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Derby Day Sidelights JOE HIRSCH By : — CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 5. — The biggest Derby yet in point of view of attendance, wagering and value to the winner. All indications pointed to new ChurclsHl Downs records in almost every department as the large field went to the post for the 82nd running of the Kentucky Derby, Americas greatest sports spectacle. If Col. Bill Coram, president of Churchill Downs, had ordered his weather custom tailored, he couldnt have obtained better results than those existing in Louisville today. The skies were cloudless blue, the temperatures mild and balmy. In short perfect, with the track lightning fast. By post time for the Derby, the infield was a tremendous mass of spectators, national " guardsmen and band personnel. Families with picnic baskets and cold drink containers, pitched temporary camps wherever a free patch of grass was to be seen. The whole atmosphere is one of a Fourth of July outing, with the big difference being the complete interest in racing demonstrated by almost everyone. Gov. Happy Chandler made his fifth Kentucky Derby presentation. He previously presented the trophy to winners for four successive years beginning in 1936 as his term still has more than three years to run, he will have a total of eight by 1959. Track superintendent Tom Young rolled the racing strip Friday night as usual, to prevent it from being washed away in the event of heavy rain on Saturday. Track records were shattered in the fifth and sixth events. Mrs. Harry Trotseks Delamar scored in the Debutante in :58%, clipping a fifth off the old mark, and then Claibornes Delta ripped off the six panels of | t the sixth in a blazing 1:09%, taking two-fifths of a second off Bernwoods record. Leslie Combs H. was sitting in a clubhouse box, his thoughts divided between his many Derby Day guests and Nashua, who was contesting the Grey Lag at Jamaica this afternoon. Combs, head of the syndicate which purchased Nashua from the Belair Stud of the late William Woodward, Jr. for a record price of ,250,-000, had a portable radio with him to help ease his anxiety and was a happy man when he heard the account of Nashuas victory over Find. Willie Hartack, Americas leading- rider in 1955 with 417 victories, planned to re;-main in Louisville this week end and proceed to Baltimore on Tuesday, where he. will .ride at Pimlico on opening .day. Incidentally, the Pimlico people had an airplane tow a "See Preakness — May 19" sign over the Churchill Downs infield, pleading with Downs authorities not to open fire with anti-aircraft guns. Clubhouse box spectators included E. P. Taylor, the guiding spirit behind the new Woodbine track at Toronto and aUeading racing and breeding figure in dominion, and Fred W. Hooper, Jr. whose 1945 Derby winner Hoop, Jr. was the first horse he ever owned. At the D and H Stable barn this morning, Hughie Fontaine muttered, "He looks sleepy to me," as he posed with Needles for a publicity shot. Fontaine himself, who like all the Derby trainers-, has been under inestimable strain all week, was taking no chances on being- sleepy this afternoon and departed about 10 a.m. for a brief nap. Everett Clay, public relations director at Haileah, was a visitor to Needles barn where he-took a clay impression no pun intended of the Ponder colts foot for future use in the manufacture of ash trays and similar souvenirs.. Fontaine revealed that he had ordered a railroad ear for Tuesday and that barring unforeseen accidents Needles would leave for Baltimore that morning and his engagement in the historic Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Roscoe Goose, who piloted the longest priced Derby winner in history when he brought Donerail to a half-length victory over Ten Point in 1913, paying 84.90, toured the stable area distributing gold tie clasps to trainers of Derby starters, complete to suitable inscription. Syl Veitch leaned against a shedrow rail, coughing slightly, as Career Boy and Head Man peered placidly from their stalls to his rear. Not a cold, said Veitch, just a touch of South Carolina distemper which had been with him all winter. The Whitney conditioner was another who showed traces of the terrific pressure of Derby week with its all-day and evening "committments. Veitch hinted that the Derby should pretty much determine the future campaign of Head Man. Career Boy is expected to participate in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes but unless Head Man shows more in the Derby than he did in the Trial, Veitch may, as he put it, "run one here and one there." Allie and Billie Reuben, proprietors of Continued on Page Fire , . „ . I LESLIE COMBS 1!.— Head of syndicate that owns Nashua was in the Derby Day crowd and learned via radio that the handicap champion had won the Grey Lag at Jamaica. PROUD OWNERS— Jackson Dudley left and Bonnie Heath whose Needles • accounted for the Kentucky Derby. »j . 