y filly in the contest, was third. The time, 2:09-2/5,
is about four seconds slower than that made by Meridian, the winner last
year. Worth won by a neck, while Duval was five lengths in front of the
filly, Flamma.

Worth established his claim to the three-year old championship for the
1912 season, although he will have to win many more races this year to
hold that title. At the present time he is the best of all three-year
olds. To-day, just as last season, there were many doubting Thomases
regarding his ability and class. It took the celebrated match race at
Latonia last fall to convince these persons that he was the best two-year
old out in 1911, and this spring the Kentucky Derby race is the one which
sweeps aside all chances for an argument.

The colt was dead tired when the race was finished, and had to be urged
hard in the last furlong. He was "prepped" for this race, and lasted long
enough to win it, which ends all arguments what might have happened had
the race been 20 or 30 yards more. Shilling, who rode him, announced
before the race that he did not intend to have mud slung in his eyes, and
he kept his word. The beaten ones in the contest had no excuse; they were
beaten fairly and squarely, luck never entering into the result in the
least.

There were no unusual incidents connected with the preliminaries to the
big race. The crowd during the interval between the ending of the third
and the time to go to the post in the big event, wended its way to the
paddock and stood several deep around the railing, each and every one
anxious to get a good look at the contenders. Promptly at 4:30 they left
the paddock and paraded down past the judges' stand. Flamma, the only
filly in the race, leading the procession, but she was a little shy and on
several occasions refused to come down in front. Wheelwright, with Byrne
up, followed with free Lance, sporting the colors of George J. Long, the
Louisville turfman, leading Guaranola, which was directly in front of the
favorite, Worth. Sonada and Duval brought up in the rear in the order
named. The clouds were hanging quite low and it was doubtful if the race
would be finished before the rain fell.

The horses pranced down the stretch to the quarter pole, where Starter
Cassidy told riders just what was expected of them. Several times they
could have been let go, but Flamma was still in an ugly mood and she broke
up many perfect starts. After about two minutes of work at the p