view raw text
1 # SuffolkDowns Notebook I By FRED GALIANI Jockey Desmarais Plucky Youngster Returns to Saddle This Week-End DeSpirito Offered Preakness Mount SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., May 12. — For a lad who was in the bloody assaults on Heartbreak Ridge in Korea, a like like little thing falling off a horse and breaking a collarbone is a trivial matter, except for one thing. When Ray Desmarais, 23, went down with Fighting Tony last April 9 at Lincoln Downs in a three-horse spill, it was an ironic event, because it was the first mount the Korean veteran eran accepted accepted in in two iwo I eran accepted accepted in in two iwo and a half years. The Hartford-born lad, his racing wound healed, is expected to make another try at the races the end of this week. A maiden jockey, he has only ridden about 30 horses in his life. Desmarais was learning his trade with Kay Wheeler and Yancey Christmas in 1950 when he was drafted soon after the outbreak of the Korean war. Not long after he was in the conflict, serving over a year with the 9th Infantry Regiment, second division, on line duty most of the time. The youngster is the holder of two battle stars and enough fruit salad to decorate the chest of Charles Atlas. After being discharged in 1952, he delayed his return to the track long enough to marry Miss Patricia Doucette of nearby Revere, and then went to work for Harry Trotsek galloping horses in Florida. This past spring his contract was taken over by Richard McNabb, with whom he traveled to Lincoln Downs, where he made his illfated debut. This time he hopes that he wiU be a little more fortunate when he returns to action. Fitzie Iantosca is handling the engagements for the lad, who is now a resident of Revere. Rays father is a cutter grinder for the Pratt Whitney Company in Hartford and although he has three brothers, one of whom is in service, all of them are too heavy to be jockeys, so fame for the Desmarais name rests on Rays shoulders. Jockey Tony DeSpirito had his mouth lanced again this morning but rode on the afternoons program. This morning he received a telegram from John B. Partridge, trainer of the Spring Hill Farm, offering him the mount on the stables Jamie K. in the Preakness. Tony says that he will more than likely accept. Last year, DeSpirito and "Red" Keene provided a season long jockey battle, and this year Tony will have to go some to catch up with young Dick McLaughlin, who is currently setting the pace. McLaughlin is a competent rider, and is particularly adept in waiting with a horse. Some of his finishes have been done a la Conn McCreary, yesterdays victory with Deflation being a perfect example. Going into todays racing, McLaughlin was 16 winners ahead of his younger rivals. Irving Gushen had to take the bitter with the sweet yesterday. He won a race with Dudley Darbury, but lost Fog A. Bolia, who broke down badly in the opener and was immediately destroyed. . . . Ted -Johnson, who rode Park Dandy to second place in the Jersey Stakes Saturday, will be back on the colt in his engagements here — the Yankee and Commonwealth Handicaps. He is also booked for Good Shot in the Governors on Saturday. . . . Tommy Queen, Jr., returned from a fast trip over the weekend to Belmont where he visited his father, one of the turfs veteran trainers, and also sought some racing stock. The market was tight and he returned empty handed. Jockey Jimmy Peres was handing out the Havanas this morning on the birth" of a five-pound, seven-ounce girl in Chelsea Memorial Hospital. The youngster will be named Patricia Jean and is the second girl for the Pereses. . . . On the subject of babies, Harry Hollander, agent for jockey Billy Walsh, denies that his latest, two months old, is making things crowded in his trailer. Says his wife and four kids all have plenty of room. . . . H. C. Wolfe, of Waco, Texas, in the path of the tornados, was informed that his daughter had a close call coming home from school when the Continued on Paqe Forty Suffolk Downs Notebook By FRED GALIANI Continued from Page Two twister hit. She reached shelter and escaped injury but two of her schoolmates were killed. Kenny "Scrappy" Scawthorn shipped his tack to Delaware Park and will await the opening of the meeting at that race track. ... A communion breakfast will be held this Sunday morning at Our Lady of Lourdes church in nearby Revere and Catholic members of the racing fraternity have been invited to attend. ... A delegation from the press box visited Dave Komie, handicapper for the Boston American, who suffered a stroke during the Tropical session, over in the Massachusetts Soldiers Home this morning. They report Dave making good progress and is now able to walk around with a cane. Days of Yore Department: Fust Nighter. entered tomorrow for a claiming price of ,000, won the big Massachusetts Handicap here back in 1949. . Rodgers and Ham-merstein. who have more musical hits than Calumet Farm has stake winners, have come up with another smash in "Me and Juliet." The producers and cast of the Boston company, will be guests of Judge John C. Pappas at Suffolk next Tuesday. . Agent H. S. Cuttriss, who handles jockey E. J. Knapp, is visiting here from Pimlico. He is expected to bring Knapp up to New England to do some riding . . Now that the weather has permitted turf course racing, it is planned to stage at least three such events a week.
