Rockabye Babe Wins Again: Repeats Recent Excellent Performance to Take Oaklawn Purse, Daily Racing Form, 1937-04-01

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ROCKABYE BABE WINS AGAIN Repeats Recent Excellent Performance to Take Oaklawn Purse. Improved Weather Results In Tick-Up In Attendance 1liarloch Has Iiougli Race in Feature. HOT SPRINGS, Ark., March 31. Repeating her excellent performance of a week ago, J. D. Weils Rockabye Babe engaged and easily trounced considerably stronger opposition in the Swing Show Purse, Oak-lawn course dash, topping the attractive program staged today. Eight others followed the daughter of Supremus Helens Babe to the finish line, included among which were two eligibles for the Arkansas Derby. Busy Lutrecia gathered in second money for the Rockhome Stable and was two and a half lengths in the wake of the winner, while holding a neck advantage over L. J. Hor-witz Alma Mae. The successful effort of Rockabye Babe on this occasion was far more brilliant than anything that the filly had displayed in previous races here and indicated that trainer Morris Griner erred when he overlooked making the Weil colorbearer eligible for the closing day fixture. BRYANT ON WINNER. Jockey Dave Bryant was astride Rockabye Babe and took his charge off the early pace, which found a new leader at every post Goldman showed the way for the first quarter of the trip, while Rockabye Babe raced in sixth position. By the time that the stretch curve was reached, Egmont, on which there was a splurge in the betting, forged to the front and opened up what appeared to be a safe lead with Rockabye Babe still in sixth position, but saving ground and still well in hand. As they straightened out for the run to the finish. Alma Mae displaced Egmont as the leader, and it was at this point that Bryant found an opening on the rail and sent Rockabye Babe through. The filly responded to the bidding of her rider and swiftly took command in the last sixteenth. After getting to the fore, Rockabye Babe steadily increased her advantage and never left the result in doubt. "DARK HORSE" BUMPED. Mrs. V. B. Hoppers Pharloch, regarded as a "dark horse" for the Arkansas Derby, ex--perienced a rough race through the stretch, being repeatedly bumped by Alma Mae as Jockey Ray tried to send him through on the inside, where there was not sufficient room. The winner was somewhat overlooked in the wagering, paying 2.80 for straight wagers as a result. With the return of greatly improved weather, though still a bit chilly, and offering a more attractive program of races than has been the order for the first two days of the week, a notable increase in attendance resulted at Oaklawn Park this afternoon. Though only two candidates for the Arkansas Derby were included among the nine contestants in the Swing Show Purse, an allowance contest at the Oaklawn Course distance, holding fourth position and featuring the days presentation, considerable interest was manifested in the outcome of the race. It marked the first appearance of the season of Pharloch, Mrs. V. B. Hoppers eligible for the ,000 stake on Saturday, the bay colt performed in creditable manner at Santa Anita during the winter and is being regarded as a "dark horse" for the second running of the Arkansas Derby. WELL-MACIIED FIELDS. Supporting the headline race was a diversified card of seven other races, including dashes and distance affairs and in the majority of instances large and well matched fields performed, which was productive of sport which bordered on the spectacular on occasions. Again the juvenile performers occupied the secondary spot on the card when a field of nine youngsters went postward for a sprint of four and a half furlongs in the second race. In spite of the fact that the race had the claiming clause attached, a good grade of "babies" were among the starters. Racing in her best form under the excellent handling of apprentice Paul Ryan, the Chicago boy who piloted three consecutive winners on yesterdays program, Aunt Mario accounted for the first purse on the card for Miss Mary Phillips. The five-year-old bay mare defeated Eddies Brother by the safe margin of a length and a half, while Blagden got up for third money in a hard drive. Mrs. C. B. Mears Sooty accounted for his second victory of the meeting in the second contest, at four and a half furlongs, and brought together a field of nine juveniles to compete. The jet black son of Byrd-Clip-setta- romped home four lengths in advance of Bit o Black, with Pearl Tipped finishing with a rush to be third. LONG POST DELAY. After a delay of five and a half minutes at the starting gate, the field was dispatched in good order and Sooty was first to show in front Bit o Black followed in close attend-JTnce of the leader to the final three-sixteenths, where Sooty began adding to Lis advantage and scored with something in reserve. Paul Ryan made it two straight, not having a mount in the second race, when he piloted E. B. McAtees Joaney B., to a spectacular victory in the third race, another sprint over the Oaklawn Course distance. Coming from behind Joaney B. defeated Dr. McLarney by a neck, while Bank Me landed third. . , Joaney B. improved her position gradually while saving ground for the first half of the journey, while Tappanaugh and Bank Me alternated at setting the pace. But when the stretch racing began it was necessary for Ryan to send the four-year-old filly to the outside for racing room and she gained with every stride, overhauling Bank Me and Color Bearer and warding off the challenge of Dr. McLarney. The winner paid 6.20. Porter Bro. Oxford Lad registered a hard-earned victory in the fifth event, which was at a mile and seventy yards, when he scored by three-quarters of a length over the fast-finishing Silent Don. Miss Ritz was third. Had it not been for a poor getaway, Silent Don might have proved an even stronger factor. Oxford Lad was restrained off the pace but was never very far from the leaders for five-eighths of the journey, then raced after Paraguay Tea, which was the pacemaker, until reaching the last eighth. The black gelding had no difficulty with the early leader, but was extended to the limit to withstand Silent Don,


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800