Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-27
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS STANN
Some of the Glitter Is Missinq
By FRANCIS STANN

NOW THAT SILVER SPOON has been beaten it seems
reasonable to that will take another look
in their barns the rest of this week to they've
looked Kentucky Derby possibility About the only
quirement is that horse be years DID, nominated and
have four legs
1t was too bad about Silver Spoon running back of
Sword Dancer and Easy Spur at Louisville last Saturday
Not that she was dsgraced and if Sonny Whitney decides
to her in the Derby instead of the Kentucky Oaks
Friday she'll draw support But until her defeat
the little lady putting high glitter the race.
Now it's the most wide open affair in many years
and the Derby goes back to 1875-and there may be
cavalry charge down the stretch of Churchill Downs Just
about the only important recent winner who won't be
running will be Manassa Mauler, who the historic
Wood Memorial.
Whtney's position is strikngy similar to the his
father the Harry Payne Whitney, found himself back
in 1915 when he entered Regret in the Oaks One seldom
recalls that Regret scratched shortly before post time
and held for the Derby becoming the only y win
THIS is A CLICHE that just about everybody
hoping would be buried by Silver Spoon the anxiety
of the Derby people for the previously unbeaten y
run against the folks understandable Not very
many lieS have in the Derby and at all since
MiSweet in l945 She finished 18th.
Whitney probably would like to put his fly in the
Derby because he's the Big One not with
male horse He's been trying since 1885, but the lettering
factor may be Sonny recollection of what happened to
Top Flight, another Whitney y three years earlier
AS 2-year-od in 1881, Top Flight had defeated all
of the top colts. She seven straight breaking
couple of track records in the process twice carrying
127 pounds But 3-year-o Top Flight couldn't beat
the colts She got nowhere in the Wood, and
Whitney reluctantly cancelled plans to ship the fly
to Louisville Yet Top Flight continued to be the best of the
gal horses She just longer could outrun the boys
If Whitney chooses the Derby the Oaks there is
good chance perhaps that 81 tickets will be sold
her than any horse the history of the Kentucky classic
She may not have been heavily backed but like
Silky Sullivan, she would have been a popular bet
SILKY so CAPTURED the imagination of the public
in 1858 that in every five 50 tickets sold in the
preliminary betting the big horse from California Silky
couldn't much events later proved but the people
loved him.
The 81 bettors also loved the late Col. E. R. Bradeys
horses regardless of their chances and of BradeyS
entries off shorter odds than did Bmeech in
194O when he finished second to Galahadon He closed at
odds of 40 cents to 81
Derby officials however, point out that only $465l49
was bet on the 1910 compared with the ST
wagered in 1958-Silky's year"
Silver Spoon, if she starts could we'll get the same
popular support as Silky Old O. just wouldn't pass
up an opportunity hold ticket the first lly in the
Derby in IA years. Santa Anita Derby winner too.
1T NOW BECOMES CLEARER why Col Red Blaik
resigned coach and director of athletics at West Point
Army is going back into New York with of its big
games, notably with Notre Dame, and this policy
with which Blaik disagreed
On the long distance telephone from West Point the
director athletics Col Francis Roberts, put blunty
Its the sentiment up here to return to New York"
Blaik contended the games in Yankee Stadium were
treated all out proportion with their real Importance
and that the ArmyNotre Dame games too many
so-caed subway alumni" getting into the act.
The colonel may have had point yet it was argued,
too that scheduling attractions such this years with
the Air Force Academy and Oklahoma in 1861 in little
Niche Stadium at West Point deprivng too many
customers of chance to the Cadets and some of the
most inviting competition in the Nation.