4 Derby Day Sidelights 1 By JOE HIRSCH — : Continued from Page Three 4 Hasty House Farm, were among the earlier backstretch visitors. With trainer Harry Trotsek they inspected Black Emporer, who was to carry their colors in this eighty-second Derby and watched other conditioning activities starting at 7 ajn. At the Calumet barn; Jimmy and Ben Jones were jumping into opposite sides of a long, black Cadillac. "Im flying to Garden State this evening," Jimmy shouted from the drivers seat. The colts, Fabius and Pintor Lea, go to Baltimore Monday for the Preakness. Buddy Raines and Arnold Kirkland, Countermands trainer and rider, indulged in a bit of stall-walking at the Brandy-wine barn this morning as the well-made son of Greek Ship was having his racing plates adjusted by the "Derby blacksmith," Pat Hillock. Raines revealed that Countermand, who campaigns in the colors of Delaware Parks president, Donald Ross, will train to New York on Monday, accompanied by Mrs. Lloyd P. Tates Derby-ist, Jean Baptiste. All early indications pointed to one of the largest Derby crowds and handles of all time. Large groups of people, many of them youngsters from neighboring communities, were waiting outside the gates which led to the infield tunnel, at 5:30 a. m. They were admitted at 6 a. m. and by 8:30 the infield, complete -with wagering, comfort and catering facilities, was well populated. Louisville, policemen were stationed the length of Fourth street from the track to I the river, urging vehicular traffic past intersections. All private autos were flagged off this expressway, which is limited solely to busses and taxis. Six hundred uniformed, members of the Kentucky National Guard, under the command of Col. Arthur Bonnycastle, were stationed throughout the plant with the mission of helping Louisville police to maintain order. However, there were few if any untoward incidents noticeable during the afternoon. The first race went off at precisely 11:31 a.m. and the handle was a whopping 56,-848 as against a first race play of 34,701 in 1955. Race track managements from all sections of the country were presented at Churchill Downs. New Jersey may have had the heaviest attendance, particularly from Atlantic City and Monmouth Park. President John B. Kelly, vice-president Frank Fiore, general manager Phil Baker, and publicity director Lou Cunningham were on hand from the vacation city track while treasurer Phil Iselin, general manager Ed Brennan, publicity director Barker Seeley and Townsend Martin and Sonny Werblin came down from Oceanport. Garden States president Gene Mori was also expected to be on hand. Mrs. Elizabeth Graham, mistress of Maine Chance Farm, instructed her rider, Mousey Blum, in the absence of trainer Ike Mourar before yesterdays thrilling Kentucky Oaks. Mrs. Graham revealed that the stable plans to let up on Jet Action for about a month, freshening him for midsummer stakes in the East and Mid-West. The National Association of State Racing Commissioners was well represented at the Derby, with Illinois Bill Miller and Ohios Zoltan Gombos among the spectators. By the time the fourth race had been run, the days wagering had passed the million mark — to be exact ,048,539. Only the second race total failed to surpass last years figures and that event showed only a ,000 drop. Mr. and Mrs. John D. Hertz came down i from their famed Stoner Creek Stud to ! j j root for Dino Lozzis Count Chic, who was raised at their Amarillo Ranch in California. The Hertzes were accompanied by I : their daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hexter, and Lou Shapiro, president of the Western Harness Racing Association. Mrs. Hexter was particularly elated over a yearling filly by Count Fleet from the good mare Banish, given to her by her parents. Shell race the well-bred miss next season. The Pimlico delegation included president and Mrs. Herman Cohen, vice presi-| dent Lou Pondfield and his wife, Rose, and publicity director Charlie Johnson. From Rockingham Park came Lou and Lutza Smith, while Mr. and Mrs. Leeds Riley represented Charles Town. Other race tracks with Derby delegates included Delaware Park with president Don Ross and general manager Bryan Field, I Hollywood Park with vice-president Jim Stewart and Arlington-Washington-Balmoral with assistant executive director Kline Weatherford. Oscar Levy of the American Totalisator Company took in the Run for the Roses with Mrs. Levy. The couple took off immediately following the classic for Chicago. John A. Morris, former president of Jamaica and treasurer of the TRA, took in the festivities with Mrs. Morris. Morris is headed for Lexington to inspect his bloodstock there and then will proceed to Naslj-ville, Tenn., Tuesday where hell participate in Vanderbilt University activities in connection with the TRAs Grantland Rice Memorial Scholarship. Mrs. Dodge Sloane, mistress of Brook-meade Stables, and her trainer Preston Burch, were spectators. Mrs. Sloane and Burch will proceed to Lexington where theyll inspect some of the stables young horses there. Burch revealed that Sailor, who is now at Upperville, Va., has been walking soundly for some time. The brilliant son of Eight Thirty and Flota, who sustained a fractured ankle bone while winning the John B. Campbell Memorial Handicap at Bowie in March, will be shipped to Kentucky in time for the next breeding season, but the site of, his court has not been determined as yet.
