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Show Backers See . Favored Two In Top Form By THOMAS H. JfOONE NEW YORK, March 22 (UP) Tht east probably wiU hold tht whip hand in tha sixty-fifth Ken-tucky Ken-tucky derby, an inspection of tha winter book favorite, El Chico, and Johnstown, one of several second choices, disclosed today, El Chico, champion juvenile last year with seven Victoria in at many ,1 starts, is resting at Belmont Park after two abbreviated but impressive impres-sive speed testa this week. Johnstown Johns-town is being readied for his first distance trial of the season this Saturday in a workout at Aque- e duct. Measuring IS hands, two inches. El Chico already has shed some of the 100 pounds ha accumulated by easy living; during the winter and t Is expected to weigh no more than 1000 when he makes his bow to 3-year-old society on April 39 In the f 20.000-added Wood Memorial stakes at Jamaica. Johnstown Oiews Johnstown also runs In the same event and has spread out and grown a couple of inches sine last season. The bay son of Jameatown- La Franc stands an inch abov EI ' Chico and wiU weigh about 60 pounds more than the chestnut John P. Grier-Le Chica colt for his first start of 1938. Both are the picture of equine health. If you want to believe their handlers, the derby will be a two-horse race between this pair with the others in It Just for the exercise and third-place money.' "El Chico Is ready for com pet I-tlon I-tlon right now," Matt Brady, chief trainer of Owner William Ziegler Jr.'s pretentious stable, said. "He's as solid as the Rock of Gibraltsr and loves to run. His work of four furlongs this week waa only a gallop gal-lop and he could have stepped the distance four seconds faster than the 00 seconds ha' waa timed In. He's a colt which Improves with training and I'd welcome the derby tomorrow, barring accident, of course." Six Weeks Awsy The derby wiU be run on May 6 and Brady baa been wrong before. 1 About half a dossa years sgo, the writer remembers he was Just ss enthusiastic at a similar time over a horse named Good Goods, or something, and tha beetle" didn't t even show. At Wilism Woodward's Belair stud stable at Aqueduct, the same confident air prevails. Trainer James (Sonny) Fitasimmons stood by while Jimmy Stout, who rode Johnstown in all his 11 starts last ysar, said: "El Chico is a game colt, but no gamer than Johnstown. If you don't believe me, go take a look at the records. "You will se that Johnstown headed El Chico In the stretch of the Junior championship last September. Sep-tember. That waa the only time the ' champion ever was headed. In that race my mount had more early foot than El Chico and In several sub- sequent races he proved he was a flyer. He's good and plenty fast ' I d welcome the derby tomorrow." But Stout, too, may be a little too confident at this stage of the game. Both horses are definite threats , among the list of 115 nominees, but any number of things can happen between now and derby day. Their respective conditions appear ap-pear perfect and their trainers and handlers methods in bringing them thus far are faultless. But, the derby still Is six weeks away. |