view raw text
■ ...j ii. i. in. ,,,,,,„■ ,, i , ., ■■■*,■ * *sand BEN A. JONES— Established new all-time training record of five Derby winners when he sent out Ponder to score in Saturdays renewal. Ponder Wins Seventy-Fifth Kentucky Derby in Big Upset Calumet Colt Three-Length Charging Victor Over Capot Favored Olympia Tiring Sixth After Setting Fast Pace For Mile; Brooks Brings Successful Son of Derby Winner, Pensive, Up Strongly on Outside; Palestinian Is Third By CHARLES HATTON CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 7.— Plain Ben did it again! Surging down the stretch with irresistible drive, Ponder carried Calumets flashing devils red to a decisive, if surprising, victory in this Diamond Jubilee of the Kentucky Derby as the odds-on Olympia finished out of the money. Three lengths back of Ponder came Greentrees tired but game Capot, four and one-half lengths in front of Palestinian. Another length and a half away, Old Rockport was fourth, just in front of Halt and the limber Olympia. Steve Brooks and Ponder were drawing off at the end of the ten furlongs on a fast track in 2:041/5, and the colts race was reminiscent of the unexpected victory of his sire, Pensive, several years ago. Comparatively few of the crowd, estimated by Col. Matt Winn at some 115,000, fancied Ponders chances and he returned 4.00 for his final quarter drive from obscurity to fame. It was a cleanly run race, with none of the field of 14 having any very visible excuse. Olympia dashed into the lead from the gate and ran a bit more than a mile, then simply ran out of gas. Conversely, Ponder was last swinging into the run up the backstretch and was a bunch runner leaving that lane, but when Steve Brooks sat down and commenced kicking entering the stretch, he picked off the speed horses like a true stayer. It was his first stakes conquest and perhaps the richest he will achieve, as the 00,000 added yielded a net of 1,600, not to mention the diamond-studded gold vase that Warren Wright has hoped to win ever since he accompanied Colonel Winn to select the stones •last winter. It was the master of Calumets fourth Derby triumph, trainer Jones fifth and jockey Brooks first. For the Mayor of Parnell" it was a new training record. And it was witnessed by what appeared to be the largest Derby turnout of them all. Ponder is, incidentally, a candidate for the Preakness and Belmont, which complete the Triple Crown in this country. There was the usual pomp and circumstances in the winners ring after the race, with Ponder wearing the famous roses and trainer Jones and Steve Brooks large smiles. Colonel Winn complimented all hands around before a battery of mikes and photographers. Capots Good Effort Actually Capots race came very cridit-ably close to being as good as that of the winner for he was laying right on Olympia s flank from the fall of the flag, made him spit out the bit when the test came straightening up in the stretch then simply refused to give up and only yielded to a fresher horse. He was the only of the first three who ran on the pace the full Derby route Palestinian broke a bit slowly but was Continued on Page Three WARREN WRIGHT— Ponder gave his Calumet Farm its fourth Derby victory. WffKJ fl | H HP* lit* Wfc «mnr I ■* ■ ■ — "■■■ ■ ■ , , ■ . ... ■ ■. » PONDER — Surprise winner of Diamond Jubilee Derby. Ponder Wins Diamond Jubilee Kentucky Derby in Big Upset Charges Down on Outside * To Whip Capot, Palestinian As Olympia Goes Unplaced Continued from Page One pulling Woodhouse out of the saddle while racing on the outside going up the back-stretch and went to contention with a rush leaving that lane. He made a bold move to reach Capot as the latter disposed of Olympia coming to the eighth pole but then lost ground in the final yards. Old Rockport had surprising speed away from the gate and saved all possible ground while following the paee several lengths back around the first turn. He ran stoutly when the speed horses began to waver, straightening out for the run home and was fourth. Halt had one horse beaten half way up the far side and made up lengths the final three furlongs for fifth, just in advance of Olympia. Johns Joy and Lextown had the early speed to be right on Olympias pace through the early furlongs but they jumped on to a treadmill after about seven furlongs. The others never were really in the hunt. Johns Joy was in close quarters at the first turn and again nearing the upper turn but he had nothing left when finally clear. Wager ,032,582 On Race The vast throng was provided more seats but it seemed