Evening star., 1949-03-20
Calumet Star
Wins in 1:594.5
lin Gu|fstream
Outruns Three Rings
By 7 Lengths; Armed
BoreIy Misses Place
picture on Page B-3J
BY the Associoted Press


MIAMI, Fla, March 19.-Coal-
town, Calumet Farms great A.
year-old, today equalled the world
record for the mile and quarter
in winning the $4,000 Gulfstream
Park Handicap by seven lengths.
Under 1913 pounds. Coaltown
galloped under the wire in 1898
the record time set in June,
1899, in Brighton, England. by
Saint Andrews II and equalled for
the first time on the American
turf by Shannon II at Golden
Gate Fields on october %. 1948.
In today's race. Mrs. E. L. Hop
kins' Three Rings was second and
Coaltown's stablemate, Armed
was third, a half length behind
Three Rings.
Break Two Other Records.
Although they will not be en-
tered in the record books. Coal
town shattered two world records
in fractional times.
The bay speedster was timed at
As seconds fiat for the half mile
two of a second faster than
the world record set by Tie Score
on April /, 1945. at Mexico City.
The mile time was clocked at
1:341s, a fifth of second faster
than the record mark set by Equi-
poise on June 80, 1882, at Arling-
ton Park. Ill.
Coaltown's fractional times
were: 223s, O:45. 1909. 1:34Hs and
1:5945 for the mile and a quarter
It was Coaltown's fifth win in as
many starts this year and his 18th
win in 18 starts. The Bull Lea
colt has finished second three
times and third twice, never hav-
ing been out of the money in his
career. He has won $187,175.
Armed Makes Game Try.
Armed, grand old man of the
turf, proved worthy entry with
Coaltown and was gaining on
Three Rings at the wire. The g.
year -old gelding drew thunderous
applause from the biggest crowd
of the meeting-18,7 ,752for his
game effort. Armed earned $4,000
to run his earnings to $778.050.
The Calumet entry went post
ward at l to 10 and ther was no
show betting. Coaltown returned
1920 and $2.10 in the 50 mutuels
Three Rings paid $3.50 to place
There was no minus pool.
OWE Scurlock. Paintsville. KY,
jockey, was on Coaltown and the
boy just went along for the ride
Coaltown led from the start and
before they passed the clubhouse
the result was apparent. He fat
tened his lead to eight lengths
and never let up, with the others
strung oft behind like automo-
biles in a traffic lane. Armed
was in. third position most of the
way and closed ground in the
final quarter, but could not catch
Three Rings.
Atkinson Misses Ride.
First Nighter was fourth, fol-
lowed by Gangway, Big Dial, Mar
chons II, Dinner Hour, and Que
madito in that order.
Coaltown smashed the old track
record of 2:0125, set by Armed in
winning the same event two years
ago. Rampant nosed out Armed in
the Gulfstream Park Handicap
last year.
Jockey Ted Atkinson was sched-
uled to rid Coaltown in todays
big race, but was delayed on a
plane trip from Aiken. S. c. FL
don Nelson was aboard Armed and
Doug Dodson piloted Three Rings
Today's crowd failed to match
the record 20,270 turnout of March
%, 1947. but boosted the attend
ance for the first IA days to 201,-
942, far ahead of the 1886 for
the same period two years ago
Gulfstream opened the Florida
season in 1947-48 and attendance
was far behind that for the spring
dates.
Wagering on today's eight race
program totaled 1881 ,301.