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Ch urchill Downs By Joe Hirsch " Needles Was THE One Fontaine Wanted Dudley Quietly Tells Warm, Sincere Story Derby Victor Seems Sound as Bell of Brass CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 7.— How Rose Wreaths Are Won: It must have been the mildest and balmiest May afternoon in the whole 82 years of the Kentucky Derby. Now it was getting on toward dusk, but the weather was still so wonderful that the large throng at Bill Corums post-race party was reluctant to go indoors, and crowded the narrow terrace tha*, runs the length of the colonels apartment above the tracks general offices. It had been a thrill-ingJDerby and an excited buzz of details and opinions hung thick in the soft Kentucky eventide as well-wishers, precariously balancing loaded buffet plates and cold drinks, picked their way through the mob to the end of the porch where the victors were cooling out. Leaning against the terrace rail, the recollection of Needles magnificent triumph still lighting up his bronzed face, 44-year-old Jack Dudley was talking quietly about the colt he owns in partnership with Bonnie Heath and about the man who trains him. Parts of the story were familiar, ethers were not; all of it was warm and sincere. Shropshire Can Spot a Good Thing "We got into this business because of Hughie Fontaine," Dudley said. "It was about five years ago that we tied up our boat at Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and Hughie, who was selling yachts at the time, had a boat next to us.- We got to know him and he wasnt going too good at all, so we bought a little Florida-bred filly for him to train. She was a pretty thing, but thats all she was— pretty. Then we bought another horse and we were getting interested in racing, but we werent winning any races and our enthusiasm sort of slackened and we had our doubts. Then Hughie got a call from Elmo Shropshire, who managed the Dickey Stables. When Elmo was riding, Hughie practically raised him, and now Elmo told him he thought he had a real nice colt for him. Bonnie and I went down to Hialeah to see Needles and we werent too impressed. We went a second time and we still didnt know what we wanted to do. We figured that for 0,000 you could buy several horses, but all the time Hughie was high on the colt and told us, Boys, I wont train many more good ones and this is the one I want. So we went to Hialeah one morning to see him breeze and that sold us. He ran . awfully good that morning." Needles had just finished running awfully good again, but this time it was worth 23,450. What, a man asked Dudley, would have happened if his colt hadnt been able to overtake Fabius in his dramatic stretch run? "All we hoped for," Dudley said softly, "was that he would come out of it sound. We knew about Native Dancer and Nashua, both fine horses who were beaten, and all we wanted was for our colt to finish in good shape. Now hell try for the Preakness and Belmont, and maybe some three-year-old stakes in Chicago later on in the summer. When hes finished racing, well stand him at stud. You know, we bought an 800-acre farm adjoining the Dickey Stable in Ocala, but the best mares are still in Kentucky and it may be that hell have to stand here to get the bookings he deserves. Well keep our broodmares in Florida, however. Wed like about a half a dozen real, good mares if we could get them and then keep letting them go one at a time as we get better ones." Two Irish-Bred Juveniles in Stable Dudley and Heath have eight horses with Fontaine now, and they dont plan to increase that number greatly. "Hughie told us," said Dudley, "that these were enough to keep him busy and to devote enough time to each horse. Bonnie and I went to Ireland last July and we bought a two-year-old by The Phoenix, named Super Jet II., and a yearling by Pink Flower, named Blueberry Hill II., who recently bucked his shins. Then we have that Case Ace two-year-old who trampled all the newspapermen in the Jersey sales-• ring last fall. We gave 3,000 for him and call him Mr. Semyo, after Hughies dad, who was a physician. His patients used to call him Mr. Seymo.* And we also have a two-year-old filly by Black Tarquin called Gold Vale, who was bred by Belair. We got her out of the Kroese sale." Then Dudley spotted Heath and Fontaine coming toward him from a packed doorway to the terrace, and he walked over and shook their hands. They had just come from the barn where Needles had cooled out and they reported that he appeared to be as sound as the bell of brass that horsemen are always talking about. A photographer moved them to the terrace rail for a picture and the two younger men flanked their trainer, who still carried his blackthorn walking cane for support. The three smiled a smile that can only come when your horse has won the Kentucky Derby, and, after the photographer had finished, Dudley and Heath both turned and looked at Fontaine for a moment. They had given him the colt and he had given them the first prize.
