view raw text
Preakness Stakes Weeks Highlight j Expect Coaltowns Presence To Reduce Rieild Co nsiderably Ten Were Held jas Probables Prior to Announcement That Derby RunnerUp Would Go GoPIMLICO PIMLICO Baltimore Md May 8 The probable field tor the 100000 Preakness to be run next Saturday at a mile and threesixteenths reaching a new high of 10 during this week It will now be quite in teresting to note how many will decline the issue following the announcement by Ben Jones that Coaltown will race coupled with Citation in the Maryland Jockey Club classic classicCoaltown Coaltown the son of JBull Lea and Easy Lass who was undefeated before bowing to his more illustrious stablemate in the Ken Jtucky Derby is due to arrive here early next week Citation established quarters in the local barn area last week arriving from the Blue Grass country accompanied by fer ¬ vent who carried Warren Wright silks In todays renewal of the Dixie Handicap HandicapNumerous Numerous trainers who had declined to race their threeyearold stalwarts against the Calumet onetwo punch were a bit more enthusiastic regarding their prospects when it was announced that Citation would be the lone representative of the worlds leading moneywinning stable in the Mary ¬ land fixture While it will be difficult for conditioners to talk themselves out of the situation in which they have been placed it is reasonable to surmise that some will find suitable explanations explanationsAside Aside from Citation the possible Preak ¬ ness field as of this past week included William L Branns Escadru William Helis Salmagundi King Ranchs Better Self A J Sacketts Gasparilla Cornelius V Whit ¬ neys Mount Marcy and Vulcans Forge Sylvester W LaBrot Jrs Bovard and J S Swerseys Wing Messenger Bomar Sta ¬ ples piet had been regarded as a possibility following his victory in the Ral Parr Stakes lout trainer Emmett Potts had stated that his colorbearer would not run prior to the announcement that Goaltown Awould be a starter Question of Public Interest InterestWhile While the presence of Coaltown in the Preakness field will undoubtedly scare off prospective starters it is difficult to deter ¬ mine just what effect it will have on the i event as far as public interest is concerned There are two schools of thought on the point one is that the smaller the field the Jess interest the other is that a record breaking throng would turn out even if ionly Citation and Coaltown were in the starting lineup lineupAmong Among those who have opined that Coal town may give Citation a much stiffer battle should the track be fast for their next meeting is jockey Eddie Arcaro Fol ¬ lowing his fourth Derby triumph astride Citation Arcaro stated I dont want to be chasing that Coaltown anymore which iwould give a fair indication of his respect for the Derby runnerup runnerupIn In the Kentucky classic Coaltown used his abundance of speed to cut out the early running and was timed in 23 for the quarter 46 for the half mile 111 for threequarters nd 138 for the mile Over a fast track he would no doubt race just jas swiftly but it is doubtful that he would ibe called upon for as much physical effort an so doing doingJockey Jockey Newbold Leroy Pierson who node Goaltown in the Derby and will again have the mount in the Preakness stated this morning that he will welcome the oppor ¬ tunity to again meet Citation and stated that his only desire is for a fast track tPierson is here to handle Fervent in the DDixie DDixieCHURCHILL CHURCHILL DOWNS Louisville JKy iMay 8 Coaltown Calumet iFarms quick threeyearold homebred colt visited the tfast track here this morning and breezed ithreeeighths in 37 Goaltown victor tin the Blue Grass Stakes and Phoenix Handicap as welLas second to his stable jiinate Citation in the Kentucky Derby was motiaskedfor highspeed atany stage of his short drill but he will have a more serious work tomorrow morning morningJn Jn the meantime general manager trainer Ben A Jones of the Warren Wrightowned establishment ordered an express car and Coaltown probably will be Chipped direct to Pimlico on Monday or Tuesdaythe definite date for the transfer has not been set tand will depend on just ihow Coaltown works for his Preakness Stakes engagement Local turfmen are still discussing the Derby duel between Citation and Coaltown IThe consensus of opinion is that Citation Js presently the better colt but they also ipoint out that Coaltown held on rather well When challenged by the Derby victor victorOther Other horsemen believe that should Cita ition and Coaltown be called up to race against each other that sooner or later the pressure each can put on twill eventually stell on the fabulous t2alumet pair n Hhort members of ithe local turf colony think Citation now has ia decided edge yax Coaltown in the longer distance fixtures and that should Citation administer re ¬ peated defeats to Coaltown it might work to the latter colts disadvantage during his future campaign campaignJones Jones of course thinks that Citation is now the better horse but he does believe that Coaltownmay become as great a thpr oughbred as his illustrious stable com panion before the conclusion of the 1948 season seasonFollowing Following the close of the Churchill Downs spring meeting a big division of the Calumet thoroughbreds is to head for Chicago Following its annual custom the Warren Wright unit will have a strong unit for racing in the stakes at Arlington Park Washington Park and Lincoln Fields
