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Medic Has Big Threat in Noureddin Dr. P. Graffagnino Has Stretch Runner Retired Physician, Surgeon Fancies His Colts Chances; Pierce Trains, Combest Rides By JOE IIIRSCH CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 2.— A retired doctor takes a trip to Kentucky, and as a- result Noureddin will go to the post Saturday in the 84th Kentucky Derby carrying the colors of the Crabgrass Stable. Its quite a story that Dr. Peter Graffagnino has to tell. Now a vigorous 72. the good doctor, who makes his home in New Orleans, retired about six years ago after a distinguished career as a surgeon and scholar. For many years he headed the departments of obstetrics and gynecology at the I*S.U. School of Medicine. Prior to that he had been head of New Orleans Charity Hospital and a member of the faculty at the Tulane Medical School, his alma mater. ,He was the second man in the South to perform successful heart surgery, this back in 1922. Dr. Graffagninos close friend, lawyer Herve Racivitch, a former district attorney of New Orleans, who had raced horses for many years, persuaded the doctor to join him at the Keeneland Sales in July, 1954, when another friend had to back out of the trip at the last minute. Accompanying Racivitch purely for the journey, the doctor became interested in a colt at the sales ring who carried the hip number, "242." , ~* Numbers 2 and 4 Significant Since the numbers "2" and "4" have always been particuarly significant to him because of his birthday, graduation day etc.. Dr. Graffagnino found himself in the bidding, and eventually looked into the long finger of auctioneer George Swine-broad, who cried "sold to that man for ,400." "You cant leave here with one horse," Racivitch told him, "You must have two." So that doctor bought another for ,500 and turned the pair over"to young Johnny DuFuy, who campaigned them in New England with some success. The following year he returned to Keeneland, bought a Mr. Busher colt he named Beauguerre, and saw him go on to win stakes and earn over 0,000 as a two-year-old. In the summer of 1956, Dr. Graffagnino gave ,500 for a colt by Noor from Cas-tanea, named him Noureddin after a king in "Arabian Nights," and Noureddin , has to date earned almost 4,000. Dr. Graffag-*»■ nino, who has become an astute student of breeding — he prefers the imported Eclipse line when crossed with the American Matchen line — picks his horses from the catalogue, then has the trainer inspect them for soundness, and conformation. As for the Crabgrass Stable, it consists of the doctor, his son Peter of Columbus, Ga. also a doctor and two of Peters friends, Mike Jennings and Mrs. C. C. Butler. Peter became irterested in racing with the success of his fathers stable, and though the elder Graffagnino also campaigns horses under the nom du course of Cataula Farm, he formed this new outfit so that his son and their friends could participate. Incidentally, the Latin name for Crabgrass is Sanguinis, which means "hopeful." When the Crabgrass Stable was organized, it was decided to turnsthe horses over to the veteran Slim Pierce, who had devel- I JOCKEY JAMES COMBEST [oped such good ones as Roman Patrol, Woodchuck and others. Pierce was one of Mr. Fitz most-trusted assistants for 18 years, and prior to that worked for Freddie Hopkins of Equipoise fame. A tall, pleasant and knowledgeable horseman,. Pierce got his first big break when he became associated with the Palatine Stable of the late Frank Rosen, a Philadelphia industrialist. Pierce saddled Woodchuck to capture the Equipoise Mile lin Chicago in Rosens silks arid had other notable triumphs to his credit. Later Pierce took over as trainer of the Pin Oak Farm of the Abercrombies of Texas and developed the Louisiana Derby winner Roman Patrol, who, unfortunately,, came down with ax bad knee before he could fully prove himself to be the horse that Pierce suspected he was. Presently, Fierce is assisted by his son, Joe Jr., 30, who has become quite a horseman in his own .right. Noureddins jockey is 31-year-old Jimmy Combest. who rode Royal Bay Gem to fourth money in his only previous Derby appearance in 1953. Combest. a Louisville boy. broke his maiden in October of 1946 at Keeneland and has been a thoroughly consistent journeyman throughout the East and Midwest ever since. Combest rode the good handicap horse, Johns Joy, and has .established a solid reputation for himself in recent seasons in the toughest of all leagues — New York. NOUREDDIN |.