to be visiting the "tote" windows more frequently, and with more currency than on Derby Day last year. The play on the classic alone was ,032,582 with 15,533 of this on the highly fancied Olympia. Of the sum wagered on the Hooper colt, there was 57,517 straight, 2,578 place and 5,438 third. In addition to the net purse of 1,600 and the Gold Cup valued at 0,000, Ponder won owner Wright a breeders award of ,000 and Ben Jones a trainers award of ,000. Among other things, Pensives stock as a sire will soar. Brooks share will, in all probability, be the customary 10 per cent of the winners end. It was the first time he ever had ridden Ponder, who was a maiden as a two-year-old last season. In fact his trainer supposed only yesterday, "well be running for fourth money." In earning 0,000 second money of the Derbys gross of 19,650 Capot ran himself a brilliant race, one notably better than his effort in the Derby Trial. He prompted Olympia over the early furlongs in :11, :223. :3333. :4625, :593/5, 1:123s, and mile in 1:383.-,. went to the front a mile and a furlong in 1 :5125, and never stopped punching when Ponder charged on him. The Bashfort Manor of five furlongs was won in 1:00. slower time than the first five-eighths of the Derby. In addition to second money. Greentree will receive ,000 breeders award, and trainer Gaver ,000. Palestinians share was ,000, third in addition to which Messrs. Bieber and Jacobs will share a S500 breeders award and Jacobs receives a ,000 trainers award. Clifford Mooers Old Rockport earned ,500 fourth, which more than "saved his stake" of ,050. Incidentally, the play on the Derby alone was exceeded only by the ,253,042 in 1947 and the ,202,474 in 1946. And the play on the defaulting Olmpia was surpassed only by the 70,833 wagered on Citation last year. Capot. Palestinian and Old Rockport, as well as Ponder, are nominated for next week-ends Preakness. Barring mishap they may be accounted probable starters. Old Tom had to run in a flat minute, the fastest five furlongs in the last seven Bash-ford Manors, to justify his post of favoritism in todays renewal of this 0,000 added stake for two-year-old colts and gelding?. O. F. Woodwards dusky son of Omission responded to Jimmy Duffs drive over the last furlong and stood off Eddie Arcaro on Mrs. Denemarks stretch-running Curtice by about a length. Two lengths away, Mrs. S. Rosens luckless Black Sambo, who had won the Lafayette at Keeneland, tied Mrs. John Bon-hams Shadows Start for third money. An even dozen of the best youngsters in the Middle West started, and this was Old Toms third success in four starts and added 0,225 to his earnings. «immy Duff was completing a double in the first five races of the day. Old Tom returned a mutuel. He is a muscular colt who has the conformation of a sprinter and ran like a good one. Old Tom drew an inside post position and was among the first to get on stride from a good start. Duff shuffled him to the front in the scramble to the far corner, with Air Arm prompting him closely and Black Sambo jumping right in his tracks ■ on the rail. About half of the field were racing in a compact group leaving the I backstretch and Black Sambo had to take up a few strides. Around the turn Air Arm tired and Curtice. Shadows Start and Wisconsin Boy began to close in on Old Tom. Shadows Start ducked out and impeded Wisconsin Boy entering the stretch, then was bearing out all down past the stands. Curtice and Black Sambo ran straight under extreme pressure, and the Denemark colt was on Old Toms heels at the finish, where Black Sambo gained a dead heat with Shadows Start for third. Dorsey Successful Brown Hotel Stabies Dorsey drove to a game length and one -quarter victory in ths j seven-furlong Damon Runyon Memorial Purse, while under the alert guidance of youthful Jerry West, who was completing a saddle double. Dorsey raced Henry Forrests Try Ike into defeat and then gamely withstood a hard drive, beating Mrs. H. J. Damms Roundeleer by a half-length margin, while Saint Nicholas, another member of the Brown Hotel establishment, ran third in the field of seven starters. E. R. Morris favored Sgt. Abe raced to expectations in accounting for the first race on the Derby Day program. Under an excellent ride by apprentice Norman Cartwright, who is making a determined bid for local saddle honors. Sgt. Abe assumed command entering the stretch and when ridden out reached the termination of the one mile and a sixteenth test a length and three-quarters before Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Bowles McCosh.
