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Ycaza, Riding in This Country Only Year, Has Mount Astride Jets Alibi - Native of Panama, He Was Sensation of Mexico City Sport Before Going North CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 2. — Manuel Ycaza, making his first Kentucky Derby appearance Saturday with Maine Chance Farms Jets Alibi, is one of Americas best known riders even though he has been plying his trade in this country not quite a year. The records ol The American Racing Manual show that last year he was second in the continental standings ■with 306 winners. Ycaza pronounced Eee-cah-zah was born in Panama and, although has was schooled preparatory to taking a law degree, the boy gravitated to the race tracks, where he was a success. In fact, he was so good that he almost raced himself out of competition, and tried for bigger stakes at Mexico Citys Hipodromo de las Americas. He was just as t ig a sensation in Mexico City as he had been in his native Panama. Barry Whitehead, racing secretary at Del Mar, was visiting a year ago in the Mexican capital and personally invited the boy to Del Mar to ride there. Whitehead encouraged him to feel that a youngster with his ability would go well anywhere. So, sure enough, late in the Del Mar ► ; r~ season, in August, Ycaza showed up and for a few days had trouble getting rides. But the few he did get so impressed the horsemen, that by the time the fall racing season in San Francisco rolled around, he was at the top of the heap. Stake mounts came his way in profusion. Ycaza impressed both horsemen and sports writers with his utter fearlessness. He was, and is, as the sayin goes, "gamer than Tracy." He goes through holes that many, other riders would shun. And he gets an exceptional amount of run out of a horse without any tactics that are too obviously "whooping it up." A study of the film patrol pictures at Santa Anita last winter confirmed that he had the knack of guiding a horse with just the slightest pressure of his hands. He also is noted for changing the hold on his reins frequently in the stretch when calling upon a horse for the utmost, seeking to find the hold from which a horse runs best. In other words, if a horse does not respond from one way of handling, he tries another. If, the horse will do his best, he leaves well enough alone. . Some folks have thought Ycaza rough. He doesnt think so, but he. does .try to win. And hard. Ycaza spoke very little English upon his arrival at Del Mar, but he has learned the language to the point where he now speaks fair, if not fluid, English. Ycaza rode Jewels Reward to victory over Tim Tam in the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Park, but his number came down. The disqualification stirred up a controversy, so much so that Hialeah officials showed the film patrol pictures on Miami rTV stations. Ycaza is unmarried and hopes to become an American citizen.
