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► • ■ Hill Prince Never in Trouble In Derby Running,, Says Arcaro ► Rider Refutes Reports That Mount Had Any Bad Luck In Defeat by Middleground By EVAN SHIPMAN BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 9. — Eddie Arcaro, narrowly beaten on Hill Prince by Middleground in last Saturdays Kentuckey Derby, says that theres only one way to look at a race, and really know what happened. "Youve got to see us on television, or on a moving picture screen, and then have the film run back in slow motion after a first showing," he told us this afternoon as he rested between races in the jocks room at Belmont Park. Hill Princes rider said he had read most of the newspaper accounts of the Derby, and, in his opinion, all the turf writers were wrong. "They reported Hill Prince as being in trouble," Arcaro said. "Not once, but two or three times during the running of the Derby. Well, I ought to know, and the truth is, we were never in trouble. Hill Prince, on the contrary, had a lot of luck, found racing room when I needed it, and has not blocked by Your Host at the head of the stretch, or by any horse at any time. "We broke slowly, just as Hill Prince usually does," Arcaro continued, "and. we only had a couple of horses beat going to the first turn. Then, saving room on the inside, I let him run from the seven to the five-eighths pole, and I had clear sailing all the way. Gave Mount Breather "Now that was luck," Hill Princes rider said, and continued in these exact words, "luck, because the Derby is a race where we neither ask nor give quarter. At the five-eighths pole,. I took hold of the colt again. I could have gone on, but what was the sense? I had made a run for position, and I wanted to give him a breather for the drive. When I took that hold, it may have looked as if I was forced to ease up because I was pinched. That was not true. I deliberately let Hill Prince rest. "Now the luck comes in again," Arcaro continued. "Just before reaching the head of the-stretch, we were in fine position — Mr. Trouble and Your Host on the rail, Middleground a length back, and in third horses place, and I was right off Middle-ground. Oil Capitol was behind me, and all of us had plenty of room. There was nothing like a jam at that corner. "When I called on Hill Prince for a little, he went up to Middleground, and was almost lapped on him, turning for home, but we were not gaining. Then, in the stretch, I decided to go inside of Middle-ground for the drive, and that must be what gave people the impression I was weaving in and out of horses. "Remember that I know Middleground well. I rode him in all his races last year. I knew he had a tendency to bear out. If he had gone out last Saturday, it would have been like handing me the Derby on a platter. Thats why I took to the inside. Middleground did not bear out. We made up a little, but not enough. Hill Prince was good but Middleground was better." Condition Couldnt Be Faulted "What did you think of Hill Princes condition before the race?" we asked Arcaro. "He was never better," was the emphatic answer. "Ive heard, his condition criticized by horsemen who said he was not as sharp as for the Wood Memorial, and others think, he may have had too much stiff work. All I know is that Hill Prince had all his old zing* on Derby Day, and gave me the best he had whenever I asked for run. "Do you remember how they criticized John Gaver just before the running of the Belmont Stakes last year?" Arcaro continued on the subject of Hill Princes Derby preparation, "Well, Capot won the Belmont, didnt he, and you heard a lot less around the barns about Gavers cooking the colt. If Hill Prince had shown a bad race at Louisville, then maybe Id listen to the anvil chorus, but the colt ran a fine race — probably his. best. Do not forget that a trainer knows his own horse better than anyone else, and while hes doing good with that horse, his way is the best way." "What do you think of this generation, now that you have ridden against the best of them?" we inquired. "Make no mistake," Arcaro answered immediately. "We have a fine lot of colts out this season, and I have to go way back to think of a year when there were so many good ones out, who all looked like staying sound. ~ "Thats why I think the Preakness is going to be a whale of a race. Middleground, of course, could come right back and win it. But Hill Prince has a great chance, and do not forget Mr. Trouble, and dont under- .. -Xi 1- If. ..L 1 ■ Derby. After all, Mr. Trouble was the one who forced Your Hosts pace right from the first turn on, and he never quit. I didnt make up hardly any ground on Mr. Trouble in the stretch; maybe about a length, but thats all. Theres the most improved colt in training over the form he showed last year. He could always run in the morning, but now, he has learned how to race. "And dont let Your Hosts race in the Derby cause you to overlook him at Baltimore," Arcaro went on. "If they all lie back, waiting for Your Host to stop in the Preakness, the California colt may forget to stop. If Black George had not taken an early run at him in the Derby, lie would have been a lot tougher to catch at Louisville. "Take it all in all, we have at least half a dozen good ones, and racing luck is going to have a lot to say about who wins the big stakes coming up. But I repeat," Arcaro concluded, "Hill. Prince and. I had no bad luck last Saturday, and our race does hot
