Evening star., 1950-05-02
Brookmeade, CaIume'
Entries Main Rivals
OF King Ranch Colt
By The Asseeiosed Press

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wins. don't be surprised If King
Ranch pops up as the post-time
betting choice in the Kentucky
Derby Saturday.
Eleven 3-year-old colts were en-
tered for the 1-mile test, set for
4:23 pm. EST. Middleground
rated the top sophomore runner
in the Experimental Handicap
ratings Of Handicapped John
Campbell, is expected to be fav-
ored for this 18th Derby Trial.
The thing that thickens the plot
for King Ranch is another one
On the Mark.
It will mark the first meeting
between the sturdy Middleground
and several other prime Derby
candidates, including Calumet
Farms Theory and the Brook
meade Stable entry Of sunglow
and Greek Ship.
4 Big Ones Pass Up Race.
Such big Derby names as Your
Host, Hill Prince, Oil Capitol and
Mr.. Trouble are passing up the
Derby Trial. They are At and
ready to roll Saturday, their
trainers declare.
Theory skipped the Blue Grass
Stakes won by Mr.. Trouble last
Thursday at Keeneland. This will
be the first start for Mrs. Isabel
lDodge'S Sloane's Sunglow and
Green Ship since they ran one
two in the Chesapeake Stakes at
Havre de Grace, April Is.
battle-ground, one Of the best
juveniles last season, has been
second in all three starts this
spring. His last was back Of Hill
Prince in the Wood Memorial at
Jamaica April %. In that race
he was carried wide at the top
Of the stretch and lost consider
able ground.
A lot of Texas money will be
here Saturday. judging by what
happened two years ago when My
Request was heavily played against
the great Citation. While Cita-
ton closed the odds-on favorite,
there was lot of Texas money
on My Request.
This time. there is no outstand-
ing contender. Your Host, the
California pride. still remains the
choice, but it could be switched
to Middleground and his running
mate. On the Mark, before Derby
post time. The same might be
said for Hill Prince, the Virginia
challenger. On the Mark ran an
impressive third back of Mr.. Trou-
BILE and Oil Capitol in the Blue
Grass Stakes and with Middle
ground the pair provides the
wagering clientele a pretty solid
thing at the mutuel windows.
Jones Likely to Start Pair.
battle-ground, to be ridden by
Apprentice Bill Boland. was tabled
at about 2 to l for the Derby
Trial. Theory, going today with
All Blue as the Calumet entry,
should be second choice at 4 to l,
with the Brookemeade pair at 6
to !.
Steve Brooks is listed as the
rider for both Calumet horses,
which means Trainer Ben Jones
must sign another jockey unless
he elects to scratch one, which
seems unlikely.
Jack Robertson and Con Errico,
who skippered Sunglow and Greek
Ship in the Chesapeake, will be
back again. 1t was reported that
Trainer Preston Burch might
scratch Sunglow if the track is
off.
battle-ground, who could be
Trainer Max Hirsch's third Derby
champ, will carry 118 pounds, as
will Theory and the Brookmeade
pair. All Blue has ITO.
The lesser lights in the field
are Reverie Knoll Farms French
Admiral, T. D. Bulbs Second
Avenue. Hasty House Farms Lot
O. Luck, all ITO pounds. and Willo-
rene Farms Trumpet King, VIII
liam Veeneman's Black George
and Abercrombie and Smiths
Stranded, all 112.
Some observers take little stock
in the Derby Trial winner as a
forecast for the Derby itself.
Citation is the only horse to win
the Trial and then the Derby.
But the big horse could pop up
there this time. Ponder was the
fourth to finish second in it, then
win the Derby. The others were
Lawrin, Gallahadion and Whirl-
away.
Hill Prince to Work Out.
Instead of running Hill Prince
in the Trial, Casey Hayes, his
trainer, received permission to
work him a mile between today's
second and third races.
Yesterday Your Host Scotched
rumors that he was ailing by
whizzing mile and an eighth in
1925 and then galloping out the
Derby distance in 2:062s. His
trainer, Harry Daniels, was elated
with the workout.
Oil Capitol had a short gallop
yesterday in preparation for a
workout today. Tom Gray of
Tulsa, the horses owner. says he
is convinced that Oil Capitol is
rounding into shape for the race
of his life on Saturday.
"He looks now just about like
he did when he won the Flamingo
Stakes at Hialeah." Gray exulted.
IF he's that good again, that's
all we can ask"