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Eight Eight Definite Definite Preakness Preakness Starters; Starters; Vertex Vertex Assessed Assessed 130 130 for for Grey Grey Lag Lag Sword Dancer Seen Choice on May 16 Tomy Lees Defection Gives Derby Runner-up Top Spot; Also List Several Probables By CHARLES HATTON PIMLICO, Baltimore, Md., May 4— The 50,000 Preakness, richest of the Triple Crown events, tobe renewed here a week from Saturday, will be missing Tomy Lee, one of the principals in the bumpsy daisy Derby down the road at- Louisville. Tomy Lee is being returned to California for a much-needed rest. Thus, Sword Dancer heads a list of eight now regarded as more or less definite starters in the Hilltops mile and three-sixteenths. Sword Dancer was due here as this was written. Trainer "Casey" Hayes has indicated that First Landing will be transferred from Belmont Park at a later date, and the J. Braunstein Estates Royal Orbit already is on the grounds, pointing for next Mondays Preakness Prep. These are the first four Derby finishers. Others regarded as Preakness starters barring accident are Rico Tesio. Festival King. Mosby, Pen Bolero and Manassa Mauler. Trainer Frank Martin has wired Lou Pondfield, executive director of Pim-lico, that he proposes to supplement Manassa Mauler, hero of the Wood and ineligible for the Derby, posting the 0,000 fee by the May 6 deadline. He is the only expected supplemental entrant. Considered probable Preakness starters at this time are Sundown II, Crafty Skipper, Oceanic. Rare Rice, Open View and Black Hills. Outside possibilities include On-and-On. Intentionally, Cedar Brook. Hoist Away, Atoll and Royal Anthem. Five of these are in Garden States Delaware Valley on Saturday. They are Grafty Skipper. Rare Rice. Intentionally, Cedar Brook and Royal Anthem. Gross of 91,800 Seen With 12 starters, including one supplementary candidate, the upcoming "Run for the BlacklEyed Susans" will gross 91,800. The winner wculd receive a net of 37,700. unless, of course, the "added starter" Manassa Mauler won. The Maryland Jockev Club hopefully expects to be host to a crowd of about 40,000. The record single days attendance here incidentally is the 42,370 who saw the 1946 Preakness. Tim Tarn played to an audience of 36,912 winning the classic last spring. Royal Orbit dropped out of the clcuds on Pimlico under cover of darkness, at 2 a.m. today, accompanied by Sundown II., who was bred in England by Queen Elizabeth II. and now races for Californias Robert S. Lytle. He missed the Derby owing to a slight leg ailment two weeks ago. The appearance of Sundown H, Tomy Lee and Oceanic would give this upcoming Preakness an international flavor. The favored Tomy Lee and Sundown II. are Britons. Oceanic ranked second in the 1958 French Free Handicap with a rating of 129 pounds. Not only does favortism in the Preakness seem predictable even at this early date, the riders for most of the nine regarded as definite starters are reasonably predictable. Bill Boland is scheduled to ride Sword Dancer, with Arcaro on First Landing. However. Willie Shoemaker is now a free agent an it remains to be seen what horse he will be astride. Harmatz is expected to ride Royal Orbit with Howard Grant on Pen Bolero, who races for Mrs. Ben Cohen, wife of Pimlicos secretary-treasurer. Ray Broussard is the probable rider on Manassa Mauler. Carstens on Festival King. Manuel Yvaza on Rico Tesio, while no rider has been assigned Mosby. Since Easy Spur came out of the Derby somewhat fragmented, Willie Hartack is shopping for a mount. Troilus, a bit shopworn in the Derby, is going to owner Bayard Sharps farm near Middletown, Dela., for a refresher. Easy Spur had a filled ancle even before the Derby and is entering temporary retirement.
