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Stagehand, Crack Handicap Performer Of 7930,s/ Suffers Fatal Heart Attack Only Horse to Complete * Double of Santa Anita Derby and Big Handicap CHATSWORTH, Calif., June 12.— Stagehand, one of the most notable of the handicap stars of the 1930s and the only horse to complete the double of the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap, succumbed to a heart attack Monday afternoon at Chet Roots Robin Hill Farm here. He was 17. The horse had seemed in sound health in the morning, but when a stablehand went to water him in the ► — — afternoon he was down in his stall. An autopsy determined that it was a heart attack. Stagehand, then owned by the Ohio sportsman, Col. Maxwell Howard and trained by "handy guy" Earl Sande, came to Santa Anita a maiden in 1938, won a string of races and climaxed his great meeting by beating Dauber in the Santa Anita derby and Seabiscuit in the big handicap. Sent to Churchill Downs he was the favorite for the Kentucky Derby, but suffered an attack of colic on the eve of the race and didnt start. His other accomplishments at three included winning the Empire City Handicap under 124 pounds in track record-equalling time, while defeating Fighting Fox. Under 119 pounds he took the Narragansett Special and whipped Bull Lea and Cravat. He also won the Governors Handicap at Gansett with 124 pounds up and set a new track record of 1:49% for the mile and a furlong. At four, Stagehand won the McLennan under 126 pounds, running that mile and an eighth in 1:48% and defeating Bull Lea and Mythical King. In the Widener, for which he was a heavy choice, he was cut down at the start but gamely kept on and finished third to Bull Lea to whom he was giving seven pounds. It was in this race that his left fore ankle was so severely cut that he bowed a tendon in the other leg from favoring the injured one. Retired to stud in Kentucky he proved only moderately successful, but he has sent out stakes winners and high class, useful performers. He was well bred, being by Sickle out of Stagecraft, by Fair Play. Stagecraft won the Astoria and Beldame and also foaled Sceneshifter, a full brother to Stagehand who was a Joseph E. Widen -er-bred. Several years ago Stagehand came to California to stand. Almost immediately the ill fortune that dogged this fine horse throughout his career struck again. He broke a leg, but was kept in a special designed sling for some months and the leg mended. The last two seasons he has served I I his mares well and the death of this aging I campaigner was totally unexpected.
