Evening star., 1944-05-14
Stir Up, Leader
For Mile, Runs
Fading Third
Betting Mark for Race
Set by 33,011 Crowd;
Victor Pays $500
BY ORLO ROBERTSON,
A p Snnrts Writer

IMLI CO RACE COURSE,
BALTIMORE, May 13.-Striking
from behind in the stretch as he
did week ago in the Kentucky
Derby Pensive today won the 54th
and richest Preakness to take a
strangle hold on the 3-year- -old turf
championship.
Far back in the early running,
the chestnut son of the English
Derby winner, Hyperion, from War
rem Wright's Calumet Farm, hit the
wire at the end of the mile and
three -sixteenths, three-quarters of a
length ahead of George d. Widen
er's Platter. Mrs. Payne Whitney's
Stir Up, third in the Derby, once
again finished in the same spot,
beaten two and half lengths after
setting burning pace through the
first mile.
In travelling the distance in
1:591b, 21s seconds off Alsab's stake
record, Pensive earned $60075 of
the gross purse of $8O,075 and ran
his owners earnings for the year
to $250,840. OF this Pensive has
accounted for $139,475. This was
only about $4,000 short of the
figure compiled by the master of
the Calumet Farm in topping the
list of money winning owners in
1943.
The sweltering crowd of 33,011
made Pensive the choice in a wager
ing spree that broke all records for
the race. They poured $332, ,1O8
through the machines, compared to
the previous high of $254,00 when
Man O. War won in 1920.
Never in Doubt, Says McCreary.
With the shirt-sleeved fans beat
ing out steady tune on the ma
chimes, Pensive returned $3.50, 1910
and $2.20 across the board. Platter,
making his second start of the year,
paid off at $410 to place and $2.70
to show while 50 show ducat on
Stir UP was worth $3.50.
my horse never left me in
doubt" said Conn McCreary after
dismounting from Pensive and
watching his boss and trainer, Ben
Jones, receive the coveted Wood
lawn Vase.
There wasn't that much con-
fldence among the fans, however, as
Eddie Arcaro shot Stir Up to the
front and led the seven horses past
the judges stand the firstatime with
Pensive, trailing by some six lengths.
Johnny Longden had Platter right
at Stir Ups flanks and A. C.
Ernst's Alorter was close behind.
Swinging into the back stretch,
Arcaro aboard Stir Up was winging
along in front with two lengths to
spare over Platter at the half-mile
post, which the Greentree gelding
reached in .4835 seconds. Meanwhile
Pensive had moved into fourth place,
still some our-and-one-half lengths
BACK, but he had started to run.
McCreary Makes His Move.
AS Stir Up reached the first 6
furlongs in 1:1325, two lengths in
front of Platter, McCreary swung
Pensive to the inside, took over
third place and started moving in.
Coming into the mile post in
1895 at the top of the three-six-
teenth OF mile homestretch. Platter
caught the firing Stir Up, but by
that time Pensive was in position
to give the Widener colt a battle.
There was little to choose between
the pair for the next eighth as Stir
Up faded, but with the finish line
only one-sixteenth of a mile away,
Pensive stuck his head in front and
there he stayed.
The three leaders were easily best
of the field. Stir Up had four
lengths to spare over Mrs. A. J..
Abel's Cramps Image. Gay Bit
from Robert Bruce Lives Bobanet
Stable was fifth, Mrs. Ethel D..
Jacobs Stymie sixth and A. C..
Ernest's Alorter last. Alorter pulled
up lame.
Longden had no excuse for Platter.
HE was too rank for me-" said the
veteran rider. II couldn't rate him"
From Arcaro came: "They Just
ran by me-