Evening star., 1942-03-08
Whitney Horse,
.0nce an Invalid,
Victor by Head
AIsob, Fifth, Is Best
Of Name Racers in
$50, 900 Handicap
BY CLYDE TALBOT.
Associated Press Sports Writer.

MIAMI, Fla, Mar. 7.-One Of the
most dramatic stories in thorough
bred history reached its storybook
climax today when Mrs. Payne
Whitney's The Rhymer, the blood
TRANSMISSION horse" came up with his
closing strides to win the Widener
handicap, richest race Of the win
ter season.
Nobody had given the Rhymer a
look-in on the first prize Of S53,-
$50 in the Hialeah Park race. The
handsome chestnut, which only two
years ago was regarded as a hope
less invalid, wasn't considered in the
same class with the group of great
stake horses running today-Market
Wise, Midland, Challedon, Atten-
ton, Alsab and the others.
But when the field of II had COM
pleted the IL mile route Of the
Widener to the frenZied cheers of
a crowd of 25 ,048, it was Mrs. Whit
ney's pet that had his head out in
front of Col E. r. Bradley'S Best
Seller, the second horse, while the
star runners were nowhere. Market
Wise, the favorite, never was in the
race, and only little Alsab of the
name" horses gave his owner run
for the money.
He Was Given Running Blood"
The Rhymer was bred by Mrs.
Whitneys Greentree Stables and
horsemen say she formed a par
ticular attachment for him, to the
extent that when he became a very
seriously sick 2-year-old she insisted
he be given a blood TRANSMISSION, a
thing unheard of at that time. At
any rate, he recovered to run a
grand race under the skillful hand
ling of the veteran Eddie Arcaro
today and to repay fully his owner
for her affection.
The few who had their money on
the game outsider realized the big
reward of S3280 for each 50 mutuel
ticket. Best Seller. which led the
procession most of the way and
yielded to The Rhymer only in
final dramatic rush for the wire,
returned $500 for the place. An
other rank outsider, Olympus, was
third. a half length farther back,
paying S12 for show ticket.
Stars Take Great Beating.
Seldom has a field of great horses
taken more surprising beating.
From the instant starter George
Cassidy sent them off to an almost
perfect start from two sets of stalls
none of the favorites ever gave his
hackers a real hope. Best Seller was
in front the first time past the
grandstand and never yielded his
position until the run down the
stretch. Market Wise wound up
dismal eighth after having run
next to last great part of the way
for those who had made him 81
choice.
Fourth by length in the big jam
at the finish was Our Boots.
Fifth was Alsab. the great little
2-year- -old king of last year, COM
peting in a field Of older and bigger
horses. He justified the decision
of his owner, Al SABBATH, in starting
him, even though he couldn't quite
come through for his thousands Of
admirers in the stands.
Alsab Once in Front.
AS the field rounded the last turn
and came tearing down the stretch
Alsab swung far to the ~utside and
gained on the leaders at every
Jump. He looked a cinch and the
cry went up, "Eisab's got it." Just
when they were about furlong
from home Alsab actually stuck his
game head in front for a moment
but that was all he had.
The older and bigger horses went
past him. 1t doesn't show in the
chart, but the little 3-year-old was
in front for thrilling second or
two.
Back of Alsab in this order, fin
ished Challedon. Get Off. Market
Wise, Midland, Cramps. Pictor, At
tention. Pomayya, Waller. Porters
Cap, Dit and Great Union. Almost
any of them was supposed to be
better horse than The Rhymer,
which was beaten only three days
ago in a grade B handicap. Rider
Arcaro. in fact. was not too en-
thusiastic about The Rhymer when
it was over, apparently feeling that
his "Arcaro' horsemanship had
been quite a big factor in the
triumph.
Attention Fades in Stretch.
Of the favored horses Mrs. Parker
Corning's Attention probably made
the best showing against the gang