Between Races: Citation Pointing for Inglewood Handicap; Still Highly Popular With West Coasters; James-Grable Combine Own Good Homebred; Hope to Make Breeding Careers of Future, Daily Racing Form, 1951-06-13

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• J BETWEEN RACES * om HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif., June 12. — Citation was entered in a 5,000 overnight race last Saturday, but the event failed to fill, and the "big one" stayed in the barn. However, a race is in the offing for Thursday to which he will be eligible, and if this one fills, Citation will go to the post in a tune-up for his next main objective here, the 5,000 mile and a sixteenth Inglewood Handicap a week from Saturday. Jimmy Jones is aware of the two schools of thought prevailing in the nation, schools which are a long way apart. Some hold that Citation should be retired at once because of "loss of prestige," while others hold that Citation, as long as he is racing sound, which he is, should be given r a chance to attain his goal of earning a million dollars. "Citation has been beaten, and that is that," says Jones. *Tm rather inclined to believe that the horse will be Judged in future years on his form at two and three. As far as that goes, I personally think he ran one of his greatest races at five, when he was beaten a nod by Noor in the San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita. For a horse who all but broke down near the half-mile pole, it was a magnificent and truly great effort. Many people have asked me why a goal of a million dollars? Well, its a goal and perhaps represents an ideal because no dollars and cents are involved. Citation could have earned much more in the stud last spring than anything he could hope to earn by racing through this summer season. If the horse were not sound, hed be at the farm." AAA Citation, it might be added, has lost none of his popularity with West Coast fans. In his last appearance under silks here, his presence aroused ripples of applause. One », group of girls at the paddock rail gave him the cheer Citation Pointing for Inglewood Handicap Still Highly Popular With West Coasters James-Grable Combine Own Good Homebred Hope to Make Breeding Careers of Future treatment usually reserved only for movie idols. That he is still great in the eyes of the horsemen is evident from random remarks about the stable area, all to the point that they hope Citation makes it. Citation has been fairly weighted in the 00,000 Gold Cup, having been allotted 120 pounds as against 126 for Moonrush and Greek Ship. Moonrush is a sharp horse at the moment, and has earned more than 10,000 to date this year. And speaking of Moonrush, trainer Willie Alvarado is a bit sorry that he gelded the horse, for his performances during the last 12 months have been good enough to make him a good-stud prospect. Moreover, he has a classic sire conformation. The decision to geld was made one morning when Moonrush became a bit temperamental. There is one other unusual item about Moon-rushs rise to fame on the West Coast. He had a leg ailment more than a year ago, and was turned out in the back yard of a small eight-acre ranch home owned by Anita King. Some people have a notion that the small paddocks prevailing on many California farms are not. as desirable as big, roomy areas. We dare say there is something to this theory in the development of yearlings, but Moonrush is but one of many good horses on the Coast who have gone wrong, convalesced in small paddocks, and then returned to the races to win important stakes. Moonrush is planning an excursion to New York this fall to run in weight-f or-age races at Belmont Park, while his owners, Miss King, and Gus Luellwitz, shop around for some thoroughbreds of stake potential to replenish their stable. AAA Harry James and Betty Grable will provide one of the solid contenders in Saturdays Haggin Stakes in the first good horse they have ever bred, a two-year?old by Khaled — Guard. Ship named Big Noise. James, it develops, iS an avid student of blood lines, and the mating of Guard Ship to Khaled came about entirely through his own deductions. Guard Ship was flighty and a bit on the silly side mentally, and James decided that a mating to blood that wasnt quite as "hot" might be just the answer to get a good colt or filly. The Jameses, incidentally, are improving their stock after making a rather inauspicious start as breeders. Their interest in racing started with the purchase of two ponies to ride. Not satisfied with the care given the two cold bloods in a riding academy, where they were boarded, they decided the best answer was to buy their own farm so the ponies would have the care deemed their jight. From then, it was only a step to thoroughbreds, arid from breeding to racing. The Jameses learned a lot from the cheap mares and have begun a selection of mares with both looks and credentials. Miss Grable currently is taking a two months vacation from studio work, and enjoys most every afternoon at the races. Both James and Miss Grable are wrapped iip in breeding and racing, and they inform me that their pattern of building their thoroughbred domain is pointed toward their eventual retirement from the entertainment world to become bloodstock farmers. Their attachment to the horse is not, as many -might think, a passing fad or hobby. AAA Their experience with breeding cheap stock has not Continued on Page Thirty-Three BETWEEN-RACES I By OSCAR OTIS Continued from Page Forty been as costly as might be imagined. For instance, they retired the filly Floral Heights, which went wrong in a race at Del Mar three years ago. The" first colt was so worthless on the tracks that he was given away for a saddle mount. The mare was not deemed worthy enough to spend a stud fee on, but actor-breeder George Brent obliged with a free service to Pony Express. The resultant filly was named "Ugh." Now two, Ugh has shown a bit of speed, but may not amount to much. Anyway, theyve been practicing to the point they now have the experience to step from alfalfa blood lines into the blue grass, so to speak, and, more to the point, actually do the work themselves. AAA Horses and People: Ray Lewis of Carlsbad, one of Americas best known judges of quarter horse shows, has been appointed secretary of the New Mexico Racing Commission. . .New Mexico breeding received a lift with the purchase of Mioland by Ed Springer, and this good stakes-winning son of Mio dArezzo made his first season this spring in the "Land of Enchantment."... Mrs. John W. Marchbanks, "owner of Heather Farm at Walnut Creek, is recuperating from a severe illness. . .Clifford Mooers best two-year-old prospect is Kingly, a half-brother to Old Rockport. . . The hired help are talking over the case of a parking lot attendant who picked up a lost wallet containing, more than 0,000 in cash. The man turned it in to "lost and found," who returned it to the owner, who I didnt as much as say thanks.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1951061301/drf1951061301_40_1
Local Identifier: drf1951061301_40_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800