view raw text
Port Call Repeats in Hurdle Event Romps to Wire 25 Lengths in Front Johns Hour Second Home in Arlington Race; Cayanaugh Stable Has Double Winners By JOE HIKCH ARLINGTON PARK, Arlington Heights, 111.,- June 21. — Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves immensely and no one was injured as Arlington Park featured its annual hurdles stakes this pleasant afternoon. Winner by 25 lengths in a leisurely finish was Harry M. Rhett Jr.s Port Call, Who won the race last year. It was a great day for the Irish. Patrick Murphy rode the winner, while Calvin Houghlands Johns Hour, the second, horse, is trained by Dennis Murphy and was ridden by William Murphy. To complete the picture, Jim Murphy called the chart for Daily Racing Form. Port Call, a six-year-old gelding by Mate, was registering his second victory in four attempts this year. As the 3-to-2 choice, he returned .00 and was timed in 5:07% for the "about" two miles. Port Call carried 165 pounds, in receipt of two from Jamaica Boy. The Arlingon Park Hurdle Stakes was worth ,695 and the winner netted ,-.160. Last year he won three of his 15 starts. Port Call, much the best of todays seven-horse field, was well received upon his return to the winners enclosure by the crowd, as well as by the full complement of the jocks room, who turned out en masse to see the sport. ! Nine Obstacles Along Route The hurdles were hedges rising to about three feet in height, set in boxes around the turf course. There were three barriers on the grandstand side, two along the ,backstretch. The horses circled the turf course twice, making nine jumps in all. Many brushed through the hurdles, rather than clear them completely. Port Call took the lead shortly after the start and increased his advanage slowly until he .was so far in front he could have walked home, which he nearly did. He spurted while on the far turn coming into the last jump and removed any doubt that may have lingered about the issue. Murphy was standing up in his stirrups : through the final stages. Johns Hour came oh to be second after stalking Expedient for much of the route. The runner-up was a good 10 lengths in front of J. Arthur Reynolds Farmers Joy at the wire. Owner George A. Cavanaugh and trainer Johnny Kermath swept the Daily Double with Dark Theatre in the. first race and Cool Customer in the second. Dark Theatre, ridden by Lois Cook, came off the pace with a flourish at the head of the stretch to .win by two and one-half lengths and return 1.60. The six-year-old Amphitheatre gelding ran the mile in 1:37 Vs. Cool Customer, a three-year-old Bolero gelding, was ridden by Larry Gilligan, and ran down William Schmidts Fancy Souvenir to score by a neck. Cool Customer returned 0.00 and the Daily Double was worth 52.40. The fourth event was for maiden two-year-olds, and Wise Fleet, owned by -T. I. Harkins, graduated. Bob Baird sent the son of Fleeting Star to the front soon after the start and the gelding was never in difficulty. King HopefuF, Hasty House Farms expensive yearling purchase, was second. Six two-year-old fillies, including a couple of candidates for the Lassie Stakes, went in the third, and the Lassie eligibles, Lulas Joy and Twisted Wrist, finished fifth and sixth respectively. The race went to Blenzie, with jockey John Delahoussaye handling the reins. The Blentigo colt was up in the last stride to nip My Carrie with Reel Trouble.
