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Whitney Pays Glowing Tribute to Counterpoint One Great Horse He Has Bred, He Says, in Accepting Triangle Award BELMONT PARK, Elmont. L. I.. June 6. — C. V. Whitney, owner and breeder of Counterpoint, was presented with Triangle Publications annual Horse of the Year award today at a luncheon in the Turf and Field Club dining room, given by J. Samuel Perlman, publisher of this newspaper. The award was the fifth in a series of paintings by Richard Stone Reeves and the oil portrait of Counterpoint was | adjudged one of the best the young artist has achieved. Syl Veitch and Dave Gorman, trainer and jockey of the champion of 1951, were presented with portrait sketches of themselves executed by Morr Kusnet, with Veitch accepting on behalf of Gorman, who had to ride in the first race. The luncheon was attended by almost 100 Continued on Page Six ► Glowing Tribute Paid Counterpoint C. V. Whitney Says Hes One Great Horse He Has Bred, in Accepting Triangle Award Continued from Page One owners, breeders, officials and the presidents of several race tracks. Nelson Dunstan, Daily Racing Form columnist, acted as toastmaster and made the presentations to Veitch and Gorman, then introduced Perlman, who, in turn, introduced Whitney. In his brief address, in the course of which he reviewed the vital role which the Whitney family has played on the American turf since the days of William Collins Whitney, savior of Saratoga and planner of Belmont Park, father of Harry Payne Whitney and grandfather of Counterpoints owner, Perlman remarked that derogatory estimates of the intelligence of the horse were in need of revision. He pointed out that the horse, not Triangle Publications, decides who will be the recipient of the Horse of the Year award, and that the horses had made Warren Wright, John Hay Whitney, Mrs. C. S. Payson, Christopher T. Chenery and C. V. Whitney the guests of honor on successive years. Perlman also noted the significance of the fact that all but two of the Horses of the Year selected by Triangle Publications since the custom was inaugurated in 1936, were raced by their breeders, while those two, Seabiscuit and Busher, were also bred by leaders of. the turf world. In his closing words before turning over the microphone to Whitney, the publisher said: "The men here today dont give lip service to racing — they give their lives to it." After expressing his pleasure at the occasion and his appreciation of Reeves portrait of Counterpoint, which he termed "magnificent," Whitney said that he was going to depart from custom and speak at some length about the horse. On most such occasions, he said, the speakers talk about almost anything"" but the horses who made the occasion in the first place. "When you think of a great horse," Whitney said, "you think of conformation, speed, stamina and courage. The greatest would have all those qaulities. It is as if, in choosing a wife, you asked for beauty, charm and brains and an ability to cook. You dont find all those qualities combined very often in one woman, or in one horse." Equipoise Bred by His Father Whitney said that in 25 years of operation of a large breeding and racing stable, with an excellent background, he had produced just one great horse — Counterpoint. "That shows the percentage against your producing a great horse, unless youre a Calumet. I would like to claim Equipoise, but he was bred by my father. "I have often been asked to compare Equipoise and Counterpoint," Whitney said. "It is always difficult to compare champions of different periods, but I think Equipoise and Counterpoint were very similar in most respects. Counterpoint was the greatest distance horse, but up to distances of a mile and a quarter I dont know." Whitney then cited Counterpoints track record race in the Peter Pan at a mile and a furlong as proof that he had speed in abundance. "He was trained primarily for distance races," Whitney added, "so he did not show the burst of speed that Equipoise had opportunities to show." Whitney then referred to the annual custom of owners and trainers at the close of the two-year-old season of declaring that they "have a better one in the barn" and sometimes adding that they have a maiden who is better than the established colt. "We said that last spring," Whitney said, "and our better one was a maiden at the time." Whitney then discussed Counterpoints injury, which became apparent after his victory in the Belmont and remarked that it was similar to the bad hoof that handicapped Equipoise throughout his career. In Counterpoints case he said, the injury, when discovered, was of such extent that it was obvious that the colt must have been suffering all through his spring campaign, and this accounted for his intermittent form. After that deep bruise inside the sole had been cut away and the injury healed, a matter of some six weeks, Counterpoint came back to show his true form for the first time. Not Wholly Fit for San Felipe Whitney then turned to Counterpoints last two races in Califoria, which demonstrated his remarkable courage. The first of these races was in the San Fejipe Handicap at Santa Anita -and came after Counterpoint had been on the sidlines for some time. A "half -fit" horse, Counterpoint ~,was asked to meet two seasoned campaigners in Continued on Page Fortv-One Glowing Tribute Paid Counterpoint C. V. Whitney Says