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Native Dancer Two-Length Winner of American Derby JOCKEY EDDIE ARCARO Had easy ride astride champion American Derby. Landlocked Second to Gray Champion at Washington Earnings Soar to 43,920 By winning Saturdays American Derby with its purse of 6,500, Native Dancer increased his earnings in two years .of competition to 43,920. He stands fourth among the list of worlds leading money winners. The top 10 follow: Horse: SU. 1st 2d. 3d. Amount Won. Citation 45 32 10 2 ,085,760 Stymie .131 35 33 28 918,485 Armed 81 41 20 10 817,475 Native Dancer . 19 18 1 0 743,920 Assault 42 18 6 7 675,470 Oil Capitol.... 77 19 10 9 580,756 Whirlaway .... 60 32 15 9 561,161 On Trust..... 88 23 19 13 554,125 Ponder 41 14 7 4 541,275 Tom Fool 28 19 7 1 503,765 Arcaro Rides Colt Perfectly Before Crowd of 37,108 in 18th Successful Performance By J. J. MURPHY WASHINGTON PARK, Homewood, 111., Aug. 22. Native Dancer, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilts handsome gray charger, added to his honors in winning the 00,000 added American Derby here this afternoon. With 37,108 patrons looking on the handsome son ofPolynesian registered a two-length victory in the mile and one-eighth affair and was timed in 1:48. The time was one-fifth second slower than the track record established by Colosal, a five-year-old who carried 118 pounds in 1948. Native Dancer broke fifth and as usual dropped some distance back of the pace in the early part. He cut to the inside of a horse after leaving the backstretch, then came to the outside of three of his rivals in the stretch to cut them down and win easily. The winner was coupled with Beachcomber, who finished last in the field of nine arid the entry paid .40 to win and .20 to place There was no show betting. Arcaros Perfect Ride Eddie Arcaro, who was substituting for Eric Guerin on Native Dancer, rode the colt perfectly. He used good judgment in coming to the inside after going six furlongs and evidently sensing he had a powerful racer under him, was satisfied to sacrifice ground in the stretch to obtain clear passage. Native Dancer, to those unused to viewing him in action, might have appeared as if he were in for a rough time when he was about a half dozen lengths out of it on the stretch turn and Sir Mango was racing steadily in front. However, those accustomed to watching the gallant Van-derbilt colt turn on the steam were not perturbed. Even before the eighth pole was reached it was obvious that he "had" his field and when he charged in the middle of the track it was merely a matter of the number of winning lengths. Landlocked, who slipped into this track unheralded about a week ago and who carried the silks of James Cox Brady, earned 5,000 in beating Harvey C. Frue-haufs Precious Stone but a quarter of a length for second place and Precious Stone took down 2,500 as third money in trimming Sir Mango by three lengths. The winners share of the purse was 6,500. Continued on Page Five . Photo by Mike Sirlco. NATIVE DANCER Vanderbilt gray chalked up eighteenth success of career in accounting for American Derby and boosting his earnings to 43,920. Native Dancer Takes American Derby By Two Lengths in Near-Record Time Landlocked Second to Gray Champion as Arcaro Rides Victor to His 18th Score Continued from Page One Two withdrawals from the original entries were Van Crosby, whose trainer deemed the distance too much against such opposition, and Thaxter, who appeared to be in a trifle over his head. The field was off to a good start, with Ace Destroyer showing in front, but when they had leveled off after rounding the i first turn, Sir Mango was two lengths to the good, with Landlocked in second place and Precious Stone third. The placing was unchanged in the run down the backstretch and Native Dancer was in seventh place. Sir Mango continued to whiz along two lengths in the van as they approached the stretch turn and it was still Landlocked second and Precious Stone third, with Native Dancer moving up. The most excitement came about after they had straightened out for home. At that stage it was obvious that Sir Mango would not make it and when Landlocked moved up within a head of the latter an eighth out, it seemed as if he might take the money. But that was only for an instant. Native Dancer came on the outside to dispel all doubt as to which was the best horse. He passed Landlocked and was well on his way to success, which he achieved without a great deal of effort. Native Dancer has seldom had a more pleasant day on which to make a winning jaunt and he might have appeared before larger but certainly never before a more enthusiastic crowd. He was applauded as he paraded to the post and received further acclaim at the end. Makes Move When He Sees Fit Following are comments from principals: "I guess hes just about everything they have said he is," Eddie Arcaro said after the race. "He handled himself perfectly, but going down the backstretch he didnt seem to be doing much. Nearing the half mile pole I got busy and started to pump him. He still didnt do much. But all of a sudden he started to run and that was it. Apparently he likes to make his move when he sees fit." Alfred Vanderbilt, who rode back to the jockeys quarters with Arcaro and the other riders, asked Arcaro if he ever hit the colt. Arcaro answered: "I was afraid I would have to get at him early, and when I started to pump him and he did not respond immediately, I was about to hit him with the whip when he started to run. "I knew I had the race won half way around the final turn, and then I was afraid to hit him. I thought he might do something that would knock him off his stride. So I just sat there. "I shook the whip at him several times through the stretch, but it was not necessary to hit him." Arcaro said that Native Dancer, of course, i : . i . I l . l I 1 f f , - 5 i - i s i 3 L e s l. e d s was one of the greatest horses he had ever ridden, but preferred not to laud him as the greatest ever. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, naturally, was pleased with the effort of Native Dancer, but there was no enthusiasm evident. As a matter of fact it was in the reverse. "Sure I am pleased by Native Dancers race, but what about Beachcomber?" Vanderbilt had expected Beachcomber to finish close up to Native Dancer. The gelding finished absolutely last." Said Johnny Heckmann, who rode Landlocked: "No excuses. My horse ran a good race but that "Dancer" is just too much for any of them." W. M. Cookj who rode Precious Stone, said: "I saw my chance between the quarter and eighth pole. I realized I moved in too quickly but figured Id take the lead and make him catch me." Dave Erb, who rode Sir Mango, said: "My1 horse ran a good race. He ran easy. All I can say he had to catch me." Native Dancer caught him. It was learned late today that Arcaro possibly was in pain when he rode Native Dancer. Only this morning an. injured ankle was X-rayed to determine a possible fracture. He sustained this injury several days ago. Prairie State to Sea 0 Erin The success of the Hasty House Farm Stable continued despite the defeat of their entry in the Derby when Sea O Erin, regarded as the lesser half of their entry, which included the Arlington Futurity winner, Hasty Road, won the Prairie State Stakes, the days secondary feature. The winners award was 6,075 and Sea O Erin defeated Pursuance, an outsider, in a driving finish. Pursuance, making the third start of his career and his second at this meeting, set all the pace but Sea O Erin, ridden by John Adams, moved up to him and passed him in the last sixteenth. The winning entry was favorite and paid .20. Hasty Road, outrun early, made up much ground to take third place and might have been the best colt in the race. He was required to come around his field. Tuosix also obliged to race rather wide, was fourth. Sea O Erin ran the six furlongs in 1 : 10. Breakers was winner of the Lafayette Purse sixth race on the bill when jockey Ken Church sent him down the inside to be up in time to nip Amati. Breakers was an outsider and paid 5.00.
