Evening star., 1946-07-28
Platter Collects
.S76,S50 Purse
AT Arlington
Runs Away From Five
Rivals; 45-to-l Shot
Gets Second Money
By ChorIes DunkIey
Associated Press Sports Writ,

CHICAGO, July 27.-Mighty As
sault, reigning 3year-old champion
and leading money winner, finished
absolutely last in a six-horse field
today as The Dude scored an as
founding upset victory in the $685.
$50 Arlington Classic.
A throng of $4,000 witnessed The
Dudes triumph which brought
home. with stunning effect, the IA
BILE that Arlington Park is the
graveyard of champions.
The winner, purchased only a
year ago as a selling platter for
$4,000, is owned by Mrs. AL Gaal,
New Orleans, La, whose husband
trains the colt and owns small
time four horse stable. For the
Dudes victory, Mrs. Gaal collected
s76,850, richest prize in Classic his
tory.
Not only did the bearer of Mrs
GaaPs American Beauty silks fash
to a convincing triumph in the
mile and a quarter event, but the
little chestnut colt made the pace
so hot that Assault trailed the field
two and one-quarter lengths in back
OF Lord Boswell in fifth place. James
c. Stones Sgt. Spence, 45-to- l
shot, finished second and John
Marsch's Mighty Story, third.
Makes One Horse Race of 1t.
Jockey Melvin Duhon, a 2l-year-
old lad from Kaplan. La, a free
lance pilot, got The Dude out in
the lead before the pack hit the first
turn and made one-horse race of
1t all the way. The Dude led at
one time on the back stretch by six
lengths.
At the finish. The Dude was a
length and half ahead of Sgt.
Spence, with Mighty Story 2Ib
lengths behind. Then came Hal
Price Headley's Athena, onl| flllv
In the race, Lord Boswell and finally
the defeated champion.
Assault, with s339, ,720 piled up In
winning six of seven stakes starts,
including the Kentucky Derby. the
Preakness and the Belmont Stakes
this year, is the highest 3-year-old
money winner in turf history.
The Dude went to the post at odds
of 6ia to l and paid SIS, $500 and Sc.
Sergt. Spence. ridden by Jockey
Bobby Campbell, paid 5000 and SIS,
while Mighty Story, with Jockey
Irving Anderson up. paid $3.50 to
show.
| The crowd wagered $36o,17s on
the Classic, a betting record for one
race in Illinois. The sum of s191 1876
was wagered on Assault, with $780,
$50 being bet to win, S38,655 to place
and $52,490 to show. Assault went
to the post favorite at odds of 7
to 10.
Assault Makes One Challenge.
The Dude ran the IL miles in
2:02as over a fast track. The Dude
now takes his place with such
Classic stars of the past as Mate,
which beat Twenty Grand; Gusto,
which whipped Top Flight; Challe-
don, conqueror of Johnstown, and
Attention, victor over Whirlaway.
Assault made but one brief chal-
lenge, holding third place momen-
tarily as the horses passed the q =
mile marker. From then on, how
ever. Jockey Warren Mehrtens failed
to get him going and he faded fast.
Mehrtens, who was aboard him in
all his triumphs. said he had no
excuses.
Lord Boswell trailed his field
practically all the way, and only
passed Assault in the stretch. the
first time, incidentally, that Lord
Boswell has finished in front of
Assault in five races this season.
The Dude, genuine rags-to-
riches thoroughbred, won some of
his earlier races at Chicago's half
mile Sportsmans Park. When they
sprung the barrier The Dude was
anxious to run. 1t was Athentia.
The Dude and Assault as they
flashed by the bowling stands for
the first time.
Fans Shrek in Amazement.
Leaving the clubhouse turn The
Dude quickly sprinted to the front.
while Athena stayed In second and
Assault was third.
J, Sergt. Spence, Mighty Story and
Lord Boswell trailed. Going down
the back stretch The Dude grad
uany increased his lead. Two
lengths E. three five ano
then six, while the spectator.
shrieked in amazement.
The Dude streaked around the
home bend with a four length leac
while Mehrtens went to the whir
on Assault In vain. Athena was
folding and Sergt. Spence ano
}, Mighty Story were moving up with
rush.
The s76,850 that The Dude picked
up was the most money the Gaals
ever had seen. The Dude earned
$14,030 as a juvenile while winning
6 out of II mediocre races and pre-
viously had won $3.50 this season
on four earlier wins But this was
his first stake victory.
The Dude is son of Alibha l.
Donatrice and was bred by Louis
B. Mayer, the motion picture mag
nate.
Betting Record Is Set.
The Arlington Park customers to-
day wagered $2,472, 500 on the eight
races for a new Illinois mark. The
previous record of $2,281 .043 was set
on nine-race card at Washington
Park last Labor Day.
Another new mark was set when
$3.50, 178 was wagered on the Classic.
The former one-race record of $685.
668 was made in the Arlington
Handicap last week.
Total handle during the 36-day
Arlington session reached S46,978,-
354 for a daily average of S1,304.-
954, best in Arlington history. Dur
ing the 34-day session in 1945, $40
288.354 was handled, an average OF
s1,164,951.
Mack Likes Florida Comp
DETROIT. July 27 (P.-Manager
| ,