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VICTORIOUS BY A NOSE J-ucky Tom Just Lasts to Defeat Open Hearth. Jockey Burke Protests Finish of Race Claim Not Allowed Winner Beats Start. r NEW ORLEANS, La., March 19. J. J. Robinsons Lucky -Tom, carrying top weight of 120 pounds, won the Louisiana Derby, worth ,375, the stake feature on a program jof eight races, which closed the Fair Grounds meeting and 1931-32 New Orleans meeting today. It was a fluke victory, as .the Eastern-owned son of Master Charlie and Phyllis Louise beat the start by a big margin and, after staggering to the finish jof the one mile and an eighth a nose in front of Sylvester W. Labrots Open Hearth, his triumph was protested, without success, by IJimmy Burke, who rode the Labrot colt prince Hotspur, carrying the colors of Joseph Leiter, finished third, and Bertjohn, favorite, provided by Col. E. R. Bradley and the most unfortunate of the nine starters, fourth. In Bertjohns wake followed Knebelkamp and Morris Hoops, P. C. Thomsons Crystal Prince, Springsteel, also owned by Mr. Labrot, The Tennessee Breeders Associations Adsum, and Princess Camelia, stable companion of Prince Hotspur. Burkes claim of foul resulted from Open Hearths progress being retarded by the tactics of A. Pascuma, who had the mount on .the winner. During the approach to the finish, Pascuma frantically punished his mount and in his wild use of the lash accidentally struck Open Hearth across the nostrils. Stewards FitzGerald and Campbell stated that while Pascuma did strike Open Hearth with his whip, the latter horse was bearing over on Lucky Tom, and for this crowding the claim of foul was disallowed. .Turning of the "official" on the infield board set off mingled jeers and cheers, and the crowd, one of the largest of the meeting, Continued the noisy demonstration for some time. LEADS THROUGHOUT. After the start, in which the winner gained a commanding advantage, all save those who backed the Robinson colt were disgruntled. From the start, which, combined with his impeding of Open Hearth, obtained the coveted prize for him, Lucky Tom made every post a winning one, but after he reached the final quarter with an advantage of three lengths, he tired, and his outstaying Open Hearth was one of the outstanding flukes of the winter here. As the victor showed the way in the early stages, Hoops, Prince Hotspur and Spring-steel were in closest pursuit. As Pascuma hustled the victor into decisive command on the stretch turn. Burke launched his move with Open Hearth. Entering the stretch, where Bertjohn moved up strongly and Hoops and Springsteel faltered, Open Hearth came through on the inside of Hoops and Prince Hotspur. Through the final eighth he continued his challenge and but for a pronounced hesitation when Pascumas whip struck him a stinging blow, might have been the winner. Garden Seat, ridden by Ernie Johnson and sold in the mutuel field, scored a nose victory over Disturb in the opening race over Continued on eighteenth page. VICTORIOUS BY A NOSE Continued from first page. three-quarters. Master McGee finished third, leading eight others. Johnson had the winner with the leaders from the start and after wresting the lead from Wild Cress entering the stretch, withstood a challenge from Master McGee before Disturb, which began very slowly, made his unsuccessful charge. R. C. Schwarzs speedy filly Miss Brilliant scored over Boston Waters, Miss Bunting and others in the third race at three-eighths. The triumphant daughter of Brilliant and Gad had little to spare and was forced to cover the distance in :35 to defeat Boston Waters by a head. The latter had a like margin over Miss Bunting at the end. With Miss Brilliant maintaining a fast pace after getting to the front at the stretch turn Boston Waters, which broke fastest of all, could not head her, and the same held good for Miss Bunting, which closed fastest of all after getting away fully five lengths back of the leaders. In another stride she might have headed both Boston Waters and the winner. In getting the poor start that marked the race Paint Box unseated J. Burke. Fiddler, A. Pelleteris veteran sprinter, was returned a rather lucky winner over Gettin Even in the Maison Blanche Claiming Trophy, third on the card. Numerous good breaks in racing luck aided the Pelleteri five-year-old in reaching the lead after five-eighths and, although he tired badly in the final furlong, A. Pascuma succeeded in keeping him going well enough to earn a head decision over Gettin Even, which raced wide throughout and was rapidly wearing down the winner. Third was garnered by Tombe-reau, and Journeys End led the others in the field of twelve. The winner was an almost equal choice with Squeaky. Sarietta, R. A. Fairbairns good filly scored her second win in successive starts when she defeated Song Hit in a thrilling, driving finish to capture the major award in the D. H. Holmes Trophy, immediately preceding the feature. This brought out seven three-year-olds and of the five others On Sir was best, taking third, a length and one-half back of the leaders and two lengths before Green Wave. Crowding in the run to the turn reduced the chances of On Sir, Green Wave and Mexico, the latter being so sharply impeded that the ill luck just about eliminated him. Although she was first to show in front,, the winner was outrun by Song Hit and it was only after the latter had failed to withstand her in a long, hard drive that she got up. She was ridden by Pascuma and ruled favorite.
