The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-03-09
Maine Chance Horses Next
 l k. D. .FaVorItes
.ny oAY ..I PAuLEx VI

-N~NN4 ANNHA
 Louisville, March 9. (UP)--The Kentucky Derby, blue ribbon classic Of the blue grass country, has drawn Q field of lte nominations for what may Do one of the 'great- est renewais' Of It's 1T-year history, Col Matt Wifin, president of Churchill Downs said today.
 The bumper crop of entries, not one-tenth Of which are expected to parade to the post on the aatur- day afternoon of May (, will be running for the biggest prize In derby history, Q el00,000 added purse which goes entirely to the first four horses to cross the finish line.
 Untll this year the derby was . a7SOOO added race, hut because other major tracks have hiked purses about the country, Churchill Downs otlaciala decided to do go also in the first of the three classic tests for three-year-oldS.
 Tt is Q brilliant field of race horses, based on their two-year old performances, and the horses cer- tainly have the racing background to provide one of the greatest re- newals Of the derby" Wlnn said.
 All of the gala surrounding ot happy pre-war years will be the order of the day once again with all transportation restrictions of and with the nation currently in the midst of It's greatest racing boom of oil time. Vim confidently pre- dicted that more than 100000 fans would jam into the plcturesque white and green plant for the. heart-stirring moments when the band strikes up My old Kentucky Home" and the horses parade to the post.
 The i4o nominees represent oe different owners including most or the big name stables of the nation. Conspicuously absent, however, VIII be the Lucky B horses of aging Col. Edward R. Bradley, only owner in derby history whose horses nave won the mile and . quarter run four times. Bradley, who has Iallea only rarely in the last 20 years to get one of his prize three-year- olds to the post on derby day, sine ply didn't have any oustanding eiigibles ct his Idle Hour Farms at Lexington, Ky.
 Almost certain to be winter book favorite Is the entry of the Maine Chance Farm, leading stable. or ioAS which is owned by Cosmetics queen, Mrs. Elizabeth Arden ora- ham.
 Star Pilot, winner of the Belmont and Pimlico Futurities and out standing juvenile colt of lS45, is the racer on which Maine Chance is banking most heavily. But many on. servers believe that either Lord Boswell, Remsen Handicap Victory, or Knockdown, recent winner of the $l0O,OOO Santa Anita derby and three-time conqueror of Star Pilot, are the strongest horses In the group. Maine Chance also has en- tered Colony Boy, Perfect BahraIn, and War Pippin.
 Louis B. Mayer, movie Enasnate whose string has been the leader on the west coast for the last year, has entered Q son and daughter of the imported sire, Beau Pere. They are 'Eiffel Tower, a seldom raced colt, and the lilly Honeymoon, win- ner of the California breeds cham pion stakes. Tradition stands against the later's effort, for only one Ally, the Great Regret in 1915, has ever won the Kentucky Derby.
 Warren Wright's Calumet Farm, twice a winner in the Derby, has entered three-In Earnest, High Lea, and High Shine. But. despite the work of trained Ben Jones, this trio remains an outsider as the field is figured now.
 Other standouts in the large field of nominees are:
 Fred Wyse's Air Rate-undefeated in seven starts as a juvenile, but a doubtful starter because of recent injury to his right foreleg.
 The Dixiana Stables Spy Song, winner of the Arlington Futurity.
 c. J. Sebastian's Gal A Damion, early season flash on the west coast.
 R. S. McLaughlin's Wee Admiral, the best of the Canadian-owned juveniles of last season.
 The Bobanet Stables Marine Vic- tory, winner of the Champagne stakes. the Sagamore stakes, and the Eastern Shore Handicap.
 The rich Derby highlights the Churchill Downs spring meeting, which opens on April 27 and runs thP0alOh May IA