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» __ MRS. AL SABATH— The blue and pink silks of the Chicago sportswoman flew high over old Pimlico Saturday when her great colt, Alsab, won the historic Preakness, for the most important victory of his career. Alsab Displays Brilliant Speed To Capture Preakness Stakes Sabath Stars Cyclonic Closing Rush Results in Length Score Requested, Sun Again Divide Place Honors — Runs Mile and Three-Sixteenths in 1 :57 BALTIMORE, Md., May 9.— Alsab came back! The sensation of the 1941 juveniles smashed all previous Preakness records before a near-capacity crowd in the fifty-second edition of that 0,000 Maryland spring classic at old Pimlico this afternoon. For a mile of this memorable mile and three -sixteenths event Mrs. Al Sabaths lion-hearted 00 son of Good Goods was a distant trailer. Then they turned into "heartbreak lane" and Basil James awakened the old fight in the world -record breaker of last year. Down the middle of the race track he came, the Alsab of old, nailing Ben WhitakerSs game Requested and Warren Wrights Sun Again in a flurry of flailing whips, slapping loudly above heaving sweat-streaked flanks and surging irresistibly to the front to win by a rapidly increasing length. Sun Again and Requested dead heated for the place position. Free Staters, who must all be seventh sons of seventh sons, sent Alsab to the post favorite at .05 to , while the Greentree pair were .40. The fans yelled themselves hoarse as the Kentuckian made his dramatic thrilling drive down the stretch, completing the mile and three-sixteenths in 1:57, which is a Preakness record and only two-fifths of a second behind the track standard. It was the most tensely exciting of all recent renewals, and a horse trained by Baltimores "The Old Sarge," I hero of World War I., did just what the home folks said he could do. He won the money — 8,175 — and he won their hearts! Colchis Fourth; Shut Out Fifth Colchis, reared just a few miles from Pimlico at Alfred Vanderbilts lovely Saga- ! more Farm, was fourth, and Shut Out, hero ■ of the Kentucky Derby, was fifth. But these never were really "in it." Nor was Devil Diver. None, with the possible exception of Valdina Orphan, had any excuse. He was in close quarters. Alsab ran the proverbial "mile and a quarter" going a mile and three-sixteenths on the extreme outside at both turns and losing many lengths. Pandemonium always reigns at these things, as the stereotyped phrase goes, but | never did wilder acclaim attend the return i ot Alsab to the throne. There was hardly room for this big-chested Chicagoan, Al I Sabath and Sarge Swenke in the charmed circle. The coveted Woodlawn Vase, racings most historic bauble, was presented to the deliriously happy Sabath by Governor I Herbert OConor of the Old Line State. ! Sabath kissed James, who was hardly no- I ticed, as he was busy lavishing his affection on Alsab. One of the largest crowds ever to witness ■ a Preakness jammed the track. Before noon it was at holiday proportions. After dismounting, jockeys Arcaro,Woolf, : Stout, Wright and Bierman all agreed that "nobody had any excuses." Jockey James said, "He broke all right and I steadied him along the first part of it. We lost a lot of ground. When | I reached the three-eighths pole I had no doubt of winning it." Trainer Swenke said, "We did it in my back yard. We go to Belmont on Tuesday j Continued on Page Five Suffolk Downs Annual Meeting Begins Belmont Throws Open Gates Today Toboggan and Fashion Top First Program — Seventeen Other Stakes Also Carded Continued from Page One Stakes; Hal Price Headley, and George D. Widener. the latter the new war-time president of Belmont Park. Each is represented ii this attraction by a pair of homebreds. The Kentuckian has named Tellmenow and Now Mandy, while the Philadelphians duo are Pomrose and Stefanita. The Toboggan also drew an even dozen promised starters, headed by Greentrees "comer-backer, Third Degree, who will be the starting top weight, under 123 pounds, and may be the public preference in the huge "tote." Opposing this fleet son of Questionnaire are such imart, fit speed specialists as C. V. Whitneys Parasang, 122; George D. Widener s Overdrawn, 120; Rosetown, 115, and Birch Rod. 114; Arnold Hangers Harvard Square, 122; Roman Flag, 110; King Ranchs Dispose, 119; Victor Emanuels Omission. 119; Crispin Oglebays Ocean Blue, 115; Millsdale Stables Bull Reigh, 112, and W. E. Boeings Cuantos, the feather weight of the field, under a mere 102. Third Degree Near Best Form Third Degree, away from the races nearly two years growing a new hoof, showed a promising effort when second in his 1942 debut recently at Pimlico and seemingly is close to his form of 1940, when he carried 123 to victory in the Metropolitan in 1:3523, fastest time of the entire year for a race "once around the park." Eddie Arcaro s presence in the saddle will hardly scare off any of the speculatively inclined. Ocean Blue is fresh and fit, as he demonstrated last week at Baltimores ancient Pimlico, when he whirled over six furlongs in 1:1045. under 114 pounds, time equaling the track record. He picks up a single pound. Parasang usually runs best fresh and, though Maj. C. V. Whitneys crack sprinter has 122, he wont lack for support, looming especially formidable in the event of soft footing. The George Widener trio is dangerous, while Harvard Square demonstrated conclusively that hes at peak form * when he defeated Sun Again in a featured overnight sprint at Keeneland. It will be a devil-take-the-hindmost speed test from flag fall to finish. The double-stake opening-day matinee will be followed by an exciting sequence of feature attractions at the course on historic Hempsted turnpike. Metropolitan Next Saturday Saturday will see the forty-ninth edition of the one mile Metropolitan Handicap contested. The "Met" is one of Long Islands illustrious trio of handicaps, this stake being the forerunner of the Suburban and Brooklyn. With a purse of 0,000 added, it has attracted an impressive list of 64 nominees when it was locked up last February 16. From this considerable distance the Metropolitan mile promises to prove a memorable battle among such as Third Degree, Attention, Omission, Boysy, Dit, Mioland, Dispose, Painted Veil, Ocean Blue, Bull Reigh, Cant Wait, Market Wise, Parasang, Gramps, Rosetown, Our Boots and, perhaps, others of almost equal brilliance. Third Degree, of course, will be striving for his second conquest in this historic eight furlongs, which in 1941 was won by Eight Thirty, carrying a steadier of 132 pounds. The lavish outlay of purses and stakes at the Westchester Racing Associations spring run of sport has lured every outstanding aspirant for 1942 divisional honors in America. Handicapper-racing sec-cretary Jack Campbell has a super-abundance of talent available for his offerings. Stalls at all three Long Island courses are taken and there is an overflow at Empire City. This last indicates an unprecedented number of thoroughbreds in the Gotham area. Belmont Parks fashionable plant, long referred to as the most eye-filling and probably the largest in America, never presented a more attractive and colorful setting than it does this spring. Track superintendent Boyle and his large crew have transformed it into a veritable fairyland of flowers, shrubs, exotic imported and native trees, and velvety green lawns that challenge description.
