Evening star., 1951-05-03
Atkinson Tennpts
ate in Riding
Hall Of Fame.
Arcuro's S Celebrated
Mistake in Derby
Mounts Huunts Ted
By John ChondIer
Asseeiated Press Snorts Writer

Assoeiuted Press Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, May 3.-Some 90
horses and a score of little men
will be battling for 100000 in
the Kentucky Derby Saturday,
and Jockey Ted Atkinson will be
praying he climbed on the right
one from the Greentree Stable.
Toronto Teddy is contract rider
for Greentree, which plans to
start Big Stretch and Hall of
Fame in the mile and one-quarter
affair.
Atkinson has been riding Big
Stretch, but Trainer John Gaