Silky Sullivan Successful As Hollywood Park Opens: Thrills Throng of 32,430; Fleet Nasrullah Takes Premiere Cap, Daily Racing Form, 1959-05-11

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Silky Sullivan Successful As Hollywood Park Opens Thrills Throng of 32,430; Fleet Nasrullah Takes Premiere Cap HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Qalif., May 9. — A record week-day opening crowd of 32,430 turned out in ideal weather here Friday to witness the running of the 0,000 Hollywood Premiere Handicap and the heralded comeback by Silky Sullivan. Fleet Nasrullah, a lightly raced son of Nasrullah — Happy Go Fleet, by Count Fleet, owned by Mrs. J. D. Hertz, outgamed Fred W. Hoopers Alhambra to win the Premiere, and to the surprise of most, Silky Sullivan uncorked his big run in the stretch to win the featured Roy Campanella Purse. Actually, Silkys return to the races overshadowed what some Western observers termed the finest sprint to be seen here in recent seasons. Both Fleet Nasrullah and Alhambra had won their last starts in the identical time of 1:08% and were slightly preferred in the betting to such recognized performers as How Now, Terrang, Seaneen and Royal Living. The combination of Alhambra and "The Shoe," as expected, broke on top in the 6-furlong Premiere, with Fleet Nasrullah and I. Valenzuela right alongside. These j two went as a team for most of the trip, with Alhambra having a near half length advantage as they turned into the stretch. But at that point, Fleet Nasrullah, who may be a very good horse, ran away from him. Fleet Nasrullah was timed in 1 : 09, which, incidentally, was only a fifth of a second faster than Silky Sullivan required in getting the same distance. Terrang finished second in the Premiere, a length and a quarter behind Fleet Nasrullah, and a nose in front of the Irish-bred Seaneen. Seaneen beat Alhambra for the show by three-quarters of a length. Trainer Reggie Cornell had Silky Sullivan ready here Friday, and the "California Comet," the less fancied half of the Cornell entry, came with a devastating rush through the final eighth of a mile. Silky broke alertly, but then took back on his field, and as late as the quarter pole was running last, 14 lengths off the front horse. Don Pierce, who fell into the mount when Shoemaker elected to ride the swift-running Tyhawk, said, "I just sat back and we mowed em down."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1959051101/drf1959051101_6_2
Local Identifier: drf1959051101_6_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800