New England: Rockcastle Requires Much Attention: Leone Tells Purchase from Calumet for 2,000 Mel Hash, Sire of, Daily Racing Form, 1957-06-05

article


view raw text

New England By Teddy Cox : Rockcastle Requires Much Attention: Leone Tells Purchase From Calumet for 2,000 . Mel Hash, Sire of Venomous, Dies Suddenly SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., June 4. Rockcastle isnt doing much these days while awaiting the 0,000 added Massachusetts Handicap, but his trainer, Joseph A. Leone, is on deck as the sun peeps over the stables and hell usually remain around the shedrow until all activity ceases. Leone, has held a trainers license for less than two years, but he seems to be doing well with a stallion that requires a great deal more attention than some of the lowliest claiming cripples on the grounds. "I dont mean Rockcastle is - a cripple," Leone said this morning, "but youre forced to carefully weigh every mov.e you make with him. We are still running him in a bar shoe. Thats the foot in which he broke the coffin bone during the Roamer Handicap. I had the foot x-rayed the other day and there is no signs of anything. The veterinarian says the foot is sound. "When we first put the bar shoe on," Leone added, "he appeared a little suspicious. Its like taking off a pair of dancing pumps and putting, on a pair of Army clodhoppers. Well, he was so careful on the foot that had been injured that he put much pressure on the other foot and he came up with an injured ankle during the winter at Gulfstream, so, we had to give the foot some special attention, too. There are times when he goes a little sore, but he soon snaps out of it. Today, hes feeling fine. Perfect. Would you like for me to bring him out of the stall?" Of course, Rockcastles escape from destruction is one of the thoroughbred stories of the New England turf. But this morning was the first time weve been told of the conditions under which he was obtained from the Calumet Farm. Ankles Resembled Boxing Gloves "I was interested in getting a Calumet Farm horse, but I knew most of them were not for sale, and that those who were the prices were beyond what I expected to pay. I was dealing with an agent at the time and he mentioned a horse that had just turned three, a brown son of Fervent Fair Columbia, by Pharamond II. He told me the price was 2,000, so I closed the deal. I wanted a Calumet Farm horse under my shed. When he arrived, I could understand why the price was so low. He had a pair of ankles that resembled boxing gloves. I later discovered he had been troubled with osselets throughout his juvenile campaign, and, of course, that could have been the only reason the Joneses allowed him to be sold. "Under the circumstances, it was hardly possible" for either Ben or Jimmy Jones to tell whether or not the colt could run. Well, we worked hard on his ankles and. first thing you know the swelling started to subside and the heat began to leave the ankles. It wasnt too long before they appeared normal and they were as cold as ice, so we started to train the colt, and, as you know, he won the 0,000 added Yankee Handicap here at Suffolk Downs." John Thorp, Brother of Late Tom, Dies Program Scribblings: Jockey Harold Keene, hardhitting Lowell, Mass., veteran, was here over the week end, but returned to Monmouth Park, where he will continue to ride on the Jersey circuit. . . . Received belated news of the death of John Thorp, younger brother of the-late Tom Thorp. . . . Hale Veasy, of Haverhill, Mass., was among the Paddock Club visitors. He is something of a student of bloodlines. . . . Herbie Lewis, who trains a large public stable here, will reside in a cabin or camp, at Millville Lake, Salem, N. H., during the Rockingham Park meeting, and thereby hangs a tale, along with a horses tail. Herbie was interested in locating a cabin for the meeting several years ago and he found a man with a cabin who was interested in one of Herbies horses. So, Herbie traded the horse for the cabin. Herbie is at a loss to tell who got the best of the deal. The horse has not won a race since and the cabin was a veritable shambles. Of course, Herbie has whipped the residence into fine condition since, which is more than the new owner could do for the horse. Mel Hash, the sire of the lethal speedball, Venomous, passed away the day after the filly created a tremendous impression in winning the 5,000 added Colonial Handicap at Garden State. A "heart attack" was given as the reason. Mel Hash was in the midst of a busy stud season at B. A. Darios Cumberland Fann in Rhode Island. Speaking of Venomous, Bill La Rue said this morning that she may start in the opening day handicap at Monmouth Park, but prefers to keep the four-year-old running against fillies and mares. "Funny thing happened the other day," La Rue added. "We had Venomous out on the track with Walter Blum in the saddle, and we heard someone say as we walked by, Well, if it aint the mouse. We thought they were talking about the filly, for we used to call her Vennie mouse, or the mouse, because she was so small. However, they were speaking of Blum, who is known around the tracks as Mousie."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1957060501/drf1957060501_5_1
Local Identifier: drf1957060501_5_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800