view raw text
Amati Amati Tallies Tallies Again Again in in River River Forest; Forest; Preakness Preakness Septet Septet Take Take Things Things Easy Easy I nvig orators Camp Issues Declaration Large Baltimore Audience At Track to See Dancer And Foes Get Orientated By CHARLES HATTON PIMLICO. Baltimore, Md., May 20.— A starting field of seven was indicated today for Saturdays seventy-sixth renewal I of the 00,000 added Preakness here at Pimlico. The probables all now are on the I Hilltop and are headed by the favored Native Dancer and his Derby conqueror Dark Star. Also expected to respond to the ! bugle axe Royal Bay Gem, Correspondent, , Tahitian King, Jamie K., and Ram o War. . It had been conjectured that Invigorator r would join the post parade, but trainer • Yorkie McLeod is quoted to the effect "he J is not quite good enough. He has had three j straight tough races and well rest him." Entries will be taken tomorrow morning. All of the septet pointing for the weekends . history-making mile and three-sixteenths have been assigned riders. Eric ! Guerin will, as always, have the mount on "The Dancer." Henry Moreno, who rated I Dark Star so efficiently in the Derby, again will have the leg up on the Guggenheim i colt. The familiar Jimmy Combest rides j Royal Bay Gem, with Bobby Summers on Correspondent, Hedley Woodhouse on Tahitian • King, Eddie Arcaro on Jamie K., and I Charley Burr on Ram o War. Stake May Gross 13,750 If all the seven probables actually start, this Preakness will gross 13,750 and yield I the winner a net purse of 5,200. Not to mention a replica of the Woodlawn Vase, , the wreath of synthetic Black-eyed Susans, i and a place on the long honor roll of this i second of the "Triple Crown" events. The candidates took it easy today, following week-end races and works, nevertheless a large audience of Baltimores more i enthusiastic horse lovers turned out to see i them. Native Dancer galloped two miles, , accompanied by trainer Winfrey on his i Continued on Page Forty-Two Preakness Septet Take Things Easy for Day Invigorator to Decline Issue; Rider Assignments Are Listed Continued from Page One familiar chestnut lead pony. It had been hoped he would train publicly. But this morning the colt was on his toes in his unaccustomed surroundings and his trainer is understandably anxious to settle him down with a breeze soon as possible. Meanwhile, a 24-hour guard has been placed on the gunmetal grays stable door. Winfrey incidentally, expects Alfred G. Vanderbilt, the colts owner and breeder on Friday. The Spring Hill Farms Jamie K., who is to be ridden by Eddie Arcaro, champion Preakness jockey, also was out this morning for his first view of the Pimlico course and orientated himself walking about before the stand under saddle, then had a gallop to rid himself of his van legs. Dark Star and Royal Bay Gem were brought to the track, which was muddy from the nights rains, in the wee small hours and their trainers expressed themselves as well satisfied with their condition. Royal Bay Gem literally got some mud in his eye in the Preakness Prep, but it appears to have cleared up nicely. It is doubtful if the Preakness colts will be asked for any very fast distance works, for they all have been thoroughly seasoned in actual competition this spring and their trainers have now merely to keep them on edge. Under the old dates schedule, when the Preakness was decided weeks earlier, and there was less winter racing, distance works were more in order. It was announced today that Columbia Broadcasting System will carry the Preakness running on a half -hour show on TV and radio simultaneously, from 4:30 to 5 pan. CDT. with Bryan Field describing the actual contest and "Red Smith handling the color. Though the classic is to be telecast live, the management is hard pressed to accommodate all those who wish to reserve seats for the occasion, and 35,000 programs will be ordered in anticipation of one of the largest Preakness crowds ever. Long range weather forecasters are a bit lugubrious about conditions Saturday, but the skies were clearing today and while there has been an unusual quantity of rainfall in the area of late, Pimlico has been rather fortunate in that the precipta-tions have come at night in most instances. Whatever the weather, it is clear that Native Dancer is going to be "the peoples choice" in the wagering Saturday. But Dark Star is assured of some backing, though it is the popular opinion he was rather fortunate to beat Native Dancer in the Derby. Royal Bay Gem also will be far from friendless, after his successes in the Jersey Stakes and the Preakness Prep. And the Spring Hill Farms Jamie K. is certain to have support, if only because he is to be handled by Arcaro. The Pimlico racing surface is in better condition to shed water this spring than it has been for many years past. Horsemen who worked their trainees over it this morning, when it could only be described as "muddy," said that actually the bottom is such they moved through the going almost as if it were dry.
