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ALFRED G. VANDERBILT— Owner-breeder of the Preakness winner, Native Dancer. Native Dancer Withstands Jamie K. to Win Preakness Vanderbilts Gray Champion Passes Finish Neck to Good Dark Star Falters From Duel* With Victor to Finish Fifth; Third Goes to Royal Bay Gem By CHARLES HATTON PIMLICO, Baltimore. Md., May 2.— Native Dancer thundered to a tremendously popular and very hard earned victory in the 77th Preakness before one of the largest crowd in the stakes history this sunny afternoon. Responding gallantly to Eric Guerins call when challenged by Spring Hill Farms Jamie K. in the final furlong, A. G. Vanderbilts gray son of Polynesian came to the finish a diminishing neck in front of the outsider from Long Island. It was six lengths back to Eugene Constantin, Jr.s Royal Bay Gem, who was third another two lengths in advance of B. S. Campbells Ram o War. Native Dancer was the medium of the largest single race handle in Pimlicos long history and returned .40 for .00 in a pool of 96,634. "The Dancer" fully atoned for his recent defeat by Dark Star in the Kentucky Derby, racing that colt into the ground curving for home, but caught a tartar the last three-sixteenths in the gaunt form of Jamie K. The unfashionably bred son of Crowfoot came steadily on the Saga-morean, but the latter stuck to his guns and stood him off gamely over the last yards. Tallies Thirteenth Time Guerin had the favorite closer to the pace in the early running today than he was in the Derby but after disposing of the speed horses, he was understandbly begin-ing to tire when the surprising Jamie K. challenged. This marked Native Dancers 13th success in 14 starts during his spectacular career and the 5,200 win money increased his total earnings to 40,245 over a track which was described as fast but which may have been a trifle dull. He carried his 126 pounds the Preakness distance in 1:57%. This was a second and four-fifths behind Capots track record. The perfect weather conditions and the promise of one of the most memorable of all Preakness runnings attracted a crowd of 30,756 from all parts of the country to the home of the Maryland Jockey Club. Native Dancer was given a tremendous ovation as he pulled up after his successful journey and in the usual pageantry of the winners enclosure following Marylands greatest classic Gov. Theodore McKeldin of this state presented the Woodlawn vase to owner and breeder Vanderbilt. Unlike the first of the "Triple Crown" events, this renewal of the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans was free of any palpable interference and it appeared that the best horse won, though it was a desperate struggle over the last yards. In addition to the 5,200 accruing the winner, there were substantial prizes of 5,000 second money, 5,000 third, and ,500 fourth, under the new division of the Preakness purse. Contrary to the forebodings of the local weather forecasters, the day was golden and crowds started gathering at an early Ithe hour. There were scores about each of the entrances at 8 : 30 a. m., many carrying with i them camp chairs and other accoutrements of a family picnic. It was the first time since the epic match between Seabiscuit and War Admiral that there was any-such crush of early risers, awaiting the opening of the gates to secure vantage points from which to see a race at Pimlico. Thousands crossec the course to the innerfield and reclining on the grass between races. There was no provision for wagering behind the "tote" board this spring, as at past Preaknesses. The crowds still were jampacking into the park after the program started, and by the time the third race was decided the management estimated it had grown to 30,000, despite the "live" TV and radio programs. Wagering on the early events suggested the Pimlico record handle of ,219120, established back in 1946, migh be endangered. Though the "tote" accommodations had been increased, there was some congestion at the auxiliary units, as many of the crowd patronized these instead of the main line. The Preakness Day program was presented in all its traditional color and circumstance. A red-coated 50-piece band, preceded by a corps of Baltimores dressy mounted police, paraded down the homestretch after the -second race, blaring a lively march, and took up a position in the innerfield from where they entertained between the succeeding events. There were endless luncheon parties in the members club and basket parties in the innerfield. TV and movie crews swarmed over the roof of the stand, and in short it was a typical Continued mi Page Fire # The Dancer" Neck Preakness Victor Withstands Jamie K. in Tight Fit at Pimlico; Dark Star Is Faltering Fifth to Gray Colt Continued from Page On* Preakness setting, emphasized by an unusually large crowd. The field was well behaved at the gate, situated at the top of the three-sixteenths mile home stretch and, as the break came, Guerin hustled the eventual winner out of there and had attained a good position just off the pacemaking Dark Star and Tahitian King going to the clubhouse turn. He was on the rail with Correspondent left outside and obviously trying to match strides with him to the crucial point in the race. Going up the backstretch Dark Star continued to race along on the lead, prompted by Tahitian King with Guerin biding his time about two lengths back, accompanied by Correspondent. Thrilling Duel to Wire At the end of the backstretch, Guerin called on Native Dancer and moved through between the tiring Tahitian King and Dark Star to make his bid. Coming to the top of the stretch Native Dancer thoroughly discouraged Dark Star, who began to beat a retreat and straightened up for the run home slightly in the lead. But at this juncture Arcaro was seen to be gaining rapidly on the outside with the stretch running Jamie K. He got to Native Dancer just inside the furlong pole and both he and Guerin were driving their mounts with hand, whip and heel. In the last frenzied yards Jamie K. continued to gain slowly but inexorably and Guerin was forced to draw on every ounce of Native Dancers reserve to save the day by a neck. Meanwhile Royal Bay Gem, always a slow beginner, picked up beaten horses through the stretch and finished a very distant third. Ram o War, following Royal Bay Gem, earned the fourth award. The time for the race by furlongs was :12y5. :22%, :35, :47, :59%, 1:11%, 1:25%, 1:38%, 1:51% and 1:57%. The show pool on the race went enthusiastically minus and totaled 6,012. NATIVE DANCER — The Preakness Stakes winner, with Eric Guerin, aboard.
