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Preakness Highlights Pimlico Meet Wagering Slightly Above Last Spring Nashua Provides Greatest Thrill With Record Score Oyer Saratoga in Classic Nashuas track record-breaking performance in the 79th Preakness highlighted the 18-day spring session at Pimlico, a meeting which produced an increase in daily average pari-mutuel handle over the corresponding 1954 term, and fell off only 20 persons per program in the comparative attendance. Last spring, the daily patronage mean totaled 12,271, while this year the figure was 12,251 from an overall 220,518 farjs who attended the three-week meeting at the historical Baltimore course. Pimlicos mutuel pools struck an average of 36,325 per diem grand total, 6,853,-845 this spring, as compared to 28,767 for the 18-day session in 1954. Nashua, Belairs big bay three-year-old who now ranks seventh on the all-time thoroughbred money-earning list with 69,990, added 7,550 to that total by winning the mile and three-sixteenths Preakness in 1:54%, one and one-fifth seconds faster than the previous standard, set by Tom Fool in the 1953 Pimlico Special. The Preakness marked Nashuas only appearance at famous OF Hilltop, but it was sufficient to vault him atop the money-earning horses list and give his owner, William Woodward, Jr., the honor of being the meetings leading money-winning owner. Stakes Wins Well Distributed Four other stakes and handicaps were decided, all falling to different interests. Wheatley Stables High Voltage, last years champion juvenile filly, accounted for the Black-Eyed Susan, first of the big features to be presented. Venerable Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, Belair trainer, also does the conditioning chores for Wheatley. George Gardners great grass runner, the imported St. Vincent, won the Dixie Handicap, long a fixture at the Maryland track. The Preakness Prep was won by Honeys Alibi, while Rock Cottage took the Riggs Handicap, closing feature Memorial Day. Sea Admiral, owned by W. E. Crismer and ridden by Carlos Gonzalez, set a track turf course record of l:38J/5 for the mile when he rallied in the stretch for an upset victory over One Throw in the Tom Fool Purse, before 10,041 fans, May 17. The old mark was 1:38%, set by Going Away a year ago. Robert J. Martin captured the jockey championship with 17 victories in 125 ac- j ceptances. His closest competitor was C. M. Clark, who won with 15 of 101 mounts. The top training honor was won by A. T. Clarke, who saddled eight victors. J. W. WOODLAWN VASE PRESENTATION— Highlight of the Pimlico Spring Meeting, as always, was the Preakness Stakes, which went to Nashua. In the winners circle following the running were, left to right, Herman Cohen, president of Pimlico; Mrs. Theodore R. McKeldin, wife of Marylands Governor; Thomas DAllesandro, mayoT of Baltimore, who presented the trophy; D. Eldred Rineharr, chairman of the Maryland State Racing Commission,* Secretary of the Treasury George Humphrey, Mrs. William Woodward, Jr., Eddie Arcaro, William Woodward, Jr., owner of Belair Stud, and Mrs. Eddie Arcaro.
