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Least Bit of Bad Luck Would Have Beaten Dancer: Arcaro Veteran Rider Is of Opinion t Jamie K. Would Have Scored Under Such Circumstances By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 25. — "Ill tell you this, if Native Dancer had had the least bit of bad luck, we were going to win on Saturday," Eddie Arcaro said today. The veteran was, of course, referring to the finish of the Preak-ness in which he finished a neck back of the gray favorite on Spring Hill Farms Jamie K. You also gathered in discussing the race, that Arcaro felt that such bad luck as there was in the Preakness had befallen Jamie K. Had to Make Choice "That boy Combest was giving me fits on Royal Bay Gem coming to the five furlong poie," Arcaro said. "I looked over and saw him scuffling to go by me and up ahead Correspondent was beginning to drop back. I had to make a move much sooner than I wanted to and had a little trouble steering around Correspondent. At that, I was mighty tempted to do a desperado at the head of the stretch and if I had, I would either have won or fallen. There was only just this much space to go through. ..." Arcaro spread his hands indicating a width of about three feet. "If Id been able to go through Id have opened up two lengths, zoom! He was going that fast, but if hed lurched the least bit, and hes a little clumsy, Id have had Continued on Page Thirty-Eight Least Bit of Bad Luck Would Have Beaten Dancer: Arcaro Continued from Page One to fall. So we went around and didnt quite make it." Asked if he thought Jamie K. might improve off that race and be an even stronger factor in the Belmont Stakes at a mile and a half on June 13, Arcaro said: "Id have to guess hell improve some. Mr. Partridge says hes a colt whos just getting strong now, after being sick last winter." Later in the day, trainer Partridge remarked that Jamie K. is "a growthy sort of colt, who just had his real third birthday a few days ago. You know, I told you last winter, I didnt expect him to be really at his best until the fall. Another thing, hes still green. He runs better than any green horse Ive ever known. But he should improve some." Incidentally, Partridge explained that he had, in fact, sent telegrams to both Tony DeSpirito and Willie Shoemaker, asking them to let him know if they were available to ride Jamie K. in the Preakness. At that time, the veteran trainer had thought that Arcaro was still tied to Correspondent in the stake. "I didnt offer them the mount, but I did ask them to let me know if they would consider it," Partridge said, "and I guess Eddie misunderstood that I had told him when he said I hadnt wired DeSpirito. Of course, at the time I sent those wires, he didnt look like much of a mount."
