Evening star., 1939-05-03
f00-to-1 Shot Quickly
Becomes 15-1 After
Victory in Trial
American Byrd, | LostoeoI,
Yale O. Nine, TimefuI
May Not Stort
BY SID FEEDER,
Associated Press Sports Writer

by SID fEDEN,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
LOUISVILLE. KY, May 3.-Whit-
tied down from an original list Of
lis by the sheer demands this 1A-
mile grind makes on a horse, q
field of Is of the best 3-year-old
colts in the racing world loomed
today for Saturdays 65th' running
of the Kentucky Derby-and four
of those IS still were listed as
doubtful starters.
That was the consensus on the
street corners, IN the bars, and over
back fences all over Louisville today
as the Blue Grass trotted out its
best bib and tucker to welcome the
arriving multitudes, and tho first
indications of the annual price sky
rocket were felt.
With Johnstown still the even
money favorite and getting his first
work on the cuppy track at the
Downs this morning. 1t became ap-
parent that the betting fraternity
wasn't going to be caught mapping
by the current No. dark-horse
candidate, Valdina Farms big brown
Viscounty. Just another horse
named Joe" barely "a hours ago,
this game son of the Porter not
only got his chance to go to the
post by taking yesterdays Derby
trial, but his odds to win the neck
lace Of roses Saturday were knocked
from 100-1 to something like ISL.
Only One Change In Odds.
His was the only apparent change
in odds from yesterdays 1-mile
prep, leaving Herbert M. Woolf's
husky Insco colt, Technician, still
second choice to Johnstown at 81,
despite the setback Viscounty hand
ed him by the width of his bit IN
the trial. w. L. Brann's suddenly
supported Challedon. William Zieg-
Ter, jr.'s, question mark" Ell Chico;
j. H. Whitney's surprising Heather
Broom, Mrs. B. Franzheim's mud
running Xalapa Clown, w. E. Boe-
ings Porter's Mite and Joe w.
Browns T. M. Dorsett, a pair re-
garded strictly as sprinters; Mrs.
Ethel v. Mars No Competition and
j. w. Bells sturdy Steel Heels were
the others rated more or less GER
tainties to step to the barrier in the
s50,000 gallop.
In midtown, knots of men and
women dot the wide walks for blocks,
hour after hour. Here it was Johns
towns speed" for the East. and a
little way along it was ''Technician's
good Western breeding-he could
have done it yesterday if Viscounty
hadn't showed him." and over yon-
der it was watch Challedon," or
don't count Chico out" or Earl
Sande's got something with Heather
Broom You stopped at bar (and
even New Yorkers leave their Scotch
taste home when they come to this
strictly Bourbon country and the
fellow polished the mahogany to the
accompaniment of a running line Of
free-Edvice on the gallopefS.
Starting today, the big patches Ut
incoming folk we've reaching tewrh-
Hotels rapidlyRefe filing up, IND
at a mere $25-per -day-and-sign-up-
till-Derby-Day, too. You drove along
streets under hundreds Of Tapping.
colorful banners. What with the
bellies, Bourbon and bets, 1t got the
most blase big-towners.
Gives Up on Lightspur.
Virtually every colt in the prob
able starting f1eld-eight bays, three
chestnuts, trio Of browns and one
black-had some sort of workout or
other this morning. At the same
time, it became generally known
that Trainer Roscoe Goose has
about given up the ghost for John
Marsch's Lightspur You now can
count Lightspur out of the race.
In addition, four others still men
toned as starting possibilities
Shady Brook Farms Timeful, w. H.
Whitehouse's American Byrd, Tom
Taggarts Yale O. Nine and Mrs. c.
Gregory's Lostagel, all of which were
handed a thorough beating in yes
terday's Derby trial-yet may Join
Lightspur.
This leaves just the aforemen-
toned II. Johnstown and Tech
nician, naturally, can be kept out
only by an act of Congress. Almost
as sure is Challedon, which was
overlooked considerably by track
siders until he worked the Derby
route in a snappy 2:0S over the
Downs yesterday. Chico looms as
the question mark-not that there's
any doubt of the little redhead's
going to the post, but as to just
how much 3-year- old route-going
he has added to his 2-year-old
speed.