Evening star., 1945-06-15
Hoop L Rules 8to.5 Favone as Pteakness Fever Mounts
Pavot Is 81 in Field
OF Nine; $4,000 Due
To Jam Pim|ico
BY JOHN F. CHANDLER.
Associated Press Sports Writer.

| by JOdN r. CdANDLEh.
Associated Press Sports Writer
BALTIMORE, June 15.-The an
nual Preakness fever, helped along
by the hottest weather of the year
hit the racing faithful in earnest
today.
Old Baltimore offered the best Of
its wartime hospitality and Pimlico
race track officials prepared to vel
come an estimated $4,000 persons
tomorrow for the 55th renewal of
the Preakness, one of the Nations
oldest and richest stakes-this time
the richest in the history of the
old Hilltop course.
First on the lips of thousands
was the name of Hoop Jr., the Ken
lucky Derby champ, and instantly
came the debate whether he can
repeat his performance of last Sat-
urday at Churchill Downs and take
over the second jewel of the famed
triple crown of 3-year-old racing.
Hoop Jr., owned by F. w. Hooper
OF Jacksonville, Fla, held the ia
vorite role in the biggest of five
stake events. He was quoted at 81
to 5, compared to the S to 2 rating
for Walter M. Jeffords' Pavot.
Field Remains at Nine.
The field remained at nine when
the entry box closed. with Polynesian
at 8 to l, the next in the betting, with
the others ranging from 10 to l to
| so to /.
Bobanet, from the Bobanet Stable
OF Bruce Livie of Baltimore, was the !
first entry when the box opened, but
Racing Secretary Charles j. McLen-
nan announced that three others
had beaten Bobanet via the tele-
phone route.
The first official entry, Mr.. Nc
Lehman disclosed, was made Tues
day by Trainer Oscar White, when
he telephoned the name of Pavot.
Polynesian, winner over Pavot in !
the Withers Mile June 6, was the
second official entry. Trainer Morris
Dixon entered Mrs. P. A. B.
Wideners colt by telephone Wednes-
day.
F. A. Bonsal, jr.. trainer for the
Pentagon Stables of Mrs. Jay Secor
and Mrs. Barclay Henry of New
York, entered The Doge yesterday.
Bobanet was entered at 8 am. by
Trainer Al (Spec) Dunno, and was
followed a few moments later by
William Helis' Adonis.
Then, at 1924 am, Trainer Ivan
Parke sent in the name of Hoop Jr.
Hes ready and any horse that beats
him will earn the money! the
trainer said.
Mrs. w. G. Lewis Darby Dieppe, C.
S. Howard's Sea Swallow. Henry
Lunger's Alexis, all of which trailed
Hoop Jr. in the Derby, were entered
long before closing time.
In the drawing for post positions
Pavot got No. l, on the rail, and
Hoop Jr. the No. 2 spot. Others, III
order, were Bobanet, Sea Swallow,
Alexis, Darby Dieppe, Polynesian,
The Doge and Adonis.
The Preakness and track attend
ance mark of $1,000 was set when
Omaha won the run for the
Black-eyed Susans" here in 1885,
while last years crowd was 33,011. |
If $4,000 jam into the oval Sat-
urday many will have to stand up
on the in1eld grass all afternoon,
for the stands can accommodate
only about half as many.
Other Big Races on Gard.
But the Preakness is only part of
the Pimlico program, which will
offer one of the fanciest stake days
in American racing, touching an ex-
pected total gross purse outlay of
around $165,O00.
The 42d running of the 100000
added Dixie Handicap for 3-year-
olds and upward at ! 3/16 miles
may have field of nine or ten,
headed by William Helis' Rounders,
Millbrook Stables Alex Barth, Edge
hill Stables He Rolls, and Charles
Turner's Bon Jour. the probable fa-
vorite.
| A small but select field of 3-year-
old f1llies is docketed for the $4,000
added Pimlico Oaks, with w. L.
Brann's Gallorette the probable IA
vorite.
| Probably the smallest field will 60
in the $5,000-added Nursery Stakes
for 2-year-olds, including Max Wex-
ler's Lady Gunner, feet filly that
ran away from the field in two
events at Pimlico in May.
The largest field, probably IA, is
expected in the $5,000-added Jen-
nings Handicap for 3-year-olds and
up.
In addition, there will be $2,5O0I
affairs on the program. with the
first post set for pm. and the big
show-the Preakness, slated for 4:12