Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-19
Jewels Reward 3 to 5
In odoy's Derby Test;
NoIo Choice at Laurel
BY JOSEPH b. KELLY
star Raeing Editor

star Raeing Editor
Montpelier's Nala. a Virginia
bred colt with a yen to race
his way into the Kentucky
Derby two weeks hence, was q
2-to-l favorite to win the 500
900 Chesapeake Stakes STEP
ping stone at Laurel this after
noon.
The weather outlook was for
another balmy day in the 70s
and Laurel was expecting the
largest crowd OF the Maryland
spring season-some 24.000-
for the 37th running OF the
Chesapeake. which drew a field
Of IL three-year-oldS for the
mile-and-a-s sixteenth test.
Five Other Derby HOpefuIs
Due to line up against Nals
were five other Derby hopefuls
They we're William Hal Bishops
Pemberton. who won the 6-fur-
long Chesapeake Trial last Sat-
urday: Mrs. Winston Guests
Clandestine. Mrs. Anna Can
nulis Chance 1t Tony, Roslyn
Farms Principado. coupled with
Nala as the Trainer Frank
Bonsal entry. and the lightly
held Michore. owned by Walter
Crismer.
Twelve were entered over
night. but Cavan was scratched
'Nala, a typically erratic
Hasrullah colt. has never won
a stakes but raced with some
fancy company last year. In
last falls Pimlico Futurity.
Nala lost to Jewels Reward by
only a length. Unimpressive in
Florida last winter. Nala has
taken his training seriously at
Laurel and his only start in
Maryland was a corker.
In that one, at a mile and a
sixteenth. Nala won easily I'M
der Nick Shuk. Nala beat Penn
berton by six lengths. and also
behind him were Michore and
Trades, who were taking him
on again today.
Impressive in Workout
Only yesterday. Shuk had a
tough job throttling Nala to
a 1926 clocking in a half-mile
tightener for today's race.
Trainer Bonsal was seeking his
third Chesapeake triumph. hav-
ing saddled Saratoga in 1855
and Inswept. last years victor
in the transplanted Havre de
Grace Stakes.
Nalas toughest opposition
was expected from Clandestine.
who passed up the Wood Me-
mortal at Jamaica in favor Of
the Chesapeake. Clandestine.
a son OF Double Jay and Con-
niver, was listed as Eddie Ar
caro's mount in the Derby un-
til he acquired Jewels Reward.
Last week at Jamaica, Clan
destine dropped a neck de-
cision to the unbeaten Pundit
and has never been out of the
money in seven starts. Jockey
Bill Boland was on hand to pi-
lot Clandestine. who was be-
ing quoted as second choice at
4 to /.
Grouped at slightly longer
odds but given some chance to
upset Nala and Clandestine
by Clarence Meaux; Chance 1t
Tony, under Joe Culmone, and
John S. Phipps' Start Count
ing, a Derby non-eligible, rid
den by Howard Grant.
Two Carrying 1l9
Under the allowance condi-
lions of the Chesapeake, top
weight Of ll9 pounds was
shared by John S. Kelly's
Deack Duncan, who won
Bowie's Gold Cup, and Penn
berton, the only other stakes
winner in the field. Deack
Duncan, sensation Of the
Maryland spring season, ran
a bad race in last weeks trial
and was due to 90 of at a
long price, with Lionel Lefebvre
in the saddle.
All others in the field we're
slated to carry ll3 pounds.
with the exception of Prin-
cipado, who had ITO.
With a dozen starters, the
Chesapeake was worth a gross
$24,725.
The first grass race of the
season was scheduled today
with a field of seven due to go
to the post in the fifth race
at ahn,it q Ynila ond eivtaapth