Smithson Again to Ride at Fairgrounds Meeting: Blond Saddlesmith Led Rider at 1956 Louisville Session, Daily Racing Form, 1957-06-21

article


view raw text

: _LJ : _LJ NORMAN L. HAYMAKER — Saddled Monormouse for his winning effort yesterday at Delaware Park. Smithson Again to Ride At Fairgrdunds Meeting Blond Saddlesmith Led Riders At 1956 Louisville Session LOUISVILLE, Ky., June 20.— Guy Smith-son, the blond saddlesmith who made a runaway of the jockey race at the inaugural Louisville Racing Association meeting at the old State Fairgrounds last year, is returning for the 1957 session which opens next Wednesday. Smithson, now riding at Audubon Park, is expected to report for duty at the Fairgrounds half-mile oval Monday. At the time Smithson took his first mount here last year, little was known of the tow-headed blond who hails from Virginia Beach, Va., where his father is a policeman. He spent the two previous years exercising horses and working around the stables in Florida, Maryland and Ohio. Only a short time before that he scored his first winner. Smithson finished so far ahead of the other riders at the 1956 Louisville session that it was no contest. During that 21-day meeting, he scored with 43 mounts out of 154. He was second 26 times and finished third 23 times. He was in the money with 92 mounts and unplaced on 62. He continued his excellent riding on his return to Ohio, finishing second- in the jockey race at Cranwood. He -left the meeting before it finished or he may have won that championship, too. At present, Guy is far in the van of the Audubon riders. There were some who were of the opinion that Smithson would lose much of his riding wizardry after he lost his apprentice allowance, but he seems to have conquered that old hoodoo, which has plagued many a good riding star. The first meeting at which Smithsoxi showed that he could ride with the added weight was at Ascot Park during April and May. While Guy failed to lead the jockeys there, he had more horses in the, money than any other rider, including the leading pilot of the meeting, Owen Headley. Smithson had fewer mounts than the leader at Ascot, being aboard 183 horses to Headleys 208. He left eight days before the meeting ended, too. But in the final tabulations, Smithson had 33 firsts, 32 place mounts and 33 in third place, while Head-ley scored with 43, had 29 seconds and 17 thirds. Smithsons showing at Ascot, plus his continued good riding at Audubon, proves that he is on his way as a top saddlesmith. Theres one thing certain — he will not be wanting for mounts. Many of the early arrivals at the Fairgrounds have said they want a call on Smithson.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1957062101/drf1957062101_26_3
Local Identifier: drf1957062101_26_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800