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Sulich Gave Up Riding Horses To Become Assistant Starter Believes Layer ne Fator Best Jockey Hes Seen; Considered Top Golfer By TEDDY COX ARLINGTON PARK, Arlington Heights, 111., June 28. Although such outstanding starters as Roy "Boots" Dickerson, George Cassidy, George "Red" Palmer, G. R. "Buddy" Wingfield, Ruby White.and others have earned plaudits of racing patrons by the efficient manner in which they dispatch fields throughout the country, not one of these gentlemen would be so unthinking as to take full credit for their success. To the man, theyll quickly tell you that the ground crew does the hard work and they only press the button when the fields are properly aligned. All of which, of course, is stretching a point, for to become a capable starter it requires experience, reflexes and reactions that can be found only in a few people. It is a fact, however, that good assistants are worth their weight in gold. Such is the case of Vladimir Sulich he tips the scales at better than 200 pounds. Around the race tracks he is recognized as one of the most competent assistant starters ever to wrestle a wild-eyed thoroughbred. In some quarters they call him the "Mad Russian," while others address him simply as "Zuke." Possesses Necessary Qualifications Zuke possesses all the requisites necessary to get the job well done. This includes varied experience as a horseman and brute strength. He is equally adept at soothing a nervous youngster with kind, mother-like words, or conquering a notorious rogue with the only effective remedy rough and tough treatment. That a number of thoroughbreds are not easy to handle can be attested by several broken ribs, one finger half torn off, not to mention the times he has been kicked in the abdomen. Zuke thrives, it seems, on the excitement of handling horses. If he didnt, chances are he would be touring the country as a professional golfer, for certainly there is no regular racetracker in the Chicago area capable of matching him on the" links. Golf was his first love and vocation. As a mere tot he was a caddie for some of the countrys leading golfers, including Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, etc. In caddie tournaments he was well nigh invincible and later he played in some of the important open tournaments such as Chicagos famous Tarn OShanter. Not long ago he almost broke the Old Orchard course record in Chicago, his 67 being only slightly above the mark. Racing, too, has been deeply seated in Zuke, for his brother, Anthony, rode at one time for the wizard trainer, Sam Hildreth. It naturally followed that Zuke would take a try at riding, but he fell short of the goal because of increasing weight. Youd be inclined to doubt that he was ever hoisted aboard a thoroughbred horse were you to see the massive muscles that flow over his expansive shoulders today. Zuke worked for Hildreth when there were three top flight jockeys in the stable. They were Earl Sande, Laverne Fator and Frankie Catrone. Sande generally is regarded as the kingpin of jockeys who have ridden during the past 30 years and presently is a trainer although under suspension and breeder. Catrone also is a successful trainer, while Fator met an untimely death at his own hand. Although he counts Sande as one of his thousands of friends in racing, Zuke maintains that Fator was the greatest jockey hes ever seen ride. "We used to get a kick out of the stuff we read in the papers about Sande," he says. "Mr. Hildreth would put Earl up on all the live ones. That is to say, he often ran two- or three-horse entries and Fator rode those with the least chance. Also, Fator would ride green horses and just as soon as they were ready to win Sande would be hauled into the stirrups. Fator had hands like silk and the finest seat on a horse Ive ever seen. Aside from his natural skill, his great judgment of pace earned him respect from everyone around the race track." Joined Dickersons Staff at Detroit Sulich had the pleasure of riding many outstanding horses in exercise gallops, but finally he became too heavy for even those chores and went to grooming horses. That was some 20 years ago. His travels took him from one track to another. One day, the veteran starter, Harry Morrissey, was looking for assistant starters to form a crew that was to be sent to Roy Dickerson for the opening of the Fair Grounds track at Detroit. Zuke happened to be in the right place at the right time and accepted the job. Other than a stint in khaki during World War II., he has either been starting or serving as an assistant starter since. His big opportunity came when racing was revived in Texas, where he was appointed chief starter at Epsom Downs. Press clippings acclaimed his work and it seemed that he was "on the way" when the sport was legislated out of existence in the Lone Star state. So he returned as an assistant. His years of service have found him working for virtually every top-flight starter in the country Morrissey, Eddie Thomas, Jack Hodgins, who now trains the popular Dixiana Stable; Noel Chilcutt, Carl Burns, Tom Brown, Bill Hamilton, now steward representing the Illinois Racing Board on all Illinois tracks; Roy Dickerson and Ruby White, among many others. During the Lincoln Fields-at-Washing-ton Park meeting, Zuke acted as Whites chief assistant. The veteran who has started most, of the Kentucky Derbies in recent years leans on Zukes vast experience whenever a particularly tough horse comes to the post, and during the morning schooling hours, when White isnt about, Zuke takes over. "Horses are like humans," he told this reporter. "Theres no two of em alike, and theyre just as fickle. On one day theyll come up to the gate as docile as a lamb and the next theyre full of pep and vinegar. Generally, though, they are consistent with their actions. If they were broken properly as babies, they usually behave themselves later in life. Trouble is that many horses do not visit the starting gates until they are in fine racing condition and ready to run. By this time they have a mind of their own and if they have any fire in them it is tough to get it out." Presently, Zuke has a well-rounded out circuit that keeps him busy the year around. He works under two starters, White and Dickerson. During the winter he serves at the New Orleans Fair Grounds, in the-spring and fall in Kentucky and fills in the remaining gap on the Chicago circuit. Although he was born at Hastings-on-the-Hudson, 36 years ago, he contemplates making Chicago his home. "But one can never tell in this business," he says. "When I was appointed starter at Epsom Downs in Texas I thought Id like to settle there. Possibly, one of these days, Ill get another break, and my plans will again change."
