the weightly af-
fairs of Wall Street and Washington to
keep them away, and SO today found the
captains of industry, the steersmen of
state and the Earl of Derby himself,
here from England for the first time,
mingling with the proverbial beauty and
chivalry of the old South, the "boys"
from the big cities of East and West,
and the hardboots from or Kaintuck.
FHty-SlXth Running.
They came to see the fifty-sixth run
ming of the Kentucky Derby, at one mile
and a quarter, with $4,000 added, q
gold trophy to the winning owner and a
horseshoe OF roses to the thoroughbred
crowned monarch of his class. They
came to see whether Earl Sande would
1ulflll popular expectations and ride the
Eastern favorite, Gallant Fox, to victory
over such hopes of the West as Tannery,
Gallant knight and Buckeye Poet.
In short, these thousands from East
and West, North and South, came to
to rub elbows, wager, cheer and feel the
throbbiug thrill in q climatic whirl of
spirited horsef1esh around the pictur-
esque oval of Churchill Downs, lasting
scarcely more than two minutes. It Is
only flash of color, mad dash and
a full-throated roar. this Kentucky
Derby, but in its tradition and glamour
Gus setting it has become one of the
greatest classics of American sport.
AS Derbies have come and gone, this
one has furnished comparatively calm
and peaceful prelude to the excitement
that even hard times and q small field
could not diminish as today brought in
the final rush and jostling jam of turf
followers. Taxi drivers, and even hotel
keepers, selling lodging at $40 a day,
have complained that business is not
up to the level of former years At the
Downs the 50 mutuel Iron men" have
b:en getting the play from bettors
who formerly marched up prosperously
to the $50 windows. Fewer special trains
have brought their t:lrongs of the
faithful. Many familiar faces are miss
ing. Even the Earl of Derby has been
indisposed for two days, unable to full
fill many of his engagements because
of severe cold, but his lordship, due
here today from Lexington, fully ex-
pected to watch his first American
Derby and present the famous trophy
to the proud owner Of the victorious
thoroughbred.
Sixteen Horses Due to Start.
Sixteen horses, the smallest array in
three years, were named yesterday to
start, but not more than Is and pos
sibly no more than II, may actually
go to the post this afternoon when
the bugle sounds around Sis o'clock
Central standard time) for the fifth
race OF the program.
From the outset of Derby speculation
the field has been so dominated by
Earl Sande and Gallant Fox as to
make the prerace dope monotonous. In
fact, the prospects in favor of the East
ern colt, enhanced yesterday by the
drawing of an ideal position in the
middle of the field, No. Z, have been
such that horsemen have adopted the
attitude they are too good to be true"
When the signs all read one way the
veterans wag their heads and look for
an upset. For Kentuckians, perhaps,
the hope was father to the thought.
They have backed Edward F. Prichard'S
big chestnut colt, Tannery, as the horse
to beat Gallant Fox, but today they
also turned to the chances Of either
Gallant Knight or Buckeye Poet, one
of the E. r. Bradley pair, to repulse
the Eastern invasion of the Bluegrass.
If Sandy and Gallant Fox win 1t
will be the third triumph in seven years
for the jockey, equalling the derby rid
ing record and the first time since 1893
that a thoroughbred has captured the
rich Preakness, Pimlico classic, as well
as the derby. Gallant Fox won the
Preakness a week ago yesterday, with
Sande up, and entered the race today
as a three-year-old.
The derby appeared likely to escape
the cloudburstS that have drenched
the last two races, but showers were a
The effect on the track of
anything like heavy rain would boost
the stock of the mud colt, Tannery, and
lower the chances of
Gallant Fox, but this appeared an out
side prospect.
The doubtful starters, especially If
conditions are unfavorable, included
Busy, Dick O'Hara and Alicibiades, the
only filly in the list.