The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-06
Catrone, Native Of New Haven, Has Done
 Well As Horseman

Pawtucket, R. l., Aug. 6-Frankie Catrone, currently "at home" at Narragansett Park in charge of a division of Valdina Farm horses, is without a doubt the rolyest poly est horseman in captivity, standing a full four feet ten in his high heeled shoes and weighing, sad to relate, something in the neighbor- hood of 135 pounds. He is quiet, self-effacing, smokes the biggest black cigars in North America and sings the weirdest baritone that ever prevented a barnful of horses and men from going to sleep but --he also is one of the most thor ough-gotng horsemen in the coun- try and he doesn't hold down his present important job just because MT. Emerson Woodward, Texas owner of Valdina Farms, happens to like his big brown eyes or the jet black hair that goes with them.
 No sir, Frankie knows all there is to know about racehorSeS. And he should, because he learned nis business from that accomplished master of the horse-conditioning business, Sam Hndreth. Frank was quite 6 rider in his day too and this fact should not be surprising, for he learned how from the Hil- dreth saddle artists, Laverne Fator and Earl Sande, and learned It right.
 Nutmegger
 Catrone was born at New Ha- ven, Conn, the son of an Italian fruit vendor, but at a very ten- der age-if there ever was such period in the Catrone history the family moved to Saratoga Springs. As soon as he was able to find his way around, the young man followed the family tradi- ton and began to peddle fruit and papers. He quickly found out the best market for his wares was over on the backstretch at the Spa tracks; what more natural than the little fellow should develop a yen for horses? The Hildreth barn was one of his favorite camping spots and wonder of wonders, nne day the Hildreth foreman gave Frankie a job-walking hots.
 It wasn't long before "CaruSo" Catrone = Hildreth personally gave him the nickname-began gallop- ing horses and he showed such pluck and aptitude that not only Fator and Sande, but the "Old Master" himself, began to take a lively interest and to teach him the fundamentals of good horse- manship. This was back in 1920. But they didn't make jockeys over- night in those days and 1t was 1928 before 'Caruso' got a leg-up under silks. The first race he rode was aboard horse named Order ly, he finished third. He rode his first winner, 6 horse named Beck ma, at Jamaica in the spring of
 Hereabouts Catrone was promot- ed to the post of lightweight rider for the Hildreth outfit. but the type of horses Hildreth handled usually carried the higher imposts and were ridden by either Fator 0r Sande. So Frank wasn't over worked in the afternoons, though he added to his knowledge and ex- perience by galloping and working seven or eight horses every morn ing He did however, receive per- mission to accept a few outside mounts and here "Caruso" did right well for himself. riding many stakes winners including Harry Sin cIair;s Novice, 8 thoroughbred that Frank rates one of the very best he eyer rode,
 After Hildreth's death in 1929, Catrone went to work for the San- ford stud Farm, of Amsterdam, N. VI, and from this point he got tllot.s Stakes winner after stakes