Evening star., 1943-04-28
Jones Colt Is FIJI
To Press F|eet,
Mile Win Hints
Trial Race Indicates
Some Of 'HopefuIs'
Have Slim Chances
BY SID FEDER,
Associated Press Sports Writer

LOUISVILLE, KY, April 28.-A
number of the neighbors' children
were agreed definitely today that
while the Wave may not sink the
Fleet in Saturdays 69th Kentucky
Derby, he's going to make it keep UP
full head of steam to reach port in
front.
Now, this is not saying that Count
Fleet no longer is the head man of
the likely field of nine definite and
two other possible starters still In
the running for the $4,000 rose
necklace they'll be hanging on some
gee-gee's fancy neck late Saturday
afternoon, with $4,000 or so bowling
hard-boots and their pals sitting in
on the party.
Wave Has More Than Prayer" )
But there's no longer the casual
"ho-hum, the Fleets in" feeling
In crowded Derbyville, because
Ocean Wave showed convincingly
he has more than "just a prayer"
against the Count when he cake
walked home with the Derby trial
mile yesterday by nine lengths over
dozen other Derby eligibles- as easy
as you'd unbutton your vest.
And, in spite of the cracked heel
with which he came out of the race
an injury Trainer Ben Jones
tossed off as nothing much at all"
the horsey set along the back
stretch, the trainers and exercise
boys and the swipes, have changed
their argument from who's going
to chase the Fleet home" to Ocean
Wave might grab it ALL"
Naturally, the Count still is the
gaudiest glamour boy to the folks.
And he didn't do bit of harm to
this position yesterday when he
splashed through IL miles in 2.07,
with his regular jockey, Johnny
Longden, just sitting aboard and
grabbing handful of hair.
"Hopefuls" Washed Out.
At the same time, the Wave rolled
through the trial mile in 1885,
stunt that was regarded as a whole
lot better than bad, since the track
was strictly from gumbo and the
solid son of Blenheim was being
tagged by Wendell Eads all the way
from the eighth pole home.
In ringing the bell so easily, the
Wave also washed out several other
hopeless "hopefuls," such as Seven
Hearts, the Arkansas Derby winner,
which wound up seventh and ap-
peared to have something hurting
him." as Trainer A. Graves Sparks
put 1t, and Burnt Cork, the pride and
joy of Rochester" of the radio.
which staggered home last, laying
an egg like the worst gag his owner
ever had hand in.
AT the same time, the trial mile
turned up a new dark horse In
Slide Rule, owned by w. E. Boeing,
the airplane man. Slide Rule acted
up at the barrier, had to start from
outside the gate and made up 10
lengths in a long, powerful haul
that brought him home second.
This left the Boeing Bomber
hooked up with Allen Simmons
Blue Swords. Mrs. Vera S. Bragg's
Gold Shower and Charley Fishers
Amber Light as the gallopers most
likely to come home closest to the
Wave and the Count.
No Wrinkles to Start.
Mrs. Ethel v. Mars No Wrinkles
finished up third yesterday, and is
definite starter, along with Mrs.
Henry L. Finchs Modest Lad. which
was fourth. and Dove Pie, from the
barn Of j. Warfield Rodgers of
Memphis.
Townsend Martins Bankrupt, apt
ly named standard bearer of the
two-buck bettors, and Twoses, the
other half of Boeing's pair of STEP
pers, bring up the rear.
The jockey situation, too, was
pretty well lined up, with little Conn
McCreary agreeing to come down
from New York to ride Slide Rule
and Johnny Adams probably tossing
the leg on Blue Swords.
The whole thing added up to
where it was a week ago. after the
Wave won the Blue Grass Stakes,
only now the clincher has been put
on little tighter.
The 69th Derby, instead of being
custard pie for the Count, is
two ''hoss" affair between him and
plain Ben Jones. who has the Wave
trained to the minute.