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Conn McCrea M cCrearyMade Comeback Last Year Astride Count Turf TurfCONN CONN McCREARY is after his third Derby winner with Blue Man this after ¬ noon in his seventh try certainly a high percentage for any jockey in such a race McCreary rode Pensive in 1944 then came back last year to pilot Count Turf for J J Amiel His other Derby mounts were Our Boots eighth in 1941 First Fiddle fifth in 1942 Slide Rule third in 1943 and Halt fifth in 1949 Mc ¬ Creary is a short little man but he has pow ¬ erful arms and shoul ders horses run for him and he is adept at either rating from behind or while in front In addition to his great skill McCreary is a man of great determination as he demonstrated when he first came around the races He hitchhikedfrom liis native St Louis to Kentucky in 1940 seeking to become a rider and his persistence earned him a chance with trainer Steve Judge One year later he rode in his first Derby with Our Boots The Count Turf victory was deemed in the nature of a comeback for the boy for his form had been so bad months previously that he voluntarily grounded himself He in effect turned himself put to pasture and the freshening up had its desired effect for his effort on Count Turf was a masterful bit of saddle smithing
