The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-04-20
BY JACK GuENTHER
United Press stafF Correspondent)

United Press staff Correspondent)
 Havre De Grace, Md, April 20-- (uP) The poor mans Man O'War, the unpredictable and tinaecounta- ble Alsab, steps Into e box car on the edge of this rambling Maryland turf laboratory today and heads west for the Kentucky Derby. When he goes, that great, glittering ques- ton mark still will be dangling around his chocolate brown neck.
 When the engineer signals the departure with Q cheery toot.toot, the crowd assembled for the fare. well party won't shake any rafters with their applause. The reason is that most Of them still are in doubt whether the embarkment ceremony should be interpreted as c bon voyage party or 0 wake. I'd say they were about evenly divided.
 Neither Alsab nor his perennial rival, the Texas-owned Requested, leaves many fond memories here In the free state as they say goodbye to Havre De Grace. The i04i juve- nile champ was beaten twice and Requested dropped the nod in his only start. Form players were badly burned and the men who rnas- querade as experts weren't im- pressed.
 If you'll give me 0 moment to get Into my checkered coat, Jodhpurs and side whlSkers, I'll tip you c lit- tile expert opinion I whipped to. gether with my silver mounted quirt after watching something called Colchis Boom home to dis- grace both of these babies in Maryland's big derby coming out party, the $i6,000o Chesapeake Stake.
 No Champs
 The opinion Is this; of their race Saturday, neither Alsab nor the flet Requested is apt to trade in his question mark for that horse- back or roses come May 2. Both had c free-whellng chance to run when 1t was time to run, but the afore- mentioned Colchis picked 'em Up and put 'em down with sped the derby darlings couldn't match.
 Brother O., as you know, isn't eligible for the derby, but will run in the Preakness. He ran whack- ing good Chesapeake as far aS he went--but he didn't 90 far enough. That race iS only e mile and 1-l6, and the time what you might expect of Ernie Lombardi. Another pertinent point: Colchis sire, Happy Ago, isn't noted for stamina.
 So instead of praising Colchis, I'm more inclined to bury AlsAb and Requested. The former had no excuse whatever. His imported jockey, Basil James, Jumped out of the saddle mad said, i've were beaten by a better horse and were lucky all the way" Alsab has missed the jackpot question six times now and I don't know if he will ever answer it.
 If you happen to like Requested you can put together an excuse. The torrid Texan hadn't been aired in competition for some six weeks and he may have needed work. Yet, he didn't have the stuff when 1t was needed, either. Like Alsab, he iS a good horse, sure, but he has only the Flamingto triumph to in- dicate that he is good enough.
 A thick icing Of irony was spread over the farewell ceremo- nies today when news came from the bluegrass that Col. Frak Menke had announced that Alsab and Re- quested dominated the annual newspaper poll conducted by the naestroS of Churchill Downs. No other thoroughbred was even close --flot even Sun Again or Shut Out.
 Won't Give Up
 That poll closed on April 10, of course, and the sport page buckoB didn't know all they know now. Like the fans, many still intend to ride AlSab right Into the starting gate at the Downs. They insist that like Whirlaway, he won't do his real work until somebody puts Up q real prize. Could be, could be. stIll, it's wishful thinking.
 Last year Whiriaway wasn't c Aisab. The big horse from Calumet could run and he proved 1t. His trouble was that he ran with Q zig and . gag instead of following the straight and arrow path. Tine stuff was there, and oil he needed was somebody to steer him with steady hand once he started rolling down the high road to glory.
 Alsab hasn't that stuff. If he has, he has hidden it with oil the fine RfaGm RA0. A.aaa.aaaftvt s4A~.aena.AA Aa.a a