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OReilly on Racing Doleful Passing of Pounditout Takes Place at Leone s Farm By TOM OREILLY JAMAICA, L. I.. N. Y.. May 10. — Some 500 people have dropped in on Louisa Farm, owned by Gene Leone, famed New York restaurateur, in Orange Countys central valley, back of the West Point Hills, since Pounditout, American racings most renowned non-winner, passed away up there last week. "Its amazing, says Gene. "People drop in to offer their condolences. I never realized he had so many friends." Pounditout was a horse named by readers of the New York World-Telegram, some 11 years ago. He had been bred on Alfred Vanderbilts Sagamore Farm, by Impound — Floradora Girl and came up with a beautiful swayed-back. Named in a newspaper circulation contest, he was supported by members of the papers sports staff until finally retired on Leones farm. His retirement party will long be remembered, because it was accompanied by a book written by Dave Camera and illustrated by Len Hollister. A stall was set up in Leones 48th Street restaurant and the horse appeared at his own book-launching party. Madison Avenues charcoal greys were charmed. Up on the farm. Leone treated the horse as a pet. "I rode him for 20 minutes, the day before he died." said Gene. "His coat looked exceptionally fine and I thought he was in great shape. Then next day they told me he had keeled over. I phoned Joe Williams 4 in Chicago and when Bill Green, the pho-tagrapher, heard the news he cried." Pounditout is survived by his one and only wife. Picture Hat. a Head Play mare; one son. Pounditout Jr., and a daughter, ; Amga I short for magazine a three months old filly. Pounditout Jr. is now being , trained for steeplechasing by the Moore- ! head brothers — Pete and Jim — out at i Roslyn. L. I. He made a dozen racing starts last year and won three of them. i Leone, however, counts them as four vic- I tories. I Four Wins in His Book "He won once at Garden State, once at 1 Atlantic City, once at Monmouth and fin-| ished second in a photo at Monmouth. 1 Thats four wins." said Gene, seriously. When it was pointed out that finishing I second is not a victory, he commented, vehemently : "It is In my book. After all. he only lost 1 by a whisker. Thats just as good as win-I ning." Obviously Gene did not have a bet on ; him to win that day or he might agree on ! the difference. The Mooreheads. who hail ; from County Monaghan. in Ireland, claim I that Pounditout Jr., who stands a full 17 I hands, should make an ideal jumper. They 1 expect to bring him out in the hurdle races i at Monmouth this summer. With Pounditout gone. Genes new sire is Print, a horse by Princequillo out of j Etching, who won four or five races some I years ago. Print is now eight and has been i bred to Genes mares which are by Cosmic I Bomb. Whirlaway. Head Play. Case Ace and Sting. Trainer Dave Emery just shipped him a two-year-old -by Lochinvar — Ouch, named Lancers Sting, who developed bad knees down at Hialeah and had to go back to ! the farm to be fired. He probably will be seen at Monmouth along with Pounditout Jr. It is doubtful if many restaurant men have as much fun with their horses as Leone. Although one of the prize exhibits J in his artistically decorated eatery is a beautiful statue of a French race horse by Rosa Bonheur. this does not dampen his enthusiasm for his old sway-backed sire. t This statue and a Corbino painting of an American racing scene must be good to get : the customers attention away from all the lovely ladies depicted" in marble and oil by 1 such famed artists as Attilio Piccirilli and j Gustave Dore. As a matter of fact the newest addition J to space occupied by the old President 1 theatre, looks exactly like a museum. Perhaps one reason Gene seems happier than most restaurant men with his horses is due to the fact that there is a strong streak of the philosopher in his make-up. Anyhow diners at Leones are under the watchful eye of marble heads depicting Euripides. Aristophanes, Thucydides and Herodotus. An amazing man. it is possible, although highly improbable, that some day hell come up with a classic winner from one of his unfashionable, if not exactly unkown. sires. Please pass the pizza!
