view raw text
a — j Pimlico Memos By FRED GALIANI Carries Ladder to View Preakness Show Pool Larger Than Win Pool Atlantic Staff Out in Full Force PIMLICO, Baltimore, Md., May 23.— Preakness leftovers — theres no doubt that Native Dancer has captured the publics iancy. wnen ne paraded on the track for the Preakness a wave of applause swept down the grandstand as he passed each section of the crowd. The paens of praise was considerably swelled after he won the seventy-seventh running of the famous race . . . Fences were put up in the infield to keep the crowds off the newly installed turf course, but there was no holding back the Maryland horseflesh enthusiasts and they swarmed past them, stopping momentarily at the hedge in front of the turf course, but then cleared that and lined the rail . .One intrepid soul was not going to be denied a view of the race. He carried a ladder around the infield with him, placing it at vantage points. . An anxious trio of Van-derblit, trainer Winfrey and farm manager Ralph Kercheval watched the running of the race from a broadcasting booth next to the press box. They made it to the winners circle in track record time . . . When the management put in a new tote board, they didnt figure on Native Dancer coming around. They ran out of numbers to indicate the amount of money bet on the Preakness winner. The show pool was larger than the win pool, indicating the bridge jumpers were out with loaded satchels. Money wagered for third totaled 22,493, of which 81,576 was on the winner. The win pool was 50,456, with 85,705 on the Dancer. . .Despite Dark Star and Royal Bay Gems defeats, Warner L. Jones, Jr., has raised the stud fee for Royal Gem II. from ,000 to ,000. The price was raised after Dark Star won the Derby. Personalities glimpsed in the crowd not previously noted before were a full quota of representatives from Atlantic City in Leon Levy, Frank Fiore, Paul Fraley, Wally Orr, Harold Johnson, Phil Baker and Lou Cunningham. The press in the stands prompted Fiore to mention that the shore track, spacious as it already is, has added an escalator in the grandstand to help speed the flow of crowds. Other improvements at the Jersey track are the construction of a seven-furlong chute and a new 8-stall barn. . .William Helis, Jr., was unable to be present but his farm manager Jock Barshak acted as host to the Greek minister the Hon. John Kalergis, Clayton Fritchie, Col. and Mrs. Douglas Crane, Mr. and Mrs. George Vournas. Christ Petron and Mrs. Drew Pearson. Official Washington was represented by Wisconsin senator Joe McCarthy, Maryland senator Herbert E. OConnor and George Garrett, former ambassador to Ireland. J. Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolson, the FBI twins, were on hand . Monmouth prexies Ed Brennan, Phil Iselin, Horace Wade . . . Harry Parr IH., former president of Pimlico. . .New England was not missing from the picture, Billy Ames, of Narragan-sett Park, f illing in . . . Leeds Riely, of Charles Town, was caught in the rush and took time out to state that the West Virginia tracks new clubhouse will be ready for the summer meeting, with its capacity almost doubled . . . Mayor Thomas DAlle-sandro, of Baltimore was there . . . Mrs. Robert J. Kleberg, wife of the owner of the fabulous King Ranch ... Laurel Park race course was out in force with Morris and John Schapiro, Joe Cascarella, Dolph Gilman and Bill "International" Jaeger on the scene... Also Tom Shehan, editor of the Horsemens Journal who just came back to the East from California. Remy Dorr, the handicapper, was the guest of trainer Clyde Truott. . Ann Collins, the artist, showed up as did Joe Levins, representative of the Anglo -Irish Bloodstock Agency . . . Also in the thick of things were Carl Evans and Gus Wortham, of Houston, Texas. . Duval Headley, the Kentuckian, and his party, including Mrs. Marie M. Moore, deserted the box during the afternoon to watch the running of the Metropolitan on television. Mrs. Moore recently purchased a half interest in Intent who ran third . . . Spencer Drayton, of the TRPB, was spotted among the huge throng. . Unin- Continued on Page Thirty -Six Pimlico Memos By FRED GALIANI Continued from Page Two hibited fellow at the clubhouse bar was sporting a gaudy jockeys cap "Kentucky Derby souvenir — 1953." t Elmer Trueman happened to remark before the Preakness, "My, Ive seen a lot of Preakn esses. I rode around here in 1907, so I guess Ive seen about 40 of them. I ran a filly called Flamma in the Derby one year, she was third to Worth. I happened to look up the Derby table a couple of weeks ago and I saw the year, 1912. I didnt think it was that long ago" . . Another oldtimer chalking up records of Preakness renewals is Charley Kellert, the Western Union operator. He has seen 40 Preaknesses and had 80 box lunches . . . The Maryland Jockey Club Band, preceded by the Baltimore City polices team of high-stepping horses, added the usual touch of color to the afternoon. The band has added a couple of new numbers to their repetoire of Maryland and Dixie.