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JOCKEY JOHN LONGDEN -.i.i ■ i ■ . . . FINNEGAN 43 Derby Longdens Biggest Thrill Won Triple Crown * ► With Count Fleet Worlds Winningest Rider Had Many Big Ones Since; Tries on Finnegan Today By OSCAR OTIS CHURCHILL DOWNS. Louisville. Ky., May 1. — Johnny Longden, the worlds winningest jockey who recently registered his 5.285th success abroad Neil S. McCarthys Finnegan in the 8,100 California Derby at Tanforan, will be shooting for his second triumph in the Kentucky Derby here tomorrow. The veteran reinsman is quick to admit that the biggest racing thrill hes ever enjoyed in more than three decades of riding occurred here 16 years ago when he guided the odds-on favorite. Count Fleet to a three-length decision over Blue Swords in the 69th running of the Downs classic they went on to sweep the Triple Crown. Count Fleet was Longdens fourth Derby mount. Prior to that he finished fourth aboard Melodist in 1937, fifth astride Sirocco in 1940 and fourth, in 1942, on With Regards. Since his success in 1943, Longden has made Derby bids with Spy Song, second in 1946; On Trust, fourth in 1947, and Your Host, ninth in 1950. Native of England According to the records Longden was I born in England in 1910. He emigrated to Canada at an early age and took a job as a coal miner. He still boasts of having loaded 10 tons of coal in one day, despite his size. The father of Calgary publisher Max Bell helped Longden get his start as a rider by buying the youngster a pair of shoes and recommending him to track officials. Longden was not an overnight success. He rode only one winner in 1927 — Hugo K. Ascher at Salt Lake City — in 1928 and 26 in 1929. He found the winners circle with much greater regularity in 1930 and has never had a poor year since. His finest season was 1948 when he was aboard 319 winners. Most observers agree that Longden is at his best on a front-i-unning horse although i he has, on more than one occasion, rated his stakes winners well off the pace. He has an uncanny sense of timing and the ability to conserve his mount while on the front end. Injuries threatened to shorten Longdens career several times. Twice in the past few years he broke legs in spills. He has also been sidelined by arthritis. Learned Value of Dollar Longdens wealth is widely known. His early days of proverty taught him the value of a dollar and he had considerable savings before joing Bell as a business partner in Alberta Ranches. Longden also has made profitable investments in Canadian oil producing properties. He is not a spendthrift, but his "pension list" of old friends is believed to be large. Next to Count Fleets Derby triumph, Longden rates Ncors four straight victories over Citation in 1950 at Santa Anita as his most exciting moments as a jockey. Noors nose victory over the Calumet star in the San Juan Capistrano is rated by many ► ♦ California fans the greatest horse race ever held in the state. Longden is a tireless traveller. He has ridden in seven countries, recording victories in practically every one. His oldest son, Vance, by his first marriage, currently is the trainer of the Alberta Ranches stable on the West Coast. Longden has two children by his present wife, the former Hazel Tarn of Canada. They are Eric, 10, and Andrea, 7. Their home is in Arcadia. On vacations, Longden usually enjoys fishing in British Columbia or hunting in northern Canada. His finest hunting trophy is a polar bear. Millions cf words have been written about the veteran who perhaps summed up -his career better than any newspapermen when he said, several years ago: "Even when 1 1 was at my worst, I was always doing my best."
