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tmbnm ; I I I , , Weighing In 1 By EVAN SHIPMAN AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y, June 25.— Eddie Arcaro got there, of course. It was just a question of when. When the bril- liant liant jockey jockey rode rode his his , , i , I [ : liant liant jockey jockey rode rode his his 3,000th winner at Arlington Park yesterday, the news was warmly applauded in every one of the nations press boxes, we are sure, because this was a truly notable milestone on an exciting, and occasionally turbulant journey. A few of us felt that Eddie ought to to have have been been here here in in i j | j ] * 1 J ! J ! c i v j c 1 | t r y f t / n t c a a a " • be D *; t] d h n he ! 1 ] 1 to to have have been been here here in in tmbnm our midst, here on Long Island, where his greatest fame was achieved, to receive honors suitable to the occasion, but, even as we voiced the thought, it occurred to us that the Metropolitan racing public fancies itself in the role of Brann, the iconoclast, or Jack the Giant Killer, and that, on his triumphant return to the scales, the great jockey might well have been greeted by the same boisterous impoliteness with which our much loved trainer, the veteran "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, was met a few years ago when his seventy-fifth birthday was celebrated at Jamaica. Mr. Fitz, you will recall, had made the mistake of saddling Shackleton that afternoon, and Shackleton had been left at the post. In the case of Arcaro, no pretext would have been needed beyond well established custom, a custom the reasons for which are now lost in the mist of racing history. But New Yorks loss is Chicagos gain, and we do not begrudge the westerners an occasional glimpse of our own "top jock." Those 3,000 races were won against the stiffest competition in the world. Few, far between, were the easy spots in this long record. Arcaro was, for the most part, riding stake horses, and when the chips were down. He was always a good rider, but he has matured and developed over the years, converting a natural talent to the status of a broad and shrewd craftsmanship. In fact, there is nothing rhetorical about calling him today an artist of the saddle. In the beginning, Arcaro was just another hard-riding, able youngster. He has grown wiser with the years, and we have often noticed that he considers every mount, every race, a new problem to be dealt with individually. There have been occasions on which he appeared to be a rough, unscrupulous rider in his eagerness to win. He was punished for infractions of the rules, and we can say in praise of this horseman that he possessed the intelligence to profit from his time on the ground. Arcaro, you will find, has rarely made the same mistake twice. Now, as always, he is a daring rider, but he no longer takes chances at the expense of the other boys, or at the risk of his own reputation. He fits all kinds of horses, and his plan of attack is as varied as the type of race in which he is competing. Early speed or waiting off the pace;the mount on a two-year-old filly, or up on a star in the handicap division, it is all the same to Arcaro. You can always be assured of the same finish style of accomplishing the work at hand. As for the best thoroughbred he ever rode, you may be sure that he would tell you it was Citation, the Calumet champion for whom he reserves a very special affection. With a definitely reticent disposition, Arcaro does not parade his feeling for his mounts, but there is a marked change of tone when he discusses his races aboard Citation that is eloquent enough. During an interview, we recall some feature writer asking the jockey the silly question, "and are you fond of horses?" The quick answer was in Arcaro s usual abrupt manner: "Why wouldnt I be fond of horses? If it was not for horses, Eddie Arcaro would peddling fruit!" We had our reservations as to that at the time, and we have them still. No, Arcaro would not be "peddling fruit." His dominant nature would have achieved success at whatever it was attempted. Not infallible, Arcaro has made mistakes that he readily admits in discussing old races. It is typical of him that, at times, he committed an error of judgment, and then snatched victory from defeat with a single desperate move. The Butler Handicap renewal of 1949 is a case in point, this race marking one of Assaults greatest efforts. King Ranchs Assault carried an astonishing 135 pounds that day, conceding nine to Stymie and 18 to the wonderful mare, Gallorette. Arcaro waited with Assault, waited on Stymie. But Stymie stole a march on him between turns, and when Arcaro tried to go with this redoubtable stretch -runner, Assaults path was blocked. The jockey never should have allowed himself to be placed in that position, but he was far from giving up. Going around Stymie meant losing the race for sure. Arcaro waited, saving round, and then, inside the furlong pole, there appeared a nar- Continued on Page Forty-Five I WEIGHING IN I By EVAN SHIPMAN Continued from Page Four row opening between Stymie and Gallor-ette, battling on even terms. He shot Assault for the hole, got through by some miracle, got through and up to win, 135 pounds and all. It was a breath-taking performance. After the race, Arcaro said, , 1 made about every mistake possible. It was one of my worst races." But many of us will never forget that finish. A lot of credit, naturally, goes to Assault, or let us allow the daring jockey and the game chestnut to share the credit. In those desperate moments at the end the pair were like a centaur. Champions are often named in groups of three, and when we first broke into the sport, the three leading jockeys in this country were Earl Sande, Laverne Fator and Linus "Pony" McAtee. in recent years, Arcaro, Johnny Longden and Ted Atkinson are the three who come immediately to mind. There is little use in comparing them; they are all fine horsemen, but, in the last group, Arcaro may combine qualities of the others to present is with an all-around mastery of his craft. He has the patience and finesse of Longden together with the strength and decision of Atkinson, while for poise in the saddle, the undefinable elegance of seat and hands that is the hall-mark of a truly great horseman, Arcaro is unsurpassed. When he rides his 4,000th winner, whether it be at Chicago or on Long Island, let us be there to see. t
