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Photo by Caufield Shook Inc Field of 11 starters in 1953 Derby In post parade Photo by Caufield Shook Inc Starters in gate at head of stretch awaiting go sign Recall Dark StarNative Dancer Duel Fans Still Debate Famous 53 Upset UpsetSimilar Similar to Brokers Tips Tiff With Head Play Moreno Says Theyd Have Won Regardless RegardlessBy By DON FAIR FAIRStaff Staff Correspondent CorrespondentCHURCHILL CHURCHILL DOWNS Louisville Ky April 30 Perhaps no Kentucky Derby re ¬ newal other than the famous Brokers Tip Head Play duel stirred up quite so much postrace debate as Dark Stars stunning upset of Native Dancer in the 1953 running of the threeyearold classic classicAlfred Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilts gray flash unbeaten until bowing to Cain Hoy Stables Dark Star went on after his Derby reversal to trim the best of his age division and stamp himself as one of the top colts of the past decade While he suffered inter ¬ ference in the big race last year and may have been best it is impossible to sincerely take anything away from Dark Star StarIn In reviewing the last Derby the jostling Native Dancer was subjected to at the clubhouse turn probably cost him victory but on the other hand when he had a clear shot at Dark Star through the final furlong he simply could not overtake his flying rival and a head separated the two leaders on the wire wireMuch Much of the credit for the Cain Hoy colts Derby success must go to little Henry Moreno During the drive to the final marker jockey Moreno held his mount to ¬ gether long enough to get the rich prize Many observers still express the opinion that the story might have been quite dif ¬ ferent in a few more strides Good horses however have a way of hanging on a bit longer especially when they are gifted with a heart such as Dark Stars StarsMoney Money Broker Swerves into Favorite FavoriteG G and G Stables Money Broker who came to Churchill Downs last spring with a Florida Derby conquest in his record swerved into Native Dancer rounding the initial bend and it was necessary for jockey Eric Guerin to ease the favorite back to secure racing room Possibly if The Dancer had occupied a stronger position after the start the roughing might have been avoided and he could have tested Dark Star on equal terms termsThere There are some people who blame Guerin for Native Dancers defeat but they forget that the Louisianaborn race rider was and still is one of our leading journeyman reins men Those same racing followers may have forgotten the million dollar ride Guerin gave Maine Chance Farms Jet Pilot over an off track on a cloudy May afternoon in 1947 in which the Blenheim Ilsired colt beat C V Whitneys hard charging Phalanx with Eddie Arcaro at the reins by only a head That pair also might have gone on for another sixteenth of a mile and the result remained in Jet Pilots favor a matter of heart again againJockey Jockey Moreno believes to this day that Native Dancer couldnt have caught Dark Star in the Derby Recently at Keeneland Moreno stated that until the Cain Hoy Stable colt went amiss in the Preakness he was sure that he was astride the win ¬ ner of the Pimlico stakes stakesWe We were just breezing along in a good position when he bobbled and I knew we were through said Moreno
