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Riding Is Tradition In Ycaza Household Manuels Three Brothers Are, Jockeys in Native Panama; Now Able to Relax a Bit By HERB GOLDSTEIN By Staff Correspondent A man meeting Manuel Ycaza for the first time cant help but wonder why such a nice kid gets into so much trouble. Ycaza has made almost as much news in racings halls of jurisprudence as he has on the1 race track. For a time it appeared the 22-1 year-old Panamanian was determined to set a record for being suspended. The uninitiated think of Ycaza as a tough kid who doesnt want to play by the! rules. On the contrary, Ycaza is a talk-: ative, polite young man with a roaring! desire to be a success. It is the last quality which has forced him into unemployment on too many racing days. Riding race! horses is a tradition in the Ycaza house- hold — Manuels three older brothers, Carlos, Rudolph and Alex, are jockeys back in Panama. It was only natural, therefore, that the youngest member of the family should follow his brothers to the race course. Rico Tesios jockey in todays Derby was only 15 when he first broke a horse out of a starting gate and it wasnt too much later that he was the leading rider at the Hipodromo de las Americas in Mexico City. He continued to ride winners but kept right on getting suspended. "I was just too excited and too serious," he says. "When the race started I just lost track of everything and wanted to win no matter what happened." New England Stay Made Him Manuel first tried the United States in 1954, having only indifferent success in California. He returned to California in 1957, then made a quick, but highly successful invasion of New England which assured him he belonged in the big time. Early in 1958 he was signed to ride Maine Chance Farms Jewels Reward in Hialeahs rich Flamingo Coming down the stretch his left-handed whipping forced the colt into Calumet Farms Tim Tarn. Jewels Reward finished in front, but as Mrs. Elizabeth Graham, Maine Chance owner, waited in the winners circle, the stewards reversed the placings, giving Tim Tarn the long end of the purse. It wasnt too much later that Mrs. Graham announced Eddie Arcaro would ride her colt in the Wood Memorial and the Derby. Ycaza got into the Churchill Downs classic on Ebony Pearl, one of Maine Chances lesser lights, and was never in contention. Jewels Reward didnt seem to benefit by the change, either, running a disappointing fourth. Ycaza moved to Chicago in mid-summer and while under contract for a month to Claiborne Farm, piloted Nadir to victory in the rich American Derby. He also made a quick trip to Hollywood Park to guide Strong Bay home first in the 00,000 Westerner and was up on Ole Fols when that colt upset Tomy Lee at Santa Anita this winter. The Derby holds no special fascination for Ycaza. He says, "Its just a race with a big purse. I have learned to relax and take each one as they come along, once I start pressing I get in trouble. If I can win the Derby it will just show that I am a good rider and maybe I will be able to get better mounts." Ycaza occupies the "Spanish" corner of the jocks room when he is in New York. His lockermates are the three Valenzuela brothers, Angel, Ismael and Albino: Regolio Trejos and Louis Olah. All are talkative little men. If Ycaza wins the Derby he will not lack for conversation. He is sure the only thing the stewards are going to have to say is, "Nice ride, Manuel."
