The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1944-05-05
TurfCIassit
Entries Slow
in Registering
Heavy Rains Roise
Prospect OF
Slow Track
BY CHARLES DUNKLEY


LOUISVILLE, KY, May 5 -
ga breah-taklng two min
utes will tick off the 10th run
ming Of the Kentucky derby to-
morrow, but owners of the pros
pective starters were talking in
short breaths today over the
prospects of the first muddy
track for the event since Clyde
Van Dusen walloWed home 10
victory Is years ago.
The names Of y 10 i thor
oughbreds were expected TO be
dropped into the entry box when
the deadline arrived at 1870
o clock this morning. How many
of the owners will risk paying
the final $500 TO start Will de
pend upon the condition of the
track As minutes before post
time tomorrow.
A l2-hour rain that quit for
while and then resumed again
last night left the Churchill
Downs racing strip a sloppy
mess, fetlock deep in water. I'm
less more rain falls today, or
tonight, however, the track may
drain off, making 1t at least
slow, if not muddy. The track is
noted for It's speedy drying
qualities.
Only two of the II trainers
who hope to saddle their priced
three year-olds in tomorrow S
mile and a quarter race over
tradition halloWed Churchill
Downs looked upon track eondi-
tons with encouragement. b. r.
Patton, owner Of Valley Flares,
said his horse would not start
if conditions were unfavorable,
A. j. Whitley" Abel the self
professed poor man owner
of Cramps Image, said his thor
oughbred did not care too much
for mud, but would start re-
CARELESS.
John Gaver, trainer of Mrs.
Payne Whitney 5 favored, Stir
Up, said rain or mud would
make no difference.
1t can come down IN buckets
up TO derby time SO far as | am
concerned Gaver said. Stir
Up will be at home IN any kind
OF going.
Ben Jones, trainer of the Cal
umet Farms PensIve also said
he didn't care about the condI-
tons.
"Penslve is game and hon
est little horse and can run over
any kind of track, said Jones.
"Pensive probably should be
10 TO l shot, but think he has
an excellent chance. | am not
too worried about STR Up and
Arcaro.'
Jones Will be aiming for his
third derby winner. He Saddled
LaWrin in 1888 and WhlrlaWay,
holder Of the Derby record, in
194l. Eddie Arcaro, incidentally,
was the Jockey who rode both
Of Jones Derby winners. If Ed
die can make II three tomorrow
on Stir Up, he'll be the third in
derby history 10 accomplish the
feat. The others were the most
famous. of all Negro Jockeys,
Isaac Murphy and Earl Sande.
Although horse lovers and
betting men alike are all stirred
up over the prospects of stand
out triumph by Stir Up, there IS
plenty Of interest in Challenge
Me, Skytracer, Broadcloth, Au-
tocrat, Alorter, Bell Buzzcr,
Gay Bit and others, all good
mudders.
If Is go to the post, the win
ming owner Will collect the larg-
est purse in the history Of the
race, S64,675. Hitherto the larg-
est purse was SCOPES hauled
down by Shut Out in his 1912
triumph.
The Jockey situation was just
about complete with the signing
of George Woolf, the famed
ice man TO ride Broadcloth.
Woolf, who had ridden in eight
derbys and never came closer
than second, arrives today from
New York. Jockey Jimmy Lay
ton will be aboard Comenow.
With the prospects of TO-
600 attendance, the size OF to-
morrow's crowd will be a Strik-
ing tribute 10 the popularity Of
the event which Col. Matt
Vim, the 3lyear-old guiding
genius Of the derby. has built
up 10 a national institution. Des-
pite transportation restrictions,
the fans are arriving. Local mo-
florists with gasoline rationing
"A" cards will be admitted 10
the parking lot, but no others.
Taxi cabs are forbidden TO car
ry race fans TO the track.