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—— — isfi mw ~. — . !• Clyde Troutt, Illinois Turfman, , Seeing First Preakness Today | , I i ] 3 I « I • ! ; ; ! ] i | . | j i ; | ! . , , ! Saddles Royal Bay Gem for * Constantin; Recommended To Latter by Ben A. Jones By FRED GALIANI PIMLICO, Baltimore, Md., May 22.— This is not only the first time that trainer Clyde Troutt, the personable trainer for Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Constantin, Jr., has ever raced a horse in the Preakness, its the first time he will have seen a running of the famed "Triple Crown" classic. Taking time out from saddling horses between the second and third races yesterday, the Benton, HI., conditioner stood still long enough to answer a couple of questions. Troutt will send out the stretch-running Royal Bay Gem in the Preakness and while there is not a legion of supporters for the son of Royal Gem II., the Constantin colt will not be without his backers. His rubicund face broke into a big smile under his Panama hat, which had its brim turned up ala Hollywood newspapermans style, when he was asked how he came to get into the racing business. "A man asked me to go to work for him, and I did. That was back in 1926 when I went to Mobile, Ala., with Mont Sanders. I did the usual things and galloped horses for him. I never did do any race riding, didnt have enough heart, I guess. Handled McCuans Horses "I first turned trainer in the 30s, handling horses for Ed McCuan. After that I raced horses for myself and my wife. I havent trained for too many people. I was 1 with Mrs. John D. Hertz for a while, about 1 five months. My association with Mr. Con- i stantin will be four years this August." t Troutt deems Royal Bay Gem the best three- year-old he has ever handled, but I he still has high regard for Take Wings, who was a rugged grass course horse in the Midwest not too many years ago. Troutt | claimed the horse for ,000 who went on j to win over 50,000. Take Wing was a dur- , able campaigner, starting 197 times and is , still around the race tracks. Troutt has him , at Pimlico right now and uses him per- j sonally as a pony. Queried as to plans for Royal Bay Gem, j the little trainer was uncertain. "I havent made up my mind. We might go to Chicago , and pass up the Belmont, but Im not sure. , I have no thoughts about Saturdays race. , That big gray horse is some runner. Im not saying that I dont entertain any hopes about beating Native Dancer, anything can happen in a horse race, but I would certainly rather have the gray horses chances than mine." Gives Troutt Credit While Troutt went over to saddle a horse, Mr. Constantin added a little more light to the picture, which Troutt would probably never have admitted. The Dallas, Texas, owner related that he had been in the sport for about 16 years, but had never had a stable that amounted to anything until he engaged Clyde to do his training. "I definitely attribute whatever success our stable has had," he remarked, "to Clydes training ability. A good horse can make a trainer, but a good trainer can add something to a horse. Off-hand I think Ben Jones is a perfect example of that. As a matter of fact, it was Ben Jones who recommended Clyde to me. That was in Chicago about four years ago. Since then, as you know, we have done fairly well. When Troutt came back from saddling a horse and it was mentioned that Ben Jones had suggested him to Mr. Constantin, he answered with his usual reserve, "Oh, I dont know. I guess I was the first fellow who came to Bens mind." Preakness day is the climax of the Mary- CLYDE TROUTT 1 1 i t I | j , , , j j , , , land spring season and tension will run high in the camps of every starter, but it is doubtful if Troutt will be any more busy on Saturday than he was yesterday afternoon as he saddled four horses for the races. As his employer said, "It looks like were running the whole stable today." Troutt came East for the first time last fall and sent out his share of winners during the Maryland season. As a visitor to the paddock remarked, "Sure he was a stranger around here last fall. Didnt you see him go around tapping with that cane?" But he didnt need a cane to find the winners circle and he already has had Royal Bay Gem in the envied enclosure earlier this week. If it happens again in the Preakness, the son of a rural Illinois mailman wont have to be shown where to get in on the Woodlawn Vase presentation.
