view raw text
Hasty Hasty Road Road Gets Gets Up Up to to Win Win Wright; Wright; Greatest Greatest Takes Takes Bull Bull Dog Dog Hi-Weight Hi-Weight Has Three-Length Margin on Paytu Devereux Homebred Draws Out in Stretch; Lois Cook Stars With Four Winners By DON FAIR Staff Correspondent DETROIT? RACE COURSE, Livonia, Mich., June 26. Greatest, a four-year-old homebred son of Equifox and Gayest, carried the silks of the Lexington, Kentucky sportsman, Thomas F. Devereux, to a mildly-surprising victory here this pleasant afternoon in the inaugural running of the Bull Dog Hi-Weight Handicap before an enthusiastic half-holiday crowd of 15,890 spectators. Superbly ridden by the veteran reinsman, Charlie Swain, the Devereux colt sped to the end of the five and one-half furlongs stake with three lengths to spare over his nearest rival, M. J. Boylens Paytu. Five lengths away, Ralph Lowes Pictus, the favorite and starting highweight, finished third with a neck margin over Arthur Roses Vie, early pacemaker in the band of seven Bull Dog Hi-Weight starters. Carries 128 Pounds Greatest, pegged at 128 pounds, which burden was four pounds less than that of Pictus, stepped the dash distance over the slow track in 1:07. Not too well-regarded in the wagering, despite a previous success at the Detroit meeting, the Devereux star went to the post at 27-to-5. His triumph in the stake wasworth ,995 of the ,740 gross purse. Jockey Lois Cook held the spotlight here at the MRA track today, scoring with four of his mounts in the first six races. Immediately after the finish of the race, General manager Robert Leavitt, of the Michigan Racing Association, presented trainer Pat Devereaux with a handsome silver plate, symbolic of Greatests account-Continued on Page Fifty-Six JOCKEY LOIS C. COOK Booted honk four winners on Saturdays Detroit Race Course program. Greatest Annexes Hi-Weight Event Leads Paytu Home by Three Lengths; Jockey Lois Cook Stars With Four Winners Continued from Page One trainer Pat Devereux with a handsome ing. Jockey Swain also took part in the brief post-race winners ring ceremonies. Money Broker, who had been assigned 140 pounds, and Big Heart, were withdrawn. I. J. Collins Fair Pilot also passed the stake engagement, due to the "off" track prevailing after heavy rains and a flash storm which struck the Motor City area late Friday night. Starter Johnny Morrissey sent the Bull Dog Hi-Weight band out of the gate in a "line break" and Triumphant was first to show in front but he gave way to Vie before going a sixteenth of a mile. The Rose filly then set the pace to the stretch while Heart Flash and Paytu offered her the sternest opposition. Greatest was steadied back of the leaders and he was no better than sixth passing the initial quarter mile marker. Approaching the stretch, Swain wisely sent Greatest up on the inside and, after his mount had put Vie and Paytu away in order, settled for the final test with a length and one-half advantage. Paytu raced gamely when set down in the drive but he was unable to reach the flying winner, although he was not under strong pressure to easily best Pictus, who came from last entering the home lane. Vie lasted for fourth and she was but a neck back of the choice at the final marker. Mrs. J. H. Woodcocks Epic King, under jockey Lois Cook, Kona, Kentucky-born reinsman, galloped to the easiest kind of a victory in the co-featured Port Huron Purse under Cook, who was handling his fourth winner on the half-holiday card. Seven lengths off the Woodcock stable star, Fiddle, from the Mrs. E. E. Dale Shaffer barn, finished second and he was two and one-half lengths up on Mrs. eGorge C. Whites Nocallula for that portion of the purse., Clarence Hartwicks Sickles Image, making her second appearance under silks this year, wound up a soniidly-beaten fourth in the field of a half dozen Port Huron starters. Scored Last Monday Epic King, who won his initial 1954 start here last Monday in T the three-quarters mile Gratiot Purse, skipped the three-quarters mile of the Port Huron over the "off" track in an impressive 1:12 and he could have unquestionably bettered that mark had he been under pressure during the stretch run. Favored in the speculation at 9-to-10, the Woodcock gelding and jockey Cook received a nice round of applause when they returned to the scales. Jockey Lois Cook, who began saddle activity today tied with Bobby Baird for major riding honors at the current meeting, won both ends of the Daily Double. Cook hustled Joseph Cebulas Son Al home first in the one mile and a furlong opener, downing nine other useful platers, then came back in the six-furlong second to achieve a well-deserved victory astride J. and R. Benedicts Gold Flash, best of the nine ordinary platers meeting in the sprint. Son Al, a 19-to-5 shot, and Gold Flash, 41-to-10 straight, were good-for a 2.50 pay-off in the Daily Double pool. James Paddocks Louisville, Kentucky-owned Celeriter, with jockey Baird at the reins, romped to an easy eight and one-half lengths triumph in the one mile third and might have bettered his margin had he been put to any pressure during the late stages of the test. Marion H. VanBergs Fertile Lands ran second, three lengths before Albert Wellmans Foxpoise while R. C. Groffs Forever Hi was along for fourth money in the band of eight middle distance racers. Celeriter, a four-year-old On Location-sired colt, became a double winner at the MRA session after stepping the eight furlongs over the dull footing in 1:42. The paddock representative went to the post at 2-to-l. Halrack Third Winner Jockey Cook handled his third successful mount on the half-holiday card in the nine-furlongs fourth, coasting to the wire with P. L. Hallums Halrack, -who held a three and one-half lengths advantage over his nearest rival, Everett Lowrances Tonight. Mary and John Bauers favored Our Kite raced well to the stretch, then failed to stay and finished third, two lengths off Tonight. Mrs. H. Kennedys Man Bar ran fourth in the band of six starters. Halrack, recent victor in two local engagements, posted his third success in 1:56 and paid 5.80 in the straight tote pool. Marion H. VanBergs consistent filly, Foxie Jeanie, alertly ridden by little Tony Skoronski, was easily best of the nine three-year-olds meeting in the six furlongs Fifth Marine Division Purse. Taking command soon after the start, the VanBerg miss reached the wire four lengths in advance of Mrs. George C. Whites Cols Daughter, who led James Paddocks Nonnie Jo by a half length margin for place honors. Foxie Jeanie, a daughter of Equifox, posted her third triumph in but four starts and she was a 21-to-5 chance in the wagering. "