Hes One Great Horse He Has Bred, in Accepting Triangle Award Continued from Page Six top form in Phil D. and Intent. The San Felipe was to some extent a prep for the Maturity and Whitney said that he had hoped to get in two races before that rich event, but had had to settle for one. In describing the race, Mr. Whitney said that he had studied the film patrol movies several times. "Soon after the start," he said, "Counterpoint was hit by Count Turf; It was an accidental bump, but it was as severe as any I have ever seen, a real old-fashioned polo bump. Davey was almost knocked out of the saddle and Counterpoint was knocked back five, six, seven lengths to last place. Davey knew his horse and just took hold and waited, not beginning to move until the head of the stretch. There Intent started to drift out — Arcaro was riding, but the horse was going to drift out anyway as he often does. As he drifted, Intent carried Phil D., who was moving up, out with him. At the same time, Counterpoint was charging down the middle of the track. As Counterpoint Teached Phil D., that horses jockey was whipping with his right hand and I had to look at the film at least three times to be sure that he wasnt actually hitting Counterpoint in the face. The horse couldnt possibly drive through that-flailing stick in front of his nose. Fortunately; that boy dropped his whip three strides from the finish and Counterpoint came on to win a very close photo. "That performance, for a half -fit horse, was that of a very great horse," Whitney concluded. In discussing the colts injury in the Maturity, which caused his temporary retirement, he said, "We are not certain of the cause. But he came back with a knot on the middle tendon of his right hind leg and a sliver gone from the shin. However, he is doing well now, galloping here at Belmont Park and Syl Veitch * and I have hopes that he will, be back at Saratoga, again to show what a great and courageous horse he is." Seated at Head Table At the head table, along with Perlman and Dunstan were the honored guest C. V. j Whitney and Mrs. Whitney, Mrs. Dodge Sloane, owner of the Brookmeade Stable; j Col. K. R. Marshall, president of the Ontario Jockey Club; Ashley T. Cole, chairman of the New York State Racing Commission; D. Thomas Testa, president of the National Association of State Racing Commissioner; Sylvester Veitch, trainer of Counterpoint, and Artist Richard Stone Reeves. Among those in attendance were: J. Henry Alexandre, president Turf and Field Club; Fred Almy, presiding steward, JSuffolk Downs; Edward J. Brenrian, general manager, Monmouth Park; James Butler, president Empire City Racing Asso-r ciation; John B. Campbell, racing secretary New York Racing Associations; Fred Capos-sela, official announcer at New York tracks; Marshall Cassidy, steward and. executive secretary The Jockey Club; Edmund P. Coffey, vice-president, TRPB. Also John E. Cooper, secretary National Steeplechase and Hunt Association; John I. A. Day, public relations director Thoroughbred Racing Association; Walter Donovan, vice-president and general manager Garden State Park; Spencer J. Drayton, executive secretary TRA and president TRPB; Francis P. Dunne, steward New York Racing Commission; Helen Eden, secretary Turf and Field Club. Also George M. Francis, vice-president Belmont Park; Bryan Field, vice-president and general manager Delaware Park: Humphrey Finney, secretary Maryland Horse Breeders Association; Tyson Gilpin, Fasig-Tipton Co;; Maurice Gross, Lloyds of London; Amory L. Haskell, president United Hunts and Monmouth Park; Carr Hatch, noted Canadian breeder; Nat Herzfeld, president, Tropical Park; Philip Iselin, treasurer Monmouth Park. Also Cyrus S. Jullien, president Queens County Jockey Club; Dr. Alexander Kaye, physician to Jockeys Guild; Robert F. Kelley, public relations director New York racing associations; Edward L. Kilroe, general manager Aqueduct race track; Frank E. Kilroe, assistant racing secretary, New York racing associations; Louis Lazare, owner, Sheilas Reward, champion sprinter of 1951: Marge Lindheimer, assistant to executive director, Arlington, Washington Parks; Philip F. MacGuire, vice-president Empire City; Col. E. K. Marshall, president Ontario Jockey Club; Harry Millar, secretary New York State Racing Commission. Also Eugene Mori, president Garden State Park; Luke H. OBrien, general manager i Jamaica and Empire City; Jerry OGrady, vice-president Tropical Park; John C. Pappas, president Suffolk Downs; Fred H. Parks, steward New York racing associations; Maj. Gen. M. A. Reckord, president Maryland Jockey Club; Alex M. Robb, secretary-treasurer Belmont Park; E. J. Rousuck, National Musuem of Racing; Sol Rutchick, vice-president HBPA. Also Charles H. Strub, executive president Santa Anita Park; Peter Strub, assistant to vice-president Santa Anita Park; Walter E. Travers, Jr., secretary-treasurer Empire City. Also Alfred G. Vanderbilt, president Thoroguhbred Racing Associations; Harold Vosburgh, steward New York racing associations; Lou Walger, mutuels director New York racing associations; S. Bryce Wing, president National Steeplechase and Hunt Association; Sterling Young, executive secretary the Jockeys Guild; Frank Warton, member Illinois Racing Board; John T. Skinner, president American Trainers* Association; Daniel Van Clief, president Virginia Breeders Association and Hirsch Jacobs, noted trainer.
