Evening star., 1942-04-30


Henry McLemor.. fields when I
neared Churchill Downs.
Wearing the string tie. broad
brimmed black hat and false goates
which always affect when visiting
Louisville, I had no trouble at all
in getting past the gateman, COL
ored boy who was sound asleep.
I stumbled around in the half
darkness until T finally found the
barns. I couldn't help wondering.
as a great big horse almost stepped
on my congress CATERS as he was
led by, just why trainers feel it
necessary to get their horses up so
early in the morning. There must
be thousands of race horses which
would prefer to lie a-stall In the
morning, get up around 8, and,
during leisurely breakfast, glance
at the racing form to see what
their chances were in the after.
moons races.
But, for q reason never explained
TO me. the poor horses are routed
from the straw before sun-up and
given workout that would kill any.
thing but horse. They 60 clip.
pity-clopping around in the dark.
ness with the trainers yelling signals
whenever shapes pass which they
think they recognize.
Attendance at these workouts Is
considered indispensable to any one
who hopes to forecast race accu-
rately. So climbed up on the rail
and for an hour listened" to the
horses practice. Several of them
sounded mighty good to me, and I
believe I would have my Derby
choice II I could ever identify the
one that snorted so much. However.
by the time it got light I was so
hungry had to 90 back to town
without getting his name.
Later. spoke to a trainer in the
lobby of the hotel and told him I
was worried about snort. He
looked at me incredulously.
You're worried about a snort--in
Louisville-during Derby Week." he
said. Brother, there are more
snorts around than there are people
and horses. Quit worrying"
He was of before I could explain.
After a visit to the barns, the
next step in gathering information
about a Derby winner is to question
the owners of the horses entered.
The number of winners" you get by
this method is limited only by the
number of owners to whom you talk.
Every owner thinks his horse is
going to win. Even II he speaks
deprecatingly and modestly about
his horse in public, he will eventu-
ally get you aside and tell you that
his horse has been working pretty
well, or Is just about to fulfill the
promise he showed as 2-year-old.
or has gotten over the chicken pox
that handicapped him last year, and
that he has as good a chance as
anything In the field.
Ownership of race horse does
something to man as well as to his
pocketbook. Experience has con-
vinced me that you could saw the
horns off of large billy goat, give
him fancy name, register him with
the Jockey Club, and his owner
would back him with real money
against a field that included Sea-
biscuit, Whirlaway and Man o. War.
BY the time a fellow gets through
talking to the owners it would be
no surprise to him to see dead
heat between the entire field.
The third step in selecting Derby
winner is to talk to the trainers.
They are just the opposite of the
owners. They leave you with the
impression that their horses will
be lucky to be alive Derby day morn
ing, much less to be able to 60 to
the post.
It's all very confusing, and If It
weren't that so many people had
written to me for my 1-2-3 picks in
the Derby so they could eliminate
those horses as possible contenders
I wouldn't go to all this trouble.
However. these people seem to be
under the definite impression that
I owe them money unless sincerely
try to pick the win, place and show
horses. So for 10 years have been
doing it, and for 10 years haven't
had horse in the money.
So promise that before the Derby
Is run I'll name them-one, two,
three.
Cunnel McLumo' goin' get hisself
paisley julep now, sub.
distributed by McNausht Syndicate, Incl