Evening star., 1938-05-03
COLTS QUICK RISE
IS EPIC Of RACING
Courageous Stretch Drive
Marking Two Coast Wins
Due to Color Classic.
BY GRANTLAND RICE.


NEW YORK, May 3.-This is the
week of the big spot The big spot is
the Kentucky Derby. 1t may not carry
the gossip and comment of War Ad-
miral-Seabiscuit meeting or Louis
Schmeling fight. But it will carry
more color and far greater tradition.
The Kentucky Derby lasts just about
a breath more than two minutes. For
these two minutes and a slender frac-
ton thousands come from every sec
ton of the country. They travel thou
sands OF miles and spend several mil
lion dollars. The advance guard al
ready is under way-ftom California
and New York-from Texas and Geor-
gia.
Massed crowds everywhere-on ev-
cry train-in every hotel-at the track
barely breathing space-for two
minute thrill. But the thrill is worth
1t. 1t must be. For they come back
year after year-to leave red-eyed and
sleepleSs, worn out and weary, but car
ryng on another memory of blue grass
action, color, excitement.
The next Derby, to be run at Church
III Downs on Saturday, may not be the
greatest ever run. But it carries more
than its share of sentimental interest
For it happens to have a horse by the
name of Stagehand, trained by fell
low known as Earl Sande.
Joe E. Brown Good Picker.
No man or beast ever has jumped
for the spotlight as quickly as Stage
hand. He wasn't any too hot as a
2-year-old. He came to Santa Anita
with poor record He lost his first
race on New Year Day missed that
one because happened to be in the
Rose Bowl when California was side
swiping Alabama.
A short while after that I happened
to be playing bridge with Joe E.
Brown.
What's your pick for the Santa
Anita Derby S5O0oo," asked.
''Stagehand," he said.
Stagehand won. When it came to
the 100000 handicap. there we're
only two outstanding choices, Stage
hand and Seabiscuit-Stagehand car
rying 100 pounds, Seabiscuit, 1870.
They doped to run head and head
They did. But Stagehand won.
Here was horse almost unknown
in January that was out in front in
a $50 900 and a 100000 race in Feb
ruary and early March.
Stagehand is bigger than either War
Admiral or Seabiscuit. He gives you
the impression of being another
Man O. War. He has the same stride,
% feet. Neither War Admiral nor
Seabiscuit can match this. But he
can't get away as Man O. War or War
Admiral always could move to the
front. However, he can eat up the
stretch faster than a hungry tramp
tackling thick steak
Great Stretch Runner.
He may not be mentioned Saturday
until he hits the stretch. But you'll
hear about him then
He may be pocketed and bumped,
he may get the raw edge of racing
luck, but, if he is the same Stagehand
I saw at Santa Anita last February
and March, you'll hear him called
more than once in the stretch.
You still may recall what a great
fighter Joe Lous was at the age of 81.
He wasn't so good later Stagehand
was some months shy of being a
3-year-old when he won his two big
money races.
You can't always be sure about
kid. You never can tell what hard
competition may take from their
systems.
Sande doesn't think the two i'm
portant Santa Anita races have taken
anything from Stagehand. He still is
pretty sure his big, rangy horse will
be close enough at the head Of the
stretch to put on his spectacular act
and drive his way through.
1 happened to be standing with
Frank Lloyd, director of "Cavalcade,"
'Mutny on the Bounty" Wells
Fargo" and other motion pictures,
when Stagehand began his sprint in
the Santa Anita Derby. Lloyd is
keen horseman. AS Stagehand came
swinging through the last drive, Frank
turned and said, How can any one
beat horse like that?"
Horse With Personality.
A short while later he repeated
against Seabiscuit-running the fastest
mile and quarter any 3-year-old ever
had run in the history of the track.
He wasn't carrying much weight
only 100 pounds. That additional 26
pounds, which he must carry on Sat-
urday, can make more than a slender
difference.
This is no tip. There are no good
tips-over any period of time. Any one
who tries to make a living betting on
horses is either curious in the cupola
or comical in the conk. 1t can't be
done.
But, apart from any betting angle.
whatever happens to Stagehand will
be big story Saturday. He has too
much personality-and so has Earle
Sande, his trainer.
When an almost unknown suddenly
takes charge of $4,000 and a $780,
600 race in less than three weeks, his
future actions become an important
part of sporting history.
Stagehand may not win Saturday
under Kentucky skies. But if he is
anywhere in sight at the head Of the
oo,o,t 10 anu