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j. i i . ; I , , , : ♦ * DeSpirito Astride Bay State Winners 1952 Leading Jockey Guides Oclirock and Nirgal Lad to Victory at Suffolk Downs By AVERY BROWN Staff Correspondent SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., May 23. — A. J. Ostrikers Oclirock and T. A. Sears Nirgal Lad provided popular tri-i umphs in their respective divisions of the sixth edition of the 0,000 Bay State j Kindergarten Stakes at Suffolk Downs to-, day. Oddly enough, the most talked-about rider in this and many other sectors, Tony DeSpirito, proved a capable substitute on each of the winners and added to the glory ! he has already piled up. Frankie Zehr, who was injured here recently, was originally , scheduled to handle Oclirock and the mount on Nirgal Lad was Keith Stuarts j until that lad ran afoul of the stewards and is sitting out a 10 -day suspension. I Neither of the triumphs was easy for j DeSpirito and it was his never give-up I drive that brought first Oclirock to a head | j decision over Mrs. Irving Gushens Cold I I Jack in the first division of the stakes. J While Nirgal Lads margin was a half i | length over G. S. Colellas Switch On. The winning colt will know he has been | j to the races by the steady tattoo his rider applied to bring him from a couple of lengths off the leader at the furlong pole. Cherry-Oca Stables Helentar was third in Oclirocks division, beaten three parts of a length for the place and in the second half of the event, Irving Gushens Arthur S. easily saved the minor award, while beaten three and a half lengths for the runner-up spot. 24,358 in Attendance Nine started in each end of the divided Bay State and ,825 net went to the respective winners. It was the first time either had accounted for a stakes. A crowd of 24,358 attended the races here this ideal day. Mild weather under a sunny sky prevailed but the heavy rains during the night left the racing strip muddy for the early races, drying out enough to be termed heavy by the time the two-year-olds raced in the Bay State. As was expected Nirgal Lads time for the five furlongs shaded that turned in by Oclirock, the former being timed in 1:00% as against 1:01% for the invader. Oclirock was well handled by DeSpirito and only the fact that the sensational journeyman picked a good spot to guide his charge made it possible for the victory. After gaining a forward position at the break, DeSpirito kept the invader clear of any possible crowding on the turns and laid about two lengths off the pace until the quarter pole. At that point Cold Jack had taken command and was under pressure to protect the lead from the challenging Helentar on the outside and Cant Please along the inside. Cant Please gained even terms for the lead and just when it appeared the Fighting Step colt was going away he swerved into the inner rail, collided abruptly, bob-bled but failed to go down under the skillful handling of the veteran Joe Cavens. That eliminated Cant Please, with Cold Jack now battling Helentar for the lead and I appearing the winner. i DeSpirito quickly moved Oclirock into the spot vacated by Cant Please and with • the late surge he had reserved sent the winner past Cold Jack in the final yards. Oclirock was timed in 1:01% for the five furlongs over the heavy going. Installed the public choice, the payoff on Oclirock was .40. Nirgal Lad, a bay son of Nirgal — Fan-tomas, bred by Ira Drymon, clearly established his claim to supremacy over the juveniles stabled here, todays score being his fourth in five outings. That lone defeat was at the hand of Arthur S., whom he has turned the tables on three times.
