Evening star., 1940-04-05
From the
Press Box
Chowder Club Considers
Star Chance, Long Shot
BY JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent Of The Star.

BY JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent Of The Star.
NEW YORK, April S (N.AN.A0.-
The Johnstown Marching and
Chowder Club, Kentucky Derby
high-rider in 1899, but unsponsored
so far this year, was just about to
fasten on Bimelech as the hoss of
destiny for 1910 when Col. Edward
Riley Bradley, Bimelech's owner,
chilled our blood with a cautious
statement
"He won't run in the Derby if he's
not ready" said the colonel, land
there's good chance that he won't
be ready"
That leaves us holding a bag of
tainted oats. If Bimelech doesn't
run, the best horse is out, and the
race is anybody's, and our club,
which Johnstown led to glory last
year, will have no active president.
After conferring with the per-
manent vice president in charge of
cigar stubs and the secretary in
charge of buying the daily Racing
Form, I think what we will do Is
elect Bimelech president for the time
being and pick him to win the Derby
with reservations The Derby never
has been won with reservations be-
fore, but maybe Bimelech can do it.
BimeIech's Uncertainty
Changes Club Name
Thus, the name of the club, which
never has failed the customers yet,
now is the Bimelech With Reserva-
tions Marching and Chowder Club.
If it begins to look as though the
pres will not get into the Derby,
we will switch to horse named Star
Chance for that race alone, but keep
Bimelech as president. After all,
he's bound to be the horse of the
year, Derby or no Derby.
You tend to lose sight of the fact
that Col. Bradley has nothing to
do with the derby but win it occa-
sionally. It's not his race, and If he
doesn't think his horse is fit and
ready he sees no point in running
him at Churchill Downs. Thus, un-
less training conditions improve
swiftly and stay improved, Bime-
lech may not start this year until
the June meeting at Belmont, be-
ing pointed. perhaps. for the Bel
month Stakes and the Withers.
Even the hottest-b -blooded members
of the Bimelech With Reservations
Marching and Chowder Club see no
point of making future book bets
on the pres under these circum-
stances. His future book price is
2 to /, which is ridiculous. Across
the board it's to l, to 5 and 2 to
5. Don't touch it.
Star Chance Makes One
Stop and Think
The odds will be just about that
good on derby day, and on derby
day you'll know whether Bimelech
is running.
The long shot mentioned. Star
Chance, is just long shot, but with
possibilities. His price in the future
books. at present is 80, 40 and 20
30 to / to win, 40 to l place and 20
to l show. From all hear, it is
something like Is to against his
getting in the race at ALL which
makes you stop to think. At least,
it makes you think.
A horse that some of the boys
favor is Midland. Around the club
we do not call Midland a long shot,
because the books give only Is to
against him, but he probably was
the best of the winter campaigners.
on his record at New Orleans and
Miami. Neither winner of the two
big winter races for 3-year-olds-
the Flamingo and the Santa Anita
Derby-is eligible for Kentucky's
big race.
The horse named Dit, which
showed good stuff last year, IS get
ting fair play at 20 to l. Andy K,
the old rail-shunner, is 10 to /, and
Roman Flag, third choice to Bime-
lech and Andy K, is IL to J..
Some Others as Quoted
On Winter Book
Some of the other items on the
shopping list:
Flight Command-15 to /.
Prompt Pay-20 to /.
Rough Pass-20 to /.
Call to Colors-30 to l..
Little Risk-30 to i.
Royal Man-30 to /.
Robert E. Lee-40 to /.
Cockerel-40 to l.
Victory Morn-40 to /.
Asp-50 to /.
Connaught-50 to /.
Gallahadin-50 to /.
Red Dock-50 to /.
Bashful Duck-60 to /.
Inscolad-80 to l.
Mission Step-100 to /.
Tough Hombre-100 to /.
Yes or No-100 to /.
Bashful Duck is Bradley horse.
Little Risk is good f1lly, Red Dock
won nice pot in Florida. AS for us,
however, pending adjustments, we
remain the Bimelech With Reserva-
tionS Marching and ChoWder Club