Evening star., 1947-03-02
$500 Watch
|Chi|ean Racer
|Score,at 15-1
Fovored Calumet Ace
Is I'd Near Stretch
Then Drops Bock
By Bob Myers
Assoeioted Press Sports Write


Asseeioted Press Sports Writer
ARCADIA, Calf, Mar. 1.-The
mighty Armed ran fifth today as
Olhaverry, an 8-year-old Gray
charger from Chile, scored a smash
ing upset victory in the 100000
Santa Anita Handicap before
record crowd of $500.
Astounding the fans who had in
stalled the long tailed champion
from the Blue Grass as an even
money favorite, Olhaverry, virtually
overlooked as a 15-to-1 shot, came
up from behind in the stretch and
crossed the line a length and q
quarter in front of Stitch Again,
with Pere Time third in q photo
finish for the spot with See-Tee-
See.
Armed, rounding out the complete
upset, finished out of the money,
in his bid for the $100, 900, his third
major stake in as many weeks, and
a place as the No. 2 all-time winner
Of the turf.
Field Off to Good Start.
With a record sum for the race
of $1,044,331 bet on the outcome,
the field of % got off to good start,
with Armed laying off the early pace
grabbed quickly by Artillery. Jockey
Doug Dodson kept Armed back until
the far turn, and then moved up to
second.
The gold-winning gelding seemed
about to take charge as they turned
into the stretch, but he failed to
put on the power and dropped back
before the oncoming Chilean charg-
er, Stitch Again, Pere Time and
See-Tee-See, the latter a pair Of
California bred horses.
Olhaverry is owned by Raoul Es-
pinosa of Panama, trained by A. E.
Silver, and the winning jockey was
Melvin Peterson.
In l8 previous starts in this coun.
try. Olhaverry had won four races
and earned $52,580. His owner Is a
former president of the Panama
Jockey Club.
That's the greatest horse I ever
rode" said Jockey Peterson. when
we made our move we had plenty of
room and came through to win the
race"
Owner Can't Crash Crowd.
Finishing back of Armed, who nm
ished ~ lengths back of Olhaverry
in the big push, were, in order, Mon
soon, Texas Sandman, Autojat,
Terry Bargello, Ell Lobo, Plover, Ad-
rogue, Bric-A-Brac, Nanby Pass,
Triplicate, Witch Sir, Be Courageous
Buring Dream, Menu, Gala Damion,
Hank H. and Artillery.
The betting handle was higher
than the record $805,08 bet on
Handicap Day last year, when War
Knight came in as a surprise victor.
Last years record crowd was 10000.
So great was the crush of people,
Olhaverry's owner couldn't reach
the winners circle. but his wife
managed to get in to accept the
honors.
Dodson, obviously disheartened by
the outcome, said he couldn't get
room in the stretch for his final
drive. To others, however, it ap-
peared that the Calumet star tired
in the final stages of the " milo
haul.
Winner Pays S32.70.
The winning time was 3:01A-3s
of a second behind the track and
handicap record held by Seabiscuit
and Thumbs Up. /
Olhaverry paid s32.7o, $500 and
$10.50. Stitch Again, owned by the
Circle B. Ranch and ridden by Basil
James, paid $17.60 and $11.80, and
Pere Time, with Britt Layton aboard,
paid $1,000 to show.
The runner up got $4,000, third
$4,000. and See-Tee-See 5000 in
a purse whose gross value was 1884,
500.
With Armed and such leading
rivals as Texas Sandman, El Lobo
and others shut out completely, the
10th running of the handicap goes
down as perhaps the biggest upset
of its history.
Olhaverry 18th at Half Mile.
Olhaverry didn't get a call until
the pack hit the far turn, and then
began coming up on the outside.
With Armed coming up to challenge
Stitch Again as they came to the
head Of the stretch, the Chilean put
on a final drive, passed the leaders
with a rush and drew away at the
windup. Stitch Again was a half
length ahead Of Pere Time, who beat
out See-Tee-See by a head.
Armed hung back fourth running
down before the grand stand
the first time, dropped back to fifth
momentarily, pulled up to third at
the half mile and was second to
Stitch Again coming into the stretch.
Olhaverry at the half-mile point
was the 18th before going into his
winpio0 iriua