view raw text
Longden Forced to Pass Up Mount on Johns Joy Will Stay on West Coast to Ride Stepfather at Golden Gate Fields CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 3. — Decision of Johnny Longden to remain on the West Coast Saturday to ride Stepfather in the 0,000 Golden Gate Handicap, was occasioned solely by the desire of Stepfathers owner, Harry M. Warner, to have the noted reinsman do the riding in that stake. Longden was quite disappointed that he was forced to turn down the mount on Johns Joy in the Derby here Saturday, for he believed the horse had more than a royal chance. "We should have won the race," Longden commented upon dismounting after the » Blue Grass running, in which Johns Joy lost by a scant nose to Halt. "This horse can do a lot better. We hit some bad track, and but for that we would have scored. I for one would not be willing to sell this horse short in the Derby." Longden revealed that he was flying back to the Coast immediately after the Blue Grass because he had worked Stepfather over the Golden Gate strip in 1:11% in preparation for the Forty Niners Handicap. We could have gone in 1:10%, easily," said Longden. "Stepfather seems a different horse. He has regained his form of old, a form which made him one of the top stakes horses of the west." Naturally, in view of Stepfathers impressive victory in the Forty Niners, owner Warner was most anxious to have Longden fullfil his previously signed engagement to pilot him in the mile and a quarter Golden Gate Handicap, richest race of the spring season in the San Francisco Bay area. In addition, Longden will perhaps have opportunity to pilot Stepfather in rich stakes at Hollywood Park this summer.
