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Weighing In By Evan Shipman s Swaps Derby Seen as Absolutely True Race Eddie Arcaros Tactics Cannot Be Faulted Mr. Gus Established Expected Early Pace. AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 18. On the principle that "you cant have too much of a good thing," we would dearly love to see Swaps and Nashua meet again , in in a a match match race, race, but but we we will will nd- in in a a match match race, race, but but we we will will nd- , admit that we do not feel the same urgency in regard to this encounter that we did two summers ago when it was a question of bringing Greentrees Tom Fool and Alfred G. Vanderbilts Native Dancer together. As has been the fate of so many highly desirable matches, the Tom Fool-Native Dancer race never took place, the great gray three-year-old suffering an injury at Chicago that necessitated"" the suspension of his training. What would have happened had they met is anybodys guess, but the trouble is that Swaps has already tangled with Nashua in a race that every horseman of our acquaintance regards as absolutely "true." And Rex Ellsworths chestnut son of Khaled, on that occasion, not only took Nashuas "Sunday punch" in that crucial homestretch at Churchill Downs last month, but, to continue the metaphor, "rode with the blow" and went on to win that Kentucky Derby "going away." Nashua was in superb condition for that engagement, and we will add that Belairs husky son of Nasrullah was ridden by Eddie Arcaro with all that brilliant jockeys artistry and energy, only the inveterate "second guesser" able to fault his tactics. Nashua Was Moved at the Right Time Lets be specific. If Arcaro had in any way exag- gerated his "waiting race" with Nashua, granted that j Swaps was making his own pace out in front and not bothered, the criticism might conceivably be valid that Nashuas jockey had allowed the Californian to "steal" the Kentucky Derby. In other words, it might have been argued that a "sprinter" had defeated a "stayer" because that sprinter had only been forced really to extend himself for a couple of furlongs. Now let us get the facts straight; that is not the race we saw at Louisville. No, instead, Arcaro didnot wait, did not allow Swaps to catch his breath. The very moment on the backstretch that Swaps early opposition showed itself helpless to push or extend the leader, Arcaro moved Nashua to the charge. He initiated his drive at the half mile pole; between the far turn and he bend for home, he was on the outside of Swaps, never giving his rival a moments respite, and the length of their brush must be set at a good half mile. A match is considerably different from an ordinary race. In the ordinary race, you can often depend on others setting the pace, lying back until your own bid can be delivered with most effect. In the match, on the other hand, your adversary "feels you out" from the drop of the flag and, unless the tactics are totally false, both jockeys leaving the issue to the final quarter, the horse gifted with the greater stamina, the most perseverance, is going to win. Temperamental qualities play a large part here, and there is definitely such a thing as a "natural" match horse. Probably you know the kind we mean, the kind who will settle on one antagonist in the drive the one nearest him and outfinish that horse at all costs, hanging on like grim death no matter what is taking place out in the middle of the strip. Determine Exemplifies Match Temperment No horse that we have seen of recent years better exemplifies the "match temperament" than little Determine, Andy Crevolins 1954 Kentucky Derby winner and one of the toughest competitors in training at any distance at which thoroughbreds are asked to race. It was for this reason that we were looking forward eagerly to Determines encounter with Swaps both of them at scale weight in Hollywood Parks recent mile and a sixteenth Californian. At this season, the scale assigns three-year-olds 115 pounds and their elders 126 at the distance of the Hollywood feature. Now in that race, their encounter was slightly complicated by the presence in the field of Llangollyns Mister Gus, a Nasrullah four-year-old who will be recalled as having, two years ago, shown a sensationally fast six furlongs on the Widener v chute. Not discussing his class for the moment, Mister Gus is a horse of extraordinary speed, and the temptation of course in the Californian was for Detennines connections to plan a race in which Mister Gus would deal with Swaps early speed, later coming on to reap the full benefit of that "softening up." Mister Gus did just what was expected of him in the Californian, uncorking a half in :46, a three-quarters in 1:10 flat, while Dave Erb the "catch rider" from Chicago who was up on Swaps for the first time waited a length or so off this willing pace, and Ray York aboard Determine was another couple of lengths in the rear. From the far turn in, the chart says that York began to hustle Determine, but the diminutive gray made up very little ground. As they swung for home, Erb let out a wrap, and Swaps reached Mister Gus without ever feeling the whip. York was now driving Determine desperately, but it was only within the sixteenth pole that he caught and mastered the fleet Mister Gus, and he was never able to get his nose level with Swaps flank. Again as at Louisville, we are forced to concede that "the best horse won;" even when you do catch Swaps, as Nashuas friends are now well aware, that is by no means the same thing as beating him to the wire.
