Woodchuck Equipoise Victor; One Hitter Takes Monmouth: Arcaro Celebrates His Day on Arlington Stake Winner, Daily Racing Form, 1952-06-30

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Woodchuck Woodchuck Equipoise Equipoise Victor-One Victor; One Hitter Hitter Takes Takes Monmouth Monmouth Arcaror Celebrates His Day On Arlington Stake Winner Palatine Colt Outnods Ruhe" As Spartan Valor Runs Fifth In Thriller; 24,185 See Race By CHARLES HATTON ARLINGTON PARK, Arlington Heights, HI., June 28. Eddie Arcaro celebrated "Ar-caro Day" here at Arlington this sultry afternoon by giving the crowd one of his greatest exhibitions to make Woodchuck upset Spartan Valor in the Equipoise Mile and snatch victory in J;hat 0,000 stake in a dramatic four-horse blanket finish. With the odds-on Spartan Valor losing ground under his 132 pounds all through the stretch, Woodchuck, Ruhe, Andy B. W. and Oil Capitol came to the finish line nodding nose and nose. It is doubtful if any of the crowd knew the winner for several sus-penseful minutes while the placing judges studied the photo. "The Old Masters" number went up on top. The picture showed j that Ruhe had beaten Andy B. W., a zip for place, with Oil Capitol fourth. Hasty Houses Ruhe and Oil Capitol were -swarming all over the Palatine colt, and Andy B. W., the final 70 yards, but Arcaro flattened out to one of his most powerful handrides and Woodchuck just lasted for the winners share of 4,185. He returned .60 in the tote and went over the distance in 1:37 in "good" going. Spartan Valor did not run his usual race, in Stouts opinion, and was fifth six lengths back. Unable to Explain Valors Race One of the largest crowds of the Arlington season, 24,185, clicked its way through the turnstiles to see the Arcaro Day of sport, and if the heavily weighted and equally heavily played Spartan Valor defaulted, it was rather appropriate that the hero of the day should have been on the winner of the feature. Following the stirring battle through the stretch, Arcaro said, "I didnt think he would run that kind of race. It ws okay, but whew, it was close!" Stout opined the weight on his mount "didnt do him any good, but the horse did not run his usual race and I do not know what was wrong with him." Coincidentally it was Woodchuck, the former ladies riding horse, who won the only previous race Spartan Valor has lost this year during the Miami season. He was "Hawkins horse" today certainly. The field of 11 were well behaved in the gate at the end of the mile chute in the Equipoise, and were on their way without delay. Spartan Valor broke on top and was perhaps a length in front the first sixteenth. But Andy B. W. and Woodchuck were jumping right in his tracks and before they reached the end of the chute, Andy B. W. went to the front on the inside under Jes-sop. There was a good deal of sparring in the run down the backstretch, with Andy B. W. bowling along handily a length and a half in front of Woodchuck. The latter also was running on his own courage, with Arcaro looking over at Spartan Valor evidently jockeying to move if and when the favorite did. Near the end of the back-stretch, the choice amazed everyone by giving a little ground, and Arcaro now concerned himself with moving at Andy B. W. The Red and Green Stables front run- Continued on Page Forty-Eight ! - FRANK ROSEN Owner of the Equipoise winner, Woodchuck. Woodchuck and Arcaro Annex Equipoise Mile Star Jockey Celebrates His Day At Arlington With Fine Triumph Continued from Page One ner was sailing along on a daylight lead of several lengths by this timei curving for home. But Woodchuck gained steadily all through the stretch when he was placed to pressure, and behind these two Ruhe and Oil Capitol were charging like fresh horses. Inside the final sixteenth it became a ding-dong battle with four heads nodding almost in unison and it took all the redoubtable Arcaros skill to drop Wood-chucks nose down in front right on the line. This rather gripping finish carried the quartet far in advance of the others of the field, and Spartan Valor was six lengths off them at the wire. The son of Attention admittedly was heavily weighted, but even that does not account for his failure to be more formidable over the early stages at least. Stout stirred him up in a final effort to close with Woodchuck and Andy B. W. on the turn, but his mount retreated instead. It was an inexplicably dull showing, so far as anybody could see, for he pulled up without any trace of injury or lameness. The "Arcaro Day" ceremonies, celebrating his 3,000th winner, took place in the winners enclosure where he is so at home, immediately after the third race. A platform had been constructed for the occasion, and the brilliant jockey was given a tremendous ovation when he was introduced over the mike by Jack Drees, and stepped up appropriately dressed in the Brookmeade silks Ascent sported when she became winner No. 3,000 for him here last Tuesday. Winner No. 1 was Eagle Bird, at Caliente, Jan. 14, 1932. Stuyvesant Peabody, Jr. chairman of the Illinois Racing Board, on behalf of Arlington Park, presented the rider with a sterling silver service set. Ike Bassett, midwest manager of the Jockeys Guild, represented the riders on the grounds and presented him a silver plate. John D. Allen, president of Arlington Park, presented Arcaros agent, "Bones" Laboyne, a 21-inch screen tv set, as the one who puts Arcaro "on those good horses." Additionally Arcaro received a film of victory 3,000 and will receive a color film of the presentation ceremony. "Schnozz" Durante, the emcee, got off a few flippancies that amused the crowd, remarking aside to Arcaro, "How are both of us going to get our schnozzes into this mike." In congratulating the jockey, he observed, "I have something of a record, too. I have been on 3,000 losers I" Arcaro maintained his usual - poise throughout the ceremony, though he calculated later he had lost a half pound. He thanked the crowd for its applause, the donors for their gifts, and remarked, "I think it is nice when the fellows one works with, and the track and public give one such a reception. Its wonderful. I am not an actor. I wish Jimmy could lielp me now. I am a jockey. I want to thank you people for your applause. I will go on doing the best I can for you." Arcaro gave agent Laboyne a great deal of credit for his success during the past 10 years.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1952063001/drf1952063001_1_2
Local Identifier: drf1952063001_1_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800