Evening star., 1940-04-12
Colts Like Maroqay,
FeneIow Are Moi
Picked by Public
Flight Command, Romon
Generally Overlooked
Despite Records
Editors note-This is the third
IN a series dealing 1uith the lead
ting Kentucky Derby eligibles and
outstanding 3-year-old horses.)
BY SID FEDER,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

NEW YORK, April 12.--Your s.
year-old hoss. in general. and your
Kentucky Derby candidate, in par
ticular, is q very snooty individual.
Blood lines mean more, ordinarily,
In the run for the roses than they
did In the royal courts of the Mid
die Ages.
That's why it came as somewhat
OF surprise when the winter book
odds-layers said today that several
OF last years better-k known 2-year-
olds, like Marogay, Flight Command,
Roman and Straight Lead, were get
ting no kind OF play at all either
for this years Derby, May 4, or the
other big stakes to follow.
Go for Blood Lines.
This was so, the future book op-
orators pointed out, despite the fact
that several of the turf's top
names" and their pet breeding
theories will be on display this
spring. ct might be explained that
the big league owner-breeder has
certain ideas about breeding q stall
lion Of one blood line and a mare of
another to get an offspring that has
all the answers in his flying hoofs.
Such was the case when William L.
Brann came up with Challedon as
the hoss Of the year in 80 after
three previous unsuccessful tries
with the mating Of Challenger II
and Laura Gal And that's why
Mrs. Payne Whitney always is ex-
perimenting with QUESTIONABLE as
one-half of her breeding theory, and
William Woodward goes for Sir GAL
lahad III as his leading stallion.)
This year, there are some eight
prominent juveniles Of 80 who
should be right up there, but the
betting men tell you the public Is
giving them chilly go-by.
Some Good Mudders.
For instance, take Mrs. Parker
Corning's Straight Lead, or Flight
Command. one Of the two classy
colts Sonny Whitney is getting
ready for the races this spring. Both
are products of the blood line OF
Fair Play, which produced Man O.
War and has been the major inf1u-
ence on the American turf.
Straight Lead. not eligible for the
Derby, but on the list for the Freak
ness and Belmont, is by Chance
Play and won SAL 300 last year. in
Guiding the mile-and-70 New Eng
land Futurity, which he took by
four lengths in the mud. Flight
Command. a son of Peace Chance.
turned out to be a pretty fair mud
der himself in taking two of his
four 80 starts and winning $l0,325.
Along with Flight Command.
Sonny Whitney, who has been a
hard-luck guy at Louisville up to
now, is bringing Carrier Pigeon to
Churchill Downs.
Marogay's Record Fine.
This son of Equipoise. the great
chocolate soldier" OF the American
turf, was out only twice last year,
both times in the slop, and won
both races from here to there be-
fore hurting a leg which now is
sound again. These two Whitney
hopefuls have been training at Bel
mont since coming out Of winter
quarters and look to be very hot
stuff.
Then there's Marogay, owned bv
Russell Firestone and probably as
fine bred colt as you'll find in any
barn. He's by Stimulus out of a
mare by Sir Gallahad Sd, and. in
seven 1889 outings, he never was
worse than second. Yet, the future
book bettors haven't given him a
tumble, although he's reported
training up to SNUFF.
Roman. from Joseph E. Widener's
barn, and Fenelon, hope of the Bel
air stud of William Woodward.
which sent out Gallant Fox and
Omaha to win the Derby, are a pair
of sons of Sir Gallahad, Sd, Gallant
Fox's daddy, on the way to the
Derby. Roman won six of nine
starts year ago and is training
fine.
Fitz Likes Fenelon.
Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, trainer
for the Woodward string, said as
early as last fall that he'd win the
Derby with Fenelon."
And don't forget, Mr.. Fitz was
telling you all just about a year ago
this time not to overlook Johnstown
In the Derby-and Johnstown won
by eight lengths.
Fights Last Night