Joseph Valenti Apprenticeship Ends with Score on Clear Day: Also Rides Our Folly Home on Top at Sportsmans; Fall Injures Jockeys Cook, Cox, Daily Racing Form, 1953-05-15

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mmJfmL x Jand? 0SA ► . 4 Joseph Volenti Apprenticeship Ends With Score on Clear Day Also Rides Our Folly Home i On Top at Sportsmans; Fall Injures Jockeys Cook, Cox By J. J. MURPHY Staff Correspondent SPORTSMANS 1ARK, Cicero, 111., May 14. — Joseph Valenti, a 22-year-old rider from Tarentum, Pa., became a full-fledged jockey today after two years of trying when he rode Ralph Lowes gelding, Clear Day, to victory in the featured Donnacona Purse. It was the fortieth victory for the Italian lad, who won the first race of his career in 1951 and it was his eleventh success of the current meeting. Valenti rode well on Clear Day, keeping him some distance back of the pacesetting Cajac for six panels in the seven furlong contest and then sending him forward to take command and win by two and one-quarter lengths. Entry Strong Favorite Cajac, who finished second, was racing coupled with Can Locate, and the pair were short-priced favorites. Cajac whizzed to the front soon after the start to open up a six-length lead passing the stand for the first time. He ran the first five furlongs in :59, which is four-fifth seconds better than the track record for that distance, but stopped badly in the stretch. Don Wagner was subbing for the injured Lois Cook on Cajac. Third place went to Blue Licks, ridden by Baldwin. Clear Days time for the distance was 1:26%. The weather today was an improvement over that of the previous day as the sun Continued on Page Forty-Six C. C. NORMAN— Saddled Rite-Speed for her fourth straight success in the Shively Purse at Churchill Downs. „ I J I t c £ . j « , | i j . , . J ; J * j J ! ] l J J J J 1 J J j ; Joseph Volenti Becomes Full-Fiedged Jockey AstrideTwo Sportsmans Winners; Riders Cook, Cox Injured in Fall | Continued from Page One was shining. It was still very much topcoat weather, however. The attendance was 8,583. Jockey Valenti came right back with his i first mount as a journeyman rider to take the seventh race on Our Folly. The gelding was required to pick up five pounds due to Valenti s graduation in the previous encounter, but he handled the package well to win by one length from Manchac in the seven -furlong event. Four horses went down in a spectacular , spill in the first race today. As the field approached the far turn in the five-furlong dash. Burg Lady, racing next the rail in the 10-horse field, fell, and Rosily, Pretty Kitty, and Orchestral fell over her. Jockey Lois Cook was on Burg Lady, and other riders in the accident were Mike Weissman, Tommy Bates, and Willie Cox. Weissman and Bates were not injured, but Cook and Cox were removed to St. Anthonys Hospital Chicago, for examination. It was the second bad accident of the meeting, jockeys Skoronski, Zakoor and Ury having been injured in a race earlier in the session. Skoronski is still in St. Anthonys Hospital. Examination at St. Anthonys hospital revealed that jockey Willie Cox had suffered a broken collarbone, and jockey Lois Cook was considerably bruised and shaken up. Cook but recently resumed riding here after having been idle for some time due to an injured shoulder. Cox, who is under contract to the Mikel Stable, graduated from the apprentice ranks early in this meeting Ponder Pat, who was well clear of the four horses falling in the opening race, won that event with Palmer Domenico in the saddle, and when Lease Hound, a 3.40 winner, took the second, the Daily Double paid 70.60. Hufnagel rode Lease Hound. With jockeys Cox and Cook out of action due to injuries received in the opener, substitute riders won the third and fifth events. Harold Keene, taking the place on the favored Texas Flash in the third, had that one home in front by eight lengths. Palmer Domenico rode his second winner of the day as pinch-hitter for Cook on R. U. There in the fifth. R. U. There paid 8.00. The track record for five furlongs was equalled for the second time at the meeting when Solicit, representing F. W. Hooper and ridden by Don Wagner, took the fourth. The son of Requested, in running the five-eighths in :5945, won his second race of the meeting and he was claimed by W. J. Schmidt for ,000. Solicit was a short-priced favorite, paying but .00.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1953051501/drf1953051501_1_3
Local Identifier: drf1953051501_1_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800