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Needles Needles Victorious Victorious in in Derby; Derby; Nashua Nashua Beats Beats Find Find by by Head Head Now Only ,145 Off Citation Mark Combs Colt Turns In Terrific Effort in Grey Lag Handicap Under 128; Fisherman Third By BOB HORWOOD JAMAICA, N. Y., May 5,— Ridden with chilly brilliance by Ted Atkinson, Nashua thrilled a crowd of 38,787 at Jamaica today by winning the 5,200 Grey .Lag Handicap by "a" determined head over Alfred G. Vanderbilts Find, who led C. V. Whitneys fast-finishing Fisherman by the same narrow margin. It was almost two lengths back to Mrs. Ethel D. Jacobs Joe Jones, who was blocked coming to the quarter pole and stayed in the trap for a sixteenth. Le Beau Prince, a surprising second choice, finished fifth after making a threatening move above the final turn, followed by Impasse and Cavort. Nashua returned a liberal .90 after stepping the mile and a furlong in 1:50%, a second and two-fifths slower than the track record set by Bryan G. in 1951. Nashuas victory netted 7,100 to the syndicate headed by Leslie Combs II. that purchased him for ,251,200 last winter and brought his total earnings to ,077,-615, just ,145 short of Citations worlds money-winning record of ,085,760. Stumbles Leaving the Gate After the race, Atkinson said, "Other than the fact that he stumbled pretty good at the gate, there was nothing you could blame him for had he been beaten." TJs-sery said of Find, "I didnt know him too well, but he certainly ran a good race." Conn McCreary said that Joe Jones was "In trouble all the way," while Bill Boland declared that Le Beau Prince.-Jflattened out after he got up there." George Glassner sent Cavort to the front at the start of the Grey Lag, while Find was in second place on the rail, which he was never to leave, while Nashua moved into third place soon after stumbling away from the gate in fourth place. All of the field was under light restraint as they sped past the clubhouse and around the turns into the backstretch, with Nashua and Le Beau Prince, who was right behind him, taking the first two turns a little wide. Straightened away for the. run down the backstretch, Joe Jones made a brisk move on the inside, while Cavort started to bear out and Atkinson dropped Nashua inside of him, while Le Beau Prince began to move on the outside at the far turn. On the final turn, Le Beau Prince, Nashua and Find raced as a team, with the French-bred gray a head in front on the outside of the tiro, while Joe Jones was stopped cold and Continued on Page Six ■ — = f i NASHUA Ted Atkinson Up — Successful combination in the Grey Lag at Jamaica. Nashua Driving Winner of Grey Lag Holds Head Margin On Stubborn Find Combs Colts Earnings Soar To ,077,615, Only ,145 Off Citations World Record Continued from Page One dropped back to last place. Fisherman was a fairly close fifth on the outside and beginning to move. Curving for home, Le Beau Prince faltered abruptly, leaving Nashua, and Find alone to fight it out, heads apart. "Atky" roused Nashua. sharply coming teethe furlong pole, while Ussery was getting into « Find and the two fought it out stride for stride. Passing the furlong pole, Atkinson put his stick away and began a chilly hand ride. • At this point, Fisherman was still In fifth place behind Le Beau Prince and Joe Jones, but responded when Hedley Wood-house tore into him. In the final sixteenth, Nashua and Find were on almost even terms, with Fisherman surging up to join them with a furious rush. Just as it seemed that Nashua was about to be smothered by both his rivals, Atkinson reached back and cut "Mr. Millions" with his stick and the big bay responded, shoving his head decisively in front and keeping it there. Find fought on courageously, while Fisherman, showing vast improvement, gave the impression that in two more jumps he would have won it all. However, this was a race at a mile and a furlong, not a mile and a furlong and two jumps. Three Winning Mounts on Card The victory on Nashua was the third of the afternoon for Atkinson, who had won the first race on Quick T. and the sixth on Admiral Vee, putting him in a tie with Bill Boland for the local leadership. Nashua was conceding 10 pounds to Find and eight to Fisherman, and, though there, was a 19-pound spread in "Jimmy" Kilroes weights, only about five lengths separated Nashua from Impasse, who finished last at the end of the handicap. Appropriately, the handsome George II. silver trophy was presented to trainer James Fitzsimmons by Mrs. Thomas Bancroft, sister of the late William Woodward, Jr., for whom Nashua raced until this year, and daughter of the former chairman of The Jockey Club, who bred the colt. Jockey Barrow rode his second straight winner when he had Next Page down in front in the sixth race. Next Page was last in the first quarter but moved very fast on the inside when called upon and won by four lengths from Warless. Deb Chaser was another favorite to turn in a weak effort, never being a contender. Tom Fools full sister, Gagetta, who had won her only other start at Gulfstream Park, was made the favorite for the fifth event, though she came out in tendon bandages and had done all of her recent training .on the main track, rather than the training track, at Belmont Park. After making a strong run at Tom, Girdlers; pace-making Token rounding the far turn, j the daughter of Nenow from Gaga, by Bull j Dog, dropped back rapidly until she was eased up at the finish. Scores by Two Lengths Token Tune went on to win by two lengths over Archibald C. Randolphs War News, who came from far back on the outside. Velvet Acres Countess Tina was only a head farther back at the end of six furlongs in a moderate 1:13, while Philip Connors Stolen Hour was a half length out of the money. Token Tune was coupled with Charlton Clays Fleet Fight and the entry paid .40. Hedley Woodhouse hustled the winning daughter of Spy Song along all the way. Atkinson steered Edward Seinfelds Admiral Vee to his fourth straight victory in the Great Neck Handicap that preceded the Grey Lag, but was a little lucky as Gerald S. Colellas Switch On was blocked behind horses until Bobby Ussery took him out inside the eighth pole. Switch On closed with a belated rush to be less than a length back of the winner and a neck before Mrs. Ethel D. Jacobs Paper Tiger. A. J. Meslers War Command, coupled with the winner, was a length and one-half out of the money. * The entry paid .20, .10 and .10 across the board. Admiral Vee stepped the* six furlongs in 1:11%.
