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ii .1 HHBLiKJHH l ~ New Jersey By Fred Galiani Filly Mi Model Was Born Blind in Both Eyes Fed Vitamins and Regained Sight as Yearling Has Won Five Races Out of 17 Engagements j I MONMOUTH PARK, Oceanport, N. J., June 21.— | Because Eddie Feakes, manager of Amory Haskells Woodlawn Farm,, is not only a good horseman, but a ii .1 nnt.ip.nt. patient, sympathetic, Rvmnatlietic. warm- nnt.ip.nt. patient, sympathetic, Rvmnatlietic. warm- warmhearted chap, Tommy Heard Jr. has a compact chestnut filly called Mi Model, who has won five races in 17 starts, which is not too poor a record, and thereby hangs one one of the nicer tales of the turf. Mi Model, you see, was born blind in both eyes. Tommy Heard, who bred the daughter of Model Cadet, from Miranda Z., when first informed of the unfortunate fillys infirmity, infirmity, was was all all for for having having her her HHBLiKJHH infirmity, infirmity, was was all all for for having having her her destroyed, and the Texan is the first to admit his error. But Feakes, who had taken a liking to the little filly, persuaded Tommy to think otherwise and the tiny thing was given a chance. II "I couldnt see her being put away," recalled the tall, soft-spoken Feakes before the start of Thursdays second race. "She was such a pathetic thing. But she was nicely made and I asked Tommy to give me a chance with her. At first we didnt know she was blind, all foals being somewhat like new-born babies, but it wasnt long before my wife and I found out she was totally gone in both eyes. We weaned her away separate from the other horses, but she would walk into walls, fall over buckets and was just helpless at first. But then she soon developed that extra sense that goes with the blind and could find her way around pretty good. First Hint of Partial Vision "We had her examined by a couple of veterinarians from the University of Pennsylvania and they reported that all necessary physical attributes for sight were there, but they just didnt function. A vitamin deficiency was suspected and the little filly put on a tonic. She was well into her yearling year before she regained her sight. We suspected it at first, but we couldnt be sure, because by then she had learned her way around pretty well, with that certain feel of the blind. We finally were convinced when one day one of the boys hung a pair of pants out on a line and as she was walking around the shed, she shied as she spotted them. Then we were certain." Eddies job was done; he had gotten the filly over what at the beginning was her death warrant. Then she was turned over to Tommy, who put her through her training paces. Starting late in-the year, Mi Model promptly made her debut a winning one and this year as a three-year-old has added four more victories to her record. Unfortunately for the present story, she didnt get anything on Thursday, but that doesnt mean she wont in the future. She races in the ,000 claiming area, a little above or below, but even if she doesnt enter a winners circle again, Mi Model is a victress and won her biggest battle. As you might suspect, both Tommy, not in the least reluctant to admit that he was wrong and give all the credit to Eddie -Feakes for the horses recovery, and his statuesque Chickie, regard Mi Model as the pet of the barn. And why not. " She opened their eyes in a way, too. Venomous Goes After Seventh in Row While on the subject of fillies, Saturdays racegoers will see some of the besC of that sex perform in the six-furlong Regret Handicap. Favorite and top-weight, of course, is that streak of lightning, B. A. Darios Venomous, who will be gunning for her seventh straight over two years. The fastest filly in the business, the daughter of Mel Hash — Spiteful Sue for the first time will have to pass the 120 -pound mark, four over to be exact, and the question will be whether she can give weight to her 12 rivals and still smother them with sheer speed. The figures say she will. Another facet of the Regret is that Venomous will be shooting at the six-furlong track record of 1:08%, as scorched by Decathlon on opening day, In which the colt carried a staggering 130 pounds. One thing Bill La Rues charge will have to do is move along, if Harford Stables English mare, Ephemeral H., runs back to her only U. S. race here earlier in the week, when she was beaten in 1:09% after reeling off a dizzy pace. The Regret has drawn a good field, as a glance at the past performances will reveal, but the spotlight is pointed directly at Venomous. Monmouth Shorts: Mrs. Wallis Armstrong, mistress of Meadowview Farm, one of the states leading breeding farms, made her first visit of the Monmouth season on Thursday. . . . Edmond M. Hanrahan, of the New York State Racing Commission, was given a personal guided tour of the Monmouth plant by general manager Ed Brennan Thursday. The New York solon expressed himself as readily impressed by the North Jersey course. -. . . Pat Brady, -who at the moment is not engrossed in any horse training, arrived from a trip to West Virginia, where he visited his son, Bill, successfully campaigning a string in that area. Pat, currently looking to get back in action with a- stable, brought the sad news that Allen "Spec" Dunne had a lung removed in a -Delaware hospital, "Spec" is suffering from cancer. Jockey Harold "Red" Keene, long one of the leading riders in New England, is displaying the form that put him on the top of the heap at this session and is in a thick battle for leading riding honors. The redhead scored with two of his mounts yesterday to add to his total. . . . Brooklyns Jimmy Brown, of the Building Service Employes Union, took in the action lor a couple of days on a recent visit to nearby Spring Lake.
