Evening star., 1939-05-13

May 13 (PD.-ThiS cuShiOny racing
strip grew heavier hourly today
rs a steady rain continued to fall
with no sign of letup as the day
wore on toward the 49th running
Of the Preakness Stakes. BY noon
the rain had soaked the track
into a sticky condition, and gave
signs Of turning it completely into
mud long before the feature event.
B, the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE, May 13.-A slow
drizzle soaked Pimlico's racing oval
today, washing out enthusiastic
hopes for new high in Maryland
racing crowds for this afternoon S
running of the Preakness, but
Frightening the chances of Johns
towns opponents in the mile-and-
three sixteenth gallop.
After having promised weather
clear and track fast for the last
three days, the weather man double
crossed the folks by sending down
the sprinkle around breakfast time,
Just as the Preakness field was sliced
to six by the scratching of Challenge,
stablemate of JohnstoWn from the
William Woodward barn.
Although better than fair mud
runner, the Challenger II colt had
to be withdrawn because of cough
which developed overnight. This
left Trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsim-
mons still with an entry of two
In the 49th running of this rich
stake -Johnstown and Mrs. Ogden
Phipps' Gilded Knight.
Rain Changes Scene.
Trainers in the barns of most
Preakness candidates wore wide
grins when the rain came. They
knew they had virtually no chance
against Johnstown on fast footing
but, since the son of jamestown
has never gone in the slop, they
figured their hopefuls might bring
down his banner. Lou Schaeffer,
trainer of the crack mud-goer,
Challedon, sat at the entrance to
his stable and gleefully decided
the slow underfooting would make
the race lots closer than the six
lengths which separated his charge
from Johnstown in the Kentucky
Derby last Saturday.
Wow" he reveled, at the rain,
~Ive been praying for this for two
weeks. Now here it is"
In another early morning devel-
opment. Jockey Carroll Bierman
was unable to obtain release from
his contract employer to ride
Ciencia, and was replaced by Jockey
Irving Anderson.
ALL Time Low For Bettors.
Definite it was, however, that
Johnstown, now conceded on the
way to the triple crown" would
face the smallest field in "a years
when the bugle calls somewhere
around Sis pm. IE. S. t. and that,
should he win, the return to the bet
tors would reach a new all-time low
of something like 20 cents on the
dollar.
There will be wagering across the
board on the Sunny Jim Fitzsim-
mons entry of Jamestown's big boy
and Mrs. Phipps' Gilded Knight
Slight hope was held out for
George Bulls Mr.. ScreWball," Voli-
tant, the horse that runs like a
million dollars once out and like a
plugged nickel the next, for the
folks remember how Sunny Jim S
big John" knocked the ears off
the display colt in the Wood. How
ever, Volitant may be on his good
behavior and wind up as the colt
giving Woodward's Mr. Big" the
fight every one has beeen waiting
for.
Not since Rhine Maiden showed
five Of the boys a filly could do it
back in IS has so small field
faced the starter in this 66-year- old
stake, and not in all that time has
the stake come up with a total purse
Of the size of today's event.
The total purse, figuring the $500
fee for starters, plus the $500 the
supplementary entries (among them
1mpound and Ciencia), the original
nominating fund and the $4,000
added makes this the RICHEST prize
ever put together for 3-year-olds,
around $7l000.
The winner-and 999 out of every
! 1000 of the folks hereabouts say it's
Jamestown's long -striding lad-will
collect something around $4,000.
Sunny Jim Is on Spot.
Right there is where Sunny Jim
Is on a very neatly-arranged spot
As trainer for both Woodward s
Belair Stud and Mrs. Phipps
Wheatley Stable, Mr. Fitz" has tc
tell Jimmy Stout, aboard Johns
town. how to beat Gilded Knight
and Ruperto Donoso, with the lee
up on the Knight, how to vice
versa.
Should Johnstown wind up under
the wire in this one, the 3-year-old
championship is already sealed
signed and delivered for Woodward's
"old man. He still has the tough
lka-mile Belmont Stakes in front OF
him, along with the Withers. the
Arlington classic. and the big doings
at Saratoga, but all sides figured this
was wrapped up for "Mr Big"