Evening star., 1939-04-30
Race Called
Overrated
Event
Is Not Oldest or
Richest, but Is
Colorful
By Francis E. Stan.

This is the week when undeter-
mined hundreds of thousands OF
manicurists, bricklayers, walters,
Government workers. widows and
others become excited over horse
race, although to most of these peo-
pie the withers is something through
which you try to smack croquet
ball. To some it is almost pa
triotic duty to slap down a worn
two-spot on some nag they never
heard of before. To others 1t is Mr..
Opportunity knocking loudly at the
door.
It Is, you see, Kentucky Derby
Week. Down in Louisville, on the
wooden racing plant called Churchill
Downs, a field of 3-year-old horses
are parading to the post while the
band plays MY Old Kentucky
Home" 1t is a moment when both
North and South alike are sup
posed to get dewy-
From Maine to Catalina, Florida
W CllC 1lOI tlp VI Vic ollACCo
States, millions of radio listeners
glue their ears to the loudspeakers
to hear:
a.. And now, ladies and gentle
ment of the radio audience, the
huge crowd of 10000 people is on
its feet. standing bareheaded in the
rain. The bands are playing MY
Old Kentucky Home" and it is an
unprecedented sight as the horses
walk slowly past the judges stand.
In another moment the crowd will
wipe away sentimental tears and
return to its gala spirit, awaiting
the Incompatible moment when the
starter will wave his flag and the
cream of the country's horses will
be off for this 65th running OF the
Kentucky Derby, the blue-ribbon
racing spectacle Of America.
'It's a grand sight, folks. The
horses, beautiful creatures every one,
are parading to the post. 1t won't
be long now! In a few minutes a
new Kentucky Derby winner will
flash across the finish line and go
down to equine Immortality
It sounds good over the air waves.
It reads we'll in the public prints.
But
Not Best Race.
The Derby Is good horse race,
stepped in what the promoters are
pleased to call old-fashioned South
ern tradition, but that's about all
It isn't the best horse race In the
country. It isn't a derby, technic-
ally. It isn't the oldest race In the
United States. 1t isn't the richest
nor does 1t embrace the best horses
nor is 1t the truest test. It attracts
thousands of people, but not 10000
probably because the track can't ac-
commodate that many by nearly 50,-
900.
If the Kentucky Derby has any
outstanding distinction it is that OF
being the most overrated, best pub
licized sports event in the world. At
the same time you can't get away
from the fact that it is the most
colorful racing event on this conti-
nent, and continues to be favorite
.spectacle with racing fans.
The Derby serves one undying
purpose. It enables John Public a
chance to sneak away from home
and SOW his annual oats. 1t is a
good excuse. John tells the little
iuissus he has been working hard
and thinks a trip to the Derby will
do him some good. After all, he al
ways was fond of horses. That dated
back from the summer he spent on
the farm as kid.
Hotel Rates Soar.
John takes along three months
rent and invariably it isn't enough
II he wants to go big league and
watch the race from a box he has
to shell out $3.50. If he has been
foresighted and made hotel reserva-
lions several weeks in advance he
gets nice courtroom in hotel
for $40. The rate sign on the door
has been ripped down, so that the
poignant reminder that his room
normally rents for So isn't available.
incidentally, John is expected to
rent his room for three days, and If
he doesn't want to do so there are
plenty Of other Johns who will. That
is q $50 hotel outlay.
AS rule John isn't intensely in
terested In food on this kind of q
4taunt. He intends to tilt with Bat
ting Bacchus and again he gets
clipped. He may like Martins or q
Scotch and soda, but in Louisville