The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-04-23
TODAY'S
SPORT
PARADE
Andy x.
BY HENRY McLEMORE
United Press Staff CorrespOnder

New York, April % - Cup - No
matter what advice offer you di-
rectly from Louisville next week,
you string along with Colonel Ed
Bradley's Bimelech to win the Ken
lucky Derby.
I'm telling you this before I get
there because I know from past ex-
perience that Louisville during
Derby Week does things to a mans
Judgment to say the least. Many
a year I've gone there ready to
back the solid horse only to get
talked cut of it by gentlemen with
goatees on their chins, glasses in
their hands, and convincing talk OF
inside information.
I became. completely sold on
Bimelech when, at Jamaica yester-
day, I walked into the paddock to
get out of he rain and had a talk
with Sunny Jim FitzsimmonS, the
Mister Fitz" who trains for Will
liam Woodward's Belair Stud and
the Wheatley stables. AS the rain
beat down and the horses came and
went for the first and second races,
Mister Fitz," who Is now starting
his 55th year on the turf, gave his
opinion of the coming Kentucky
Derby.
Looks Easy
It'll be Bimelech, and easy" he
said, "if the fellow is in shape, and
I'm sure he will be. Hurley'l see
to that. Right now 1t looks as if
the rest OF us will be going to Ken
lucky just for the ride. No, that's
silly, all that talk about Bin1elech
not being in shape because Of the
weather. Weather doesn't have any
thing TO do with getting q horse
ready for race. You can ready q
horse, regardless of the rain and
cold and cnow. The only catch Is
you don't know how he is going to
run. Our only hope In the Derby
Is that Bimelech, even though he
be fit as hands can make him
just won't be the horse on May 4
that he was last fall. If he hap
pens to be-well, we'll just be chas-
ling Bradley's silks all the way
around"
That's a pretty compliment for
Bimelech, because Mister Fit0'
Knows a thing or two about the
Derby. He has sent three winners
to the post at Churchill Downs
Gallant Fox, Omaha and Johns
town-and stands second only to
the late Derby Dick Thompson
who saddled four winners fol
Colonel Bradley.
He isn't sure what horses he will
ship to Louisville this year. He Is
working with Asp. Snow Ridge and
Merry knight for the Wheatley
stable. and -Fenelon, Dusky Fox
Foxleigh and Flarette for Belair
Right now Fenelon and Merry
Knight, a pair Of 40 to / shots ir
the winter books. are the only onei
considered possible starters. But
Mister Fitz" told me yesterday
that he would run at least five Of
his charges in the Wood Memoria
at Jamaica Saturday and that how
they Jared would decide which
ones got a ride to the Bluegrass
country.
While was talking to ''Miste1
Fttz" we were joined by Hirscf
Jacobs, for several years the lead.
ing money winner among the train
ers and a chap who knows all their
Is to know about race horse from
fetlock to forehead. And CUES
who he likes for the Derby? Bime'
lech. Jacobs doesn't believe Their
Il any horse In the country VIII,
has the class Of the Bradle!
beauty.
Doubted
'Unless something comes out O
the woods, some horse we dom
know anything about, it'll be Bime
llech," Jacob; said. Asked II h,
thought @. s. Towards Nolan,
might prove to be this dark horse
Jacobs said he didn't know any
thing about him except what wa
In the form charts, and while tina
made him look like q pretty goo
thing, he doubted If the western
hope had the speed and power o
Bimelech.
SO, there you have the opinion
Of two Of the greatest trainers h
the country. ! have the same IN
formation, but I have q sneakinl
feeling that by next Wednesda.
night I'll " sitting In the Ken
lucky hotel ending UP q story Will
Ia plea to all Of you to forget wha