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CALIFORNIA . . . ByOscarOth HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif., May 14. The hopes of the Far West in Saturdays Preakness are riding on the nose of Los Angeles-owned, California- grown and developed Royal Orbit and if this son of Royal Charger can upset Sword Dancer, a great deal of the credit must accrue to veterinarian Jock Jocoy, whose attention to the horse has been somewhat unusual. Jocoy flew with the horse from San Francisco to Louisville, and again from Louisville to Baltimore, and on both occasions, his presence undoubtedly made it possible for the horse not only to race but also to his best form. On the filght to Louisville, the Flying . Tiger plane pilots were asked to fly as low as possible because the ship was not pressureized, and they obliged until they reached Albuquerque, where the ground authorities ordered them, and no ifs and buts, to take to higher altitudes to avoid a severe and dangerous thunderstorm. As the ship rose higher, Royal Orbit began to get drowsier, and Jocoy had a difficult decision. He could prescribe sedatives, which could have had a lingering depressant effect in Louisville, or he could resort to old fashioned methods in an effort to keep the horse distracted. He chose the latter, and for two solid hours stood and slowly fed Royal Orbit bits of carrots. "It kept his digestive system working," explained Jocoy, "and as long as his innards kept in gear, he was in no real trouble. But had they stopped, as they well appeared to be about to do, the horse could--have landed tied up and this would have interferred with his training." Jocoy Nurses Royal Orbit in Flights Johnston Retires to Life of Turfman Built Major Empire From Humble Start On the flight from Louisville to Baltimore, Royal Orbit had the hard luck to draw, from another airline, an ancient DC-4, a veteran of hard usage in an airfreight lift into Vienna from various European ports. Once aloft, Jocoy noticed the horse sniffle, checked and found that one of the air vents wouldnt" close and that the horse was in a severe draft, the higher the plane rose, the colder the air-stream. The control mechanism of the vent was out of order and could not be closed by normal methods. Without hesitation, Jocoy took off his coat, ripped it up and stuffed parts of the cloth into the offending aperture. Jockoy caught a cold, but his horse didnt and proved his fitness by a sparkling, from all accounts, score in the Preakness Prep last Monday. "Better me have the cold than the horse," mused Jocoy here at Hollywood Park shortly before he enplaned again for the East Coast. It is not exactly-news that Ellwood B. Johnston has sold his pie factory in Los Angeles, but in case you tiidnt know, he has and at the youngish age of 52 retired from business to devote his entire time to his thoroughbred interests. "I vowed if I ever got a hold of enough money, Id retire at 50," explains Johnston, "and although Im two years behind schedule, here I am with all the time Ive always wanted to spend with my horses. My wife and I plan a trip around the world of a years duration, or maybe more, and we will go racing at every track in the world, or at least, as many tracks as we can work into such a schedule." In earlier days, Johnston was the second Californian J. H. Ryan was the first to decide that breeding to Alibhai might make sense and this was at a time when, at the farm of the late Louis B. Mayer, all the good mares were being sent to Beau Pere. And the story we like about the man which illustrates his refusal to let him outwit himself through prolonged pondering, was the occasion when he went to the Mayer farm and asked what yearling cullswere available. He was shown two. He paid for them at once, ,000 apiece, and then said, "Now that they are mine, tell me whats wrong with them." He was informed one was a wobbler, the other had been struck by. lightning. Both turned into stakes winners, earned really substantial amounts, and one, Lodge Night, became a successful sire. As it turned out, the diagnosis of the wobbler was incorrect, and the horse hit by lightning suffered no lasting effects. Horses and People: Vice - president and general manager Jim Stewart is practically commuting to Sacramento, where legislation to the turf is under consideration. . . . Fred Turner Jr.s Caliente string has been turned over to Harry Fields for training. . . . And J. J. Dolan has an extensive stable south of the border for Travis M. Kerr. . . . Terrang and the rest of the Carl Roles string head for Chicago following the close of Hollywood Park. ... An ugly oil well derrick has arisen on the Hollywood backstretch since the last season and while the black gold is desirable enough, it mars the decor of Hollywoods vista of flowers, water fall, trees, "and ducks.
