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The Dude Faces Severe Task in Meeting Six Classy Sprinters in Roseben Purse i t Fighting Frank, Pep Well, Hadrian and Rippey Gaal Racers Chief Opponents ARLINGTON PARK, Arlington Heights, 111., June 22. Mid-western turfites who adopted Mrs. Al Gaals chunky The Dude as one of their favorite sons during the Lincoln-at-Hawthorne meeting when he flashed enough speed to climb several rungs up the three-year-old ladder, will get an opportunity Monday to decide once and for all whether the game little colt is worthy of being placed in the same bracket with Assault, Spy Song and other leaders of the sophomore division. For the hard-running son of Alibhai Donatrice, will be subjected to the most severe test of his rather spectacular career when he matches strides with a field of seven fairly fancy steppers in the ftoseben Purse, a ,000 overnighter at six furlongs, that will bring together such good ones as Mrs. Louise S. Donovans Fighting -Frank, Hal Price Headleys Little Nip, William Helis Rippey, Frank Frankels Hadrian, and the Calumet Farms Avenue Belle and Pep Well. If The Dude manages to turn back those worthies, he will rightfully take a place next to Stymie, First Fiddle, Marriage, Action and other "Cinderella horses", who have jumped from the claiming ranks to a place with the elite of turf society. It was last July that Mrs. Gaal obtained the colt via the halter route for ,000 from Mrs. G. Allen. The youngster scored an easy victory that afternoon at Washington Park, but it wasnt until he became housed in the Gaal barn that he really found himself. Before the 1945 season was over trainer Gaal had developed the little horse into a consistent, hard-hitting competitor and thought so highly of his pride that he nominated him for the Kentucky Derby. I Brought Out at Sportsmans Park After capping off his achievements with three consecutive victories, The Dude was sent to winter quarters and wasnt brought back to competition until the recent Sportsmans Park season. He started twice at that half-mile oval and was beaten on both occasions when poor riding judgment presented an insurmountable obstacle. Because he was allowed to compete at Sportsmans, many observers placed the colt far down on their list, but when the Hawthorne meeting opened he found his stride. In his bow there he merely jogged to a field Jhat included Pomps Gal, Cid Play, Lord Caprice and others. He followed that with a smashing effort to beat Fighting Frank, Sgt. Spence, Over Night, Bank Balance, Me Again and Frank Munns. Sgt. Spence proved a smart winner here on opening day against a field of older horses, including Richmond Jac, who finished fourth to Armed in the Suburban, Old Ken-tuck, Take Wing and Shut Eye. In spite of the promise he has shown, it is doubtful if The Dude will go postward favorite. The Calumet Farm, which inevitably attracts a heavy play by locals, seems well represented by Pep Well and Avenue Belle. Pepwell, in particular, looms as a tough one to beat. This fast son of Boswell Some Pep has started five times this season and has been returned the victor in his last four races. He won the mile and one-sixteenth Survivor Stakes at Pimlico and it may be that he will be the main dependent for trainer Ben A. Jones in the three-year-old division this season. Pep Well, in particular, looms as a tough liant speed, holds a victory over Spy Song in the Derby Trial and, from the manner in which he takes to short distances with blazing early speed, he rates as a strong contender. He was up with the pace most of the way in the Clang Handicap, won by Fighting Step here Wednesday. Fighting Frank, who gave The Dude a hard fight at Hawthorne, was making his first start in some time. It is believed that he will be better conditioned for Mondays race.
