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Big Cat Sprints Through Slop at Downs For Upset Score in Douglas Park Purse Carl M. Grahams Racer Has4 Four Lengths Advantage on Barometro and Lonoke Flash By DON FAIR Staff Correspondent CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville. Ky., May 4. — Carl M. Grahams Big Cat, a homebred four-year-old colt, the get of Boss Hoss and Naughty, splashed through the sloppy footing here this afternoon to an easy and surprising victory in the Douglas Park Purse. The Terre Haute, Indiana-owned winner, smartly handled by jockey Frank Smothers, toyed with his six rivals during the stretch run, reaching the end of the six furlongs with four lengths to spare over D. P. Chambers Chilean-bred Barometro, who was another two and one-half lengths before Henry Forrests favored Lonoke Flash. The choice was three lengths on Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Daniels Free For Me for third honors in the sprint. Big Cat, a good winner at Tropical Park last January and close up in several other Florida engagements, was overlooked by the majority of those present and returned Continued on Page Forty -Three : Big Cat Sprints to Four * Lengths Score at Downs l Revels on Sloppy Oval to Beat Barometro in Douglas Park Purse Continued from Page One f his backers 6.60 straight. The Boss Hoss-sired colt required 1:13% to complete the three-quarters mile of the Douglas Park and he would have bettered that time had it been necessary for Smothers to put him to any pressure during the late stages of the feature. Big Cat was first to show in front after l the Douglas Park field Jeft the stalls in a r "line break* but he was quickly displaced by Leclaire Stables Ballydam, who opened a two lengths advantage before going a quarter mile. Pirro occupied second position during the run to the upper turn while f Barometro was a close third and the Graham representative fourth and within * striking distance of the pacemaker. Approaching the stretch turn, Ballydam , shortened stride and it was apparent that Big Cat would take some beating as he moved up fast to take command. During the drive to the wire, Barometro made a game but futile attempt to reach the flying *■ victor but the Chilean importation simply couldnt make it and had to be satisfied with the place while Lonoke Flash closed well enough to save third. Ballydam, who flashed high early speed, faded badly during the final furlong and wound up a f soundly-beaten fifth. With the Kentucky Derby renewal, wit- nessed by an enthusiastic crowd of some 100,000 spectators Saturday a matter of history, this stately old Louisville course * settled down for the final two weeks of its spring race meeting. Despite the dismal * weather prevailing in the Palls City area this afternoon, a crowd of over 5,000 regu-lars turned out for the sport, decided on a 1 track kept sloppy throughout the program by intermittent showers. Oil Painting, a homebred daughter of ..Papa Redbird and the one-time stakes t mare, Jacks Jill, carried the silks of Mrs. Joseph A. Goodwin to a clever graduation t victory in the Iris Purse, which matched seven quick junior misses. Alertly handled /■ by jockey Sherman Armstrong, the Good- L win filly went to the front at the start of the dash and coasted to the wire with a r five-length margin over Natchez Girl, who raced under the colors of Douglas M. Davis, f Jr. and R. E. Nims. Edwin K. Thomas Strawberrylane, choice in the Iris, ran third, three lengths off Natchez Girl and r two and one -half lengths on Charlton Clays Lady O Fame, who salvaged fourth money.
