The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-05-10

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that Omaha will be the
practical favorite, in view
of his handy victory at a
mile and a quarter in the
Derby a week ago.
Nor need you be reminded
that the Belair stud colt will
also be the sentimental favor
tie, as the throng of $4,000 will
be pulling for William Wood
wards gallant son Of Gallant
Fox to duplicate his sire's feat
OF winning both the Derby and
Preakness, thereby being the
first fool to so do.
Omaha Stands Out
Whether the track is fast or
slow, Omaha will get the play,
because, liking a fast track, he
won in the mud last Saturday.
That means he can go a dis
lance of ground in any type
of footing. On performance it
Is hard to see how Omaha can
lose.
But there is never anything
certain about a boss race, as we
have all learned to our financial
sorrow, and there will be at
least one other highly-fancied
starter, Nellie Flag, a darling Of
a filly who got PITCHED off at
the first turn by Psychic Bid
last Saturday, making her late
to regain her full momentum.
She finished fourth.
That is what you call racing
breaks-bad breaks. It can hap
pen to any of the starters, even
Omaha. Those are the uncer-
tainties of what many like to
call, improving the breed of
horses"
Boxthorn Dangerous
But there will be six or eight
other starters beside Miss Nellie
and Omaha, not the least of
which will be Boxthorn. the can
didate of the always-dangerous
Bradley Idle Hour Stable. Com
monwealth. which wintered
hardly, will be the hope Of the
w. M. Jeffords outfit, coupled
with Firethorn. Washingtons
own Sonny Workman will ride
Boxthorn.
Let me give you just a
dash of the color and back
ground which surrounds the
second greatest racing event in
America for three-year-olds.
While the Preakness isn't quite
the sporting or society event
that is the Kentucky Derby, it
happens to be just a bit older
by seven years, if I am not
mistaken.
Whereas, the first Derby was
run in 1875, and won by Arts
tides, the Preakness was inau-
gurated in 1868 and won by the
horse from which it gets its
name-PreakneSs. However, it
was then called the Dinner
Party Stakes, because it was
conceived at a dinner given by
Governor Bowie of Maryland,
who astounded his guests by an
nouncing a purse Of $4,000 to
be added to a sweepstake Of
$1,000 each for 3-year-olds.
Down the Ages
The distance was two miles.
From 1873 to 1888 it was mile
and a half, and in 1889 it was a
mile and one-quarter. It was
discontinued from 1890 to 1909,
and from 1909 and 1910 it was
run at a mile. From 1911 to
1924 it was a mile and an
eighth, and for the last 10 years
it has been a mile and three
sixteenths affair, which it will
be tomorrow, an eighth of mile
shorter than the Derby. Omaha
was in command at the mile
and three-sixteenths last Satur-
day.
It was in 1888 that the name
"Preakness" was given the clas-
sic, it also having been called
the Dixie Stakes previous there
to. In 1871 Harry Bassett was
the only starter, he being too
formidable for any man to start
his horse against.
Run in Two Divisions
In 1918 the Preakness created
50 much interest the Maryland
Jockey Club ran It in two divi-
siOnS, giving $4,000 to each
division. A. X. MacOmber's
War Cloud with Johnny Lotus
up, won the first division. Jack
Hare, jr., with Charley Peake
mp, won the second half.
In 1919 the purse was in
creased to S25, 900, moving up to
$4,000 in 1922 and dropping
back to $4,000 last year, which
sum viii be offered tomorrow
as addel money.