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, j j ; Honest Malicious Pride of Owners Game Old Gelding, Toast Of Coast, In Retirement At Ranch in California SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 17.— Several years ago there flashed across the California turf horizon a horse whose name became synonomous with courage and fortitude and who earned a unique place in the hearts of turfgoers on the West Coast. The horse was Malicious, a distance-running son of Omar Khayyam. At Santa Anita the announcers cry: "Here comes Malicious was the signal for an outburst of applause that seldom greets any horse. In those days Malicious was second only to Sea-biscuit in popularity and many a sporting rendezvous displayed photographs of the two side by side. Malicious is still around. He is hale and hearty at the age of sixteen and living the life of Riley on a ranch here in Northern California. He is quartered at the H and H Ranch near San Carlos and is visited regularly by his owners Sylvia and Bob Urban of Los Angeles who raced him during his last few years on the turf. They make a pilgrimage to the home of the veteran thoroughbred every few months and they declare the old fellow senses their arrival for he acts like a two-year-old when they approach. Long Time Graduating Malicious made the last start of his career at Caliente in 1940. He came from last place to finish second in an allowance race. The chart of that race reads in part: "Malicious, far out of contention as usual, closed an immense gap and was getting to the winner." That comment describes Malicious in a nutshell. He was always either overtaking or getting to the others near the end. The veteran was bred by Le Mar Stock Farm and was from the mare Ridicule, by Black Jester. He was not graduated from the maiden ranks until he was four, although he raced six times as a two-year-old and made eleven trips to the post as a three-year-old. In all, he started 185 times under the silks of probably a dozen owners. He won thirty-one races and registered his one handicap victory in his eighth year when he clicked in the Olympic Handicap at Longacres. In addition to his breeder and the Ur-bans, among those who owned Malicious at various times in his career were Andy Holle, Mrs. Lonnie Copenhaver, Mrs. E. Turk, Ely and Rawlins, A. White and W. D. Smith. Malicious has plenty of thoroughbred company on H and H Ranch. The owners have young stock and the veteran treats them like a father. He and Seths Hope are two of the oldest geldings in California who were active in this State during the greater part of their careers. Seths Hope, now nineteen, was at last reports quartered at Mrs. N. D. Parsons Hope Villa Ranch in San Diego County.
