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V Thomson Starting His First Derb 1 II inoisan Has Never Seen Classic Before BeforeTakes Takes Over for Hospitalized Ruby White Associated Long Time With Boots Dickerson DickersonCHURCHILL CHURCHILL DOWNS Louisville Ky May 3 With the veteran Ruby White hos ¬ pitalized after starting 16 Derbys there will be a new hand aligning the field and getting them off in tomorrows 83rd Run for the Roses RosesOddly Oddly enough Jim Thomson has never seen a Derby before and naturally hes looking forward to Americas premier horse race with great anticipation A tall well built man in his forties the Scottishborn Thomson who now makes his home in Arlington Heights HI boasts a rich back ¬ ground for his particularly demanding job jobThomson Thomson who has been on the race track for more than a quarter of a century began his career as a groom for John Hertz sta ¬ ble when Reigh Count the 1928 Derby winner was the star of the barn Frank Hackett was Hertz trainer at the time as Thomson recalls and recommended that the young man accept a position on the gate with Roy Boots Dickerson an asso ¬ ciation which has continued to this day dayAs As an assistant starter handling the horses in the gate Thomson arid Dickerson have worked at most of the tracks in the Midwest Often while Dickerson has been engaged elsewhere for a period of time Thomson has started on his own Hes sent them away at Sportsmans Park for the theContinued Continued OH Page 46 D Jim Thomson Dispatching His First Kentucky Derby Today TodayContinued Continued from Page 15 D Dpast past five years for instance while Dicker son worked out the Keenelaiid meeting meetingLast Last fall when White took ill at Church ¬ ill Downs after the first two days of the meeting Thomson filled in and did an ex ¬ cellent job Thus when White was unable to work this spring officials here had no hesitancy in accepting Thomson to handle the most publicized of all U S races racesIm Im not particularly worried about start ¬ ing the Derby Thomson advises Good horses of the kind who will start usually are much better behaved than cheap plat ¬ ers which of course is one reason they are good horses Then too you have top riders aboard and they know what to do in the gate Again it doesnt look like too big field this year which makes the job even less difficult
