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Native Native Dancer Dancer to to Pass Pass Up Up Suburban; Suburban; Blue Blue Violin Violin Easily Easily Takes Takes Flossmoor Flossmoor NATIVE DANCER — Future plans of the gray champion are uncertain following his declaration from Mondays Suburban after he came back from a three-furlong trial in much distress yesterday morning. The Polynesian colt has 20 victories out of 21 engagements and 81,970 in earnings. In Much Distress Following Work X-Rays Taken After Trial Fail to Show Any Trace of Fracture in Right Forefoot By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 27. — Native Dancer will definitely not start in Mondays Suburban Handicap and his future on the race track is very much in doubt. The big gray champion, who took a couple of lame steps after an extended trial Sunday morning, but appeared sound after galloping two miles yesterday, was brought on the track for a three-furlong breeze this morning and came back in such distress that exercise rider Bernie Everson dismounted and walked him back to the barn. Native Dancer had breezed the three furlongs in :36%. Trainer Bill Winfrey, with Alfred G. Van-derbilt standing by, told a group of work-watchers at the barn: "We wanted to go in the Suburban and he The Dancer seemed fine this morning. Therefore we tried him out with the breeze. You saw the result. "We are sorry, but hopeful that new X-rays, which we will have made today, will show no fractures. The fact that the original X-rays showed nothing makes me hopeful on this score. Now that there is no chance for the Suburban, we have plenty of time and will just feel pur way with him. Plans Held in Abeyance "So far as plans for the future are concerned, it is obvious that there cant be any made or even discussed until this is diagnosed and cleared up." "There is nothing that I can add to what Bill has said," Vanderbilt told newsmen. "We are disappointed about the Suburban. That goes without saying. Well just have to await developments where the future is concerned." During the afternoon, Winfrey said that he had studied additional X-rays of Native Dancers right forefoot with Dr. William Wright and a technician and they had been unable to find any trace of a fracture. This means, the trainer said, that the gray champion will be watched carefully and returned to training as soon as it seems safe to do so, which may be a matter of weeks. Native Dancer has had a "suspicious" right ankle since his unbeaten juvenile campaign, one which appeared so suspect to the eye of the observer that it disquieted many of his admirers even before the 1952 Futurity. However, though the colt was sidelined from April until August of that Continued on Page Fiye Native Dancer Will Not Go to Post in Suburban In Much Distress After Work; X-Rays Fail to Show Fracture Continued from Page One year, he was evidently racing sound, and continued so through a campaign of 10 -races at three, all of which he won except the Kentucky Derby, in -which he was narrowly beaten by Daik Star. That right ankle remained obviously large, but obviously troubled other observers more than it did either Native Dancer or his owner and trainer. After winning the American Derby at Washington Park on August 22, Native Dancer was scheduled to meet Tom Fool in the Sysonby Mile, whichwas hailed as the "Race of the Year," if not of the cen- tury. However, the gray son of Polynesian — Geisha, by Discovery, developed stone bruises which ultimately caused him to be retired for the year. After wintering well on the Vanderbilt farm in Maryland, Native Dancer came back to score impressively in an overnight handicap at six furlongs, then beat Green-tree Stables Straight Face by a neck in the Metropolitan Mile, his hardest race since the Kntucky Derby. When Native Dancer showed what Winfrey described as a tender right forefoot following his fine trial on an exceptionally fast track Sunday morning, the young trainer appeared to think that the trouble might be in the foot, but neither X-rays nor his own examination showed any trace of brusises. Yesterday morning, Winfrey invited a member of the publicity staff of the New York Racing Associations to feel Native Dancers feet and report whether or not he detected any difference. This gentleman Pat OBrien reported to Winfrey he did note some very slight difference in the region of the coronet band. Winfrey grinned, said, "Hot water may have had something to do with that, I just wanted to see how well you could feel." OBrien explained to this writer, "It just seemed less cold than the left foot." Native Dancer has been nominated to four stakes at Aqueduct, including the Brooklyn Handicap won by Tom Fool last year, as well as stakes in California and Chicago, and to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, England, during the summer. Whether or not he will fill any of these engagements is now problematical. Should Native Dancer have run his last race, which is a possibility, he will go to stud with earnings of 81,970, placing him fourth behind Citation, Stymie and Armed on the roster of worlds leading money winners, and will have equalled Man o Wars record of 20 victories in 21 starts. There is a trace of irony in the fact that his three-year-old half-brother, Performance, who resembles Native Dancer in color, conformation and action, made his debut in the Vanderbilt silks yesterday. Performance hardly looms a replacement for his illustrious brother, finishing unplaced after getting the lead at the stretch turn.
