The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-04-29
Sports Parade
By JACk GUENTHER


LEXINGTON, NY. - Remem-
Der the nursery rhyme about the
10 little Indians who sat in a
line until one fell away and then
there were nine? II you do,
don't whistle it within earshot
of Honest Ben Jones, the head
man at Warren Wright's Calu-
met farm, or he is apt to dent
your skull with the nearest axe.
1t seems that two months ago
there were eight little Calumet
Kentucky Derby eligibles stand
ing in a line. Well, one dropped
off and then there were seven.
Then another one went bad and
there were six. To keep this
piece to reasonable length I'll
state at this point that to date
they've all dropped away and
now there is none.
The vagaries of the turf were
never more vividly highlighted.
Last year Jones had only one
thoroughbred who was eligible
for the Derby. His name was
Whirlaway and his disposition
was wild, wonderful and COM
pletely whacky. But Whirlaway
suddenly turned straight. He
won the Derby and ne set an
amazing track record in doing 1t.
EIGHT PROSPECTS
This year Jones started with
eight glittering prospects. In
order of ability, they were Sun
Again, Some Chance, Col. Teddy,
Wishbone, Markell, Paratheen,
Yukon and Early n Smart. AS
juveniles, Sun Again won the
Arlington Futurity and Some
Chance the Belmont. They were
some shucks, really.
Now, nine days from the big
show at Louisville, the husky
kansan doubts that Calumet's
devil red and blue silks will
even reach the post. At the
moment there is only the bar
est chance that Sun Again can
be readied for the Derby. The
others have been written off the
books as mere might-have-beens.
The fates have been cruel to
Jones and Wright this year.
just how cruel nobody realizes
until he has seen Calumet farm.
Not until he has walked through
the vastness of Its Blue Grass
pastures. gazed at its scores of
indigo blooded brood mares and
been awed by its imperious stall
lions can he know just how
quickly a mans luck can turn.
MONEY MEANS NOTHING
Calumet is fabulous and
priceless institution dedicated to
raising horses who can win races
like the Derby and the Freak
ness. Here money means moth
ing. II is merely something 10
be used in achieving goal.
Every man and every blade of
grass on the farms 1900 acres
is devoted to fine thoroughbreds.
The eight horses Wright and
Jones nominated for the Derby
this year were the cream Of
some go youngsters foaled in
1899. All 60 were produced
from the best blood and were
given the best care in the world.
Now, not even one of them has
proven good or fit enough to be
sent into Col. Matt Winn's elias
sic next week.
Indirectly, Pearl Harbor IL the
incident which turned Calumet's
luck. Jones took IS horses tn
Santa Anita last November, had
them ready for q meeting sched-
uled to open around Christmas.
then Was forced 10 ease them M,
ship them home and begin their
training all over again. The
wear and tear proved too much
LOST ANITA CHANCE
The closing Of Santa Anita
under army orders cost Calumet
its chance at both the 500 900
Santa Anita handicap and $50
900 derby and also its chance to
have al least one horse full OF
frisk and vinegar by Kentucky
Derby post time. II can't be
helped. OF course, but II goes TO
show that a Kentucky Derby
winner is something money
cant buy.
Yet" Jones said, you never
give up hope, II Sun Again
doesn't run well in the Derby
trial next Tuesday he'll Just