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Italy Pacifici Aids Derby Win of Rio Marin By DESMOND McGOWAN Our Rome Correspondent ROME One has to go back to 1951, the year that Daumier won, to find a champion juvenile capable of winning the Derby the following year and after this long sequence it was only fitting that the Mantova Stables big chestnut colt Rio Marin should be the winner, more so since the official handicapper had estimated him to be seven pounds ahead in the 1958 ratings of two-year-olds. Although the seven 1 t j 3 I pounds was a just and fair estimate of his superiority last year, we have never been an admirer of Rio Marin and at the risk of being called stubborn, we refuse to exhalt his Derby victory even though he won in 2:30, a time only bettered by Orsenigo, Tenerai and Braque. We will hold to the opinion that this years crop of three-year-olds are as bad as we have ever seen and that the Derby field did not include anything with any pretensions of staying 1V miles in top-class company. Only the game little Songkoi gave the winner any sort .of race but Otello Fancera was forced to challenge too early in the stretch and the colt changed his legs and rolled from weariness -in the last furlong to go under by three-quarters of a length. There were 12 starters with no representatives coming from the Razza Dormel-lo-Olgiata. This encouraged pipe dreams in the minds of two or three owners and such contenders as Rialto, Fonogramma and Prassitele would have looked far more at home in the Genlteman Riders race which preceded the main event. Diedo and Faeto were only there to act as pacemakers to Rio Marin and Mileto respectively while Luigi Regolis other two runners Chemo and Fruscolo were considered a long way behind Songkoi and could be backed at 20 to 1. At the bell the fancied horses were Evens Rio Marin, 6 to 4 Mileto, 3 to 1 Vestro, 4 to 1 Songkoi, 8 to 1 the Razza Ticinos Orano and anything up to 60s on the others. Rio Marin dominated everything in the parade but Mileto was sweating up badly and he did not impress as he cantered down to the start. In his final gallop before the Derby he had thrown his jockey and had then galloped away at liberty. He showed no signs of anything . amiss when he was caught but he ran a dread- ful race in the Derby and this may have resulted from some trouble caused through his escapade. Pespite the protests of trainer Yittorio di San Marzano that Prassitele would make him and his owner a laughing stock, the owner wanted to see his colors carried and San Marzanos dire prophecies came true when Prassitele left the gate like a bullet and after leading for a furlong he threw his head up, swerved to the outside rails and threw poor, unfortunate Aldo Brunoni who was lucky to get away with a fractured finger and a badly bruised back. - ! After the Prassitele incident, Faeto took up the running closely followed by Diedo, Rio Marin, Mileto, Vestro, Songkoi, Fonogramma, Chemo, Fruscolo, Rialto and Orano. There was little change until the J long curve at the bottom of the track when Diedo dropped back. Faeto was also beaten ; entering the long stretch and the leaders were Rio Marin on the rails with Vestro on the outside with Chemo and Songkoi just behind Rio Marin and Mileto trailing Vestro and just ahead of Fruscolo. At this point Chemo lacked speed and Vestro stamina and Francera found himself running second on Songkoi with still-three furlongs to cover. Veteran Saverio Pacifici was riding a beautiful waiting race on Rio Marin in i front and as Songkoi came level with him : just below the distance, he asked Rio Marin , for an extra effort and the big chestnut ; gradually inched ahead from his tired lit tie rival to win by three-quarters of a length with the plodding Chemo four length back in third place and a length and one half in front of the fourth horse, Vestro. The race was a great triumph for jock-eySaverio Pacifici for even if owner Gino Mantovani is listed as nominal trainer, Pacifici and head lead Ugo Berti are responsible for preparing the Mantova horses. Born at Rome 52""years ago, racily fici has not a gray hair in his shining Continued on Page Fifty Report From Italy By DESMOND McGOWAN Continued from Page Ten black thatch and Rio Marin was his fifth Derby winner and his fourth for the Mantova Stable. His first Derby winner was as long: ago as 1931 when Obefbn won for the Razza di Stupinigi. A master of every style of riding: Pacifici is specially beloved by the stewards and his innocent face and remarkable conversational powers, helped along by a few tears, more often than not go a long: way in convincing: the authorities that they have mistaken hism for someone else. Riding since 1924, Pacifici has never had weight worries and he can go to scale 105 pounds and he is riding as well as ever and not far short of winning 3,000 races. Roman Forum . . . Rio Marin has left for San Siro where he will next run in the Gran Premio dTtalia . . . The Razza del Soldo have entered the six-year-old Alipio and the three-year-old Mileto for Ascots King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes . . . The Razza Dormello-Olgiata have sold the three-year-old De-Voos to Ing. Palmiri of the Razza Spineta. The price paid by this very rich, young man bears out Barnums theory that there is one born every minute . . . Bramantina should win tomorrows Oaks but she may be extended by Count Neni Da Zaras Altovia, recent conqueror of Cesaproba, whom trainer Luigi Regoli has sent to Milan to be prepared for the race by brother Federico, late of the Soldo . . . Interested visitor to the Derby was Colonel R. Hastings of the British Bloodstock Agency. After visiting Olgiata, Colonel Hastings went to stay a couple of days with Donna Lydia Tesio at Dormello and he gave me the news that the B. B. A. have just purchased the Laurel Park International winner, Worden.
