The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-05-03
.DlMELECH TOP
HORSE BUT WORD
is OUT ON Dit
Bad Weather In Louisville
Makes Slow Track
Almost Certain
ny JACK 0UENTHER
UNITED Press Racing Editor

Louisville, KY, May s.--tUP)--
Louisville had o one-track mind
again today As q handful Of horse
men gathered shortly after dawn 10
name the field for the e0th Ken
lucky Derby---and that ohe track
was muddy.
For rain kept failing 40 Churchill
Downs over night and although the
temperature began 10 rise The skies
stlll were dark with clouds when
the parade toward the racing secre-
tary's Office began this morning. En-
tries opened early ana trainers and
owners had until 10 a. m. TO drop
the names Of their hopefuls Into The
little white box.
There were few doubts IA 10 who
would be entered. There were still
eight certain starters, Bimelech, Pic
tor, Midland, uallahndlun, Roman,
Dit sirocco and Royal Man, and
two doubtful ones, Gallant Dream
ana Sky Dog. No other threc.year-
old ON the grounds WAS given q
chance Of going.
All hnnds were obviously under
strain MS the deadline for Americas
greatest horse race drew close. Anx-
iolls eyes were turned TO the sky as
the rival trainers either blessed or
cussed the weather. The Bradley sta
bic wants fast track for Bimelech,
but all other barns would prefer n
Glow heavy or muddy strip.
The footing was technically Classed
as slow as several OF the eliRibles
went out for their Anal blow-outs
and light gullops Since the Churchill
Downs oval dries very slowly, II be-
came virtually certain that the track
could not be really fast by race time
Saturday.
But slow or fast, wet or dry BIN.
mic retained his position as the fa-
Vcrltc, Hope OF beating him was
abandoned and--,,nlrss his Wanted
speed Is more seriously hampered
by mud than anyone seriously be-
licVcs--thc rival trainers frankly ad-
NIT they are shooting for secoiid
prize.
"Dir Well-LikcA
As planes, trairs and buses swelled
the population OF Louisville at q
rate OF l,C3j nm hour, there was a
sort Of minor boom for Dit. Ten days
ago the big tip horse was Midland.
Earlier IN the week 10 was Pictof.
But today " was the hanger hustler
vino turned back the finest runners
IN the east last Saturday IN the Wood
Memorial.
Trainer Max Hirsch and Jockey
Buddy Haas claimed they had Sec
ond money practically won and that
they hadn't given up on Bimelech
yet. Surprisingly many people be-
licvod them, A poll Of sports writer's
disclosed that Dit was Arm SEQ
end choice, with Plctor third, Mo-
land fourth and few scattered votes
for Roman. There was no mention
at all Of tho others.
On the street corners, at the downs
and IN the hotel Hobbies and bars
NEST OF the talk centered on the
price Bimelech would pay. Most
suessers estimate he will 90 below
the 3-5 odds OF johnstown a year
ago and probably would equal the
Derby record ut i-3. with The others
soaring up TO i000-l. A price ~ short
as l-3 probably would result In a
minus show pool.
AS the visitors kept pouring In, the
city began adding policemen, fire.
men, and other workers to handle
the crowd. Streets were roped of and
mo Parking" signs appeared on all
sides. Food prices started soaring
and street-cnrs were running triple
shifts. Almost every house com.
manding n view Of the track adver-
tised standing room on tho roof for
a dollar q head. Despite the bitterly
cold weather, which began warming
up az last, crowd Of $4,000 Ia ex-
pocted to be somewhere In Churchill
Downs when the Derby field goes
away.