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Shoemaker Has Chance To Increase His Lead DeSpirito Set Down Through June 27; Willie Has 188 Wins Willie Shoemaker has an excellent opportunity to increase his lead in the national jockey standings now that Tony DeSpirito, 1952 champion, has been set down for the balance of the Suffolk Downs meeting. Shoemaker, who tied Joe Culmone for the American riding title in 1950, currently holds a commanding margin over DeSpirito and the rest of his contemporaries. Wee Willie, a Texan by birth, who is plying his trade at Hollywood Park at the moment, rode 188 winners from January 1 through June 15, according to the official statistics compiled by Daily Racing Form. DeSpirito had 135 successes since the first of the year when set down. At his present pace, Shoemaker could be the first American jockey to attain 400 winners in one year. The record now is held by DeSpirito, who found the charmed circle 390 times last year. However, while still maintaining an approximate percentage of 25, Shoemaker has slowed down a bit from the torrid reinsmanship he displayed earlier in the year at Santa Anita and Tanforan. Harold "Red" Keene presently is lodged in third place with 124winners. Making big gains during the past 30 days were Eddie Plesa and William Hartack. Plesa, a veteran, who is riding at Cran-wood Park, vaulted into sixth place, only one behind Eddie Arcaro, with 91 winners by virtue of booting home around 60 during the past month and one-half. Hartack, an apprentice now at Waterford Park, shot into eleventh position, a scant victor off the mark of veteran Johnny Adams. Official national jockey standings through June 15 follow: Jockey. Mts. 1st. 2d. 3d. Shoemaker, W. 687 188 117 82 DeSpirito, A. 485 135 86 74 Keene, H. 604 124 98 75 Burr.C. 681 103 105 85 Arcaro, E. 390 92 74 41 Plesa, E. 426 91 74 65 Longden,J. 475 89 75 48 Atkinson, T. 567 86 64 61 Lester, W. 566 84 66 64 •Adams, J. 484 82 62 62 Hartack, W. 430 81 62 57 Woodhouse.H. 478 80 64 68 Shuk.N. 388 79 61 45 Gomez, A. 266 78 55 39 Neves, R. 535 78 74 89
