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i New England By Fred Galiani DeSpirito Convalescing; A Frequent Visitor Thrice Downed; Tony Wont Be Counted Out Yankeelanders Await Champs Comeback LINCOLN DOWNS, Lincoln, R. I., May 10.— The champion is back home for awhile. In this case he is none other than Tony DeSpirito. who as far as New Englanders are concerned will always be Americas leading jockey and their idol. DeSpirito. his spectacular career halted again by a recurrence of an old back injury, is back in Revere. Mass.. after undergoing treatment at Physicians Hospital. Jackson Heights. N. Y., and comes down for the races many afternoons. And when he walks through the stands, his old supporters shake his hand, slap him on the back and give him words of encouragement. Just when he will ride again is questionable, although Tony says that he is feeling fine. Actually that DeSpirito ever got back into the saddle after his spill last spring at Laurel, which necessitated removal of a rib. kidney and spleen, is one of the outstanding examples of raw courage in racing history. DeSpiritos rise was meteoric and in 1952 he set a new world record by riding 390 winners in one year. That mark has since been eclipsed by Willie Shoemaker, but "Tony Boy" was the first to shatter Walter Millers long standing total of 388. Misfortune dogged the Lawrence. Mass.. youth right from the start. He was the victim of three bad accidents. In New England he suffered a back injury, which has returned to plague him from time to time. In 1955 he went down in a sickening spill during the running of the Beldame Handicap at Aqueduct, receiving head injuries that would have put most people out of the race riding profession for good. It didnt stop Tony. He came back as good as ever and was burning up the tracks when last spring at Laurel he was run over by a horse after a spill and put in the hospital. Rides Winners Despite Ailing Back It was then that his career was regarded by almost everyone in racing as finis. That is by almost everyone but DeSpirito himself. A month after his operation he promised he would be back. And by October he made it at Suffolk Downs, taking a mount in a surprise move. On his second attempt he was back in the winners circle. This winter in Florida he rode spasmodically, but always managed to come up with winners among his few mounts. In the spring at Laurel he was lulling handsomely for contract owner Walter Jeffords and his other patrons, when his back went out on him again. The very day he was to hang up his tack temporarily, he was on a winner. This tourist has seen DeSpirito from the beginning. When he was a "bug rider" around here, hotter than the forest fires that are raging in the New England States right now. he was being hailed as a new Arcaro. Sande and the like. In this corner it was taken with reservations. There was no doubt that he was piling up winners like mad, but he was still an apprentice and as such was getting on all the live mounts. But DeSpirito proved that he was no flash in the proverbial pan when he went to New York and Florida in subsequent years and more than held his own. By then he cemented his claim and it must be said that DeSpirito really ranks among the greats of the present day riders. Horsemen almost everywhere will agree to that statement. Man and Jockey Mature Together Whether Tony will ride again is a moot question. But it is earnestly hoped that he will, because there are far too few really top flight saddlesmiths in action, and his loss will be a severe one to racing. Just as Tony grew in stature as a rider, so has he done over the years as a person. In his first flush of victory, the young Massachusetts boy was inclined to be sullen, then suffer from what is known as a big head. With a youngster of only moderate education, rolling high in headlines and money, its a normal reaction. In recent years he has become a quiet, well reserved, pleasant individual and a credit to the sport. Everybody is hoping you come back soon, champ. In other matters of racing something of a novelty transpired here the other day when a four and a half furlongs race was held. There is no starters pagoda for that distance so Johnny Morrissey had to dispatch the field while standing in the back of a pickup truck. Such an event will not take place again as the remaining races scheduled for four and a half furlongs will be shifted to other distances. Well, it didnt really make too much difference as Morrissey is a top man in his profession and could probably start a race while standing on a kiddie car. . . . B. A. Dario, major domo at Lincoln Downs, radiates enthusiasm over the victory of his Dandy Blitzen in a feature race at Garden State, and now is hoping that his Venomous will duplicate the feat in Saturdays Colonial Handicap. . . . Paul Dundas, chairman of the Maine Running Horse Race Commission, and secretary Paul Wood, were recent visitors. ... An auction sale will be held in the paddock on Saturday, May 18, at 9:30 a. m. There will be a large consignment of horses from the Dario stable and other owners. Herman Silverman will be the auctioneer and owners or trainers having stock for sale can contact him or Mike Limiero here at the track.
