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Candidates for Big Race Marking Time Triplicate and Victory Drive To Start; Thumbs Up Strong Choice for 00,000 Event ARCADIA. Calif., June 28.— In the opinion of the majority of basemen here Louis B. Mayers six-year-old Thumbs Up has a stranglehold on Saturdays 00,000 added Santa Anita Handicap. Ernest Shaw, the Australian who once handled Thumbs Up and has great admiration for him, states he is the best horse in America, while Stuart Hamblen, the radio man who proved at this meeting that he knows something about the conditioning of thoroughbreds, believes the son of Blenheim II. could "choke any horse in the race to death on a hundred foot rope." Trainer after trainer, when questioned as to the probable winner, replied without hesitation, Thumbs Up." George Odom. the veteran who has wit- j nessed most of the best horses of the last 40 years on the American turf in action and who trains Thumbs Up. is confident of victory. He states: "The big horse was never better. He is fit and ready, and we expect to win. If he goes well and comes out of the race okay, he may start in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap closing day." The probable field in the handicap was increased Thursday when it was announced | that Fred Astaires Triplicate would be a i certain starter, and when Hack Ross, I trainer of the Miss Carlotta Jelm horses, announced he would try for the prize with Victory Drive. Sirde. the Washington-bred, is doubtful. Longden on Favorite Riders for the race are just about set, with longden on Thumbs Up. Woolf on Gay Dalton. Corbett on Autocrat, West-rope on Brie a Bac. Bailey on Paperboy. Mel Peterson on Texas Sandman. Zufelt on Lou-Bre. Dubois on Old English. A. Bassett on Triplicate, and Ralls on Best Effort. Johnny Longden will be accepting his fifth engagement in the Santa Anita Handicap. He has never been in the money. Woolf. the only jockey named to have ridden a winner of the event, was successful with Azucar in the first running. Saturday will mark his seventh mount in the eight-year history of the event. He finished second on Seabiscuit. and third on Main Man. Charlie Corbett has been in five Santa Anita Handicaps. He finished fourth on Specify, and fourth aboard Special Agent. Westrope has had four tries in the event. His closest was when he finished sixth on General Manager in the last running in ; 1941. Trainers of the major contestants have the following to say: M. M. "Buster" Millerick fGay Dalton : | Gay Dalton will be running in the stretch, j The mile and a quarter distance fits him like a glove. We expect to win it. but will have a tough job beating Thumbs Up." Jimmy Coleman Paperboy: "Paperboy1 is now ready to run his race. We will have I no excuses Saturday." Jimmy Logan «Bric a Bac : "Brie a Bacs training was held up at the start of the meeting because of a rough van trip, but he showed in two races that he is fit and that the longer distance will be in his favor." It is estimated that over 60.000 will view the eighth running of the big race, which will be broadcast over NBC with the veteran Clem McCarthy doing the calling.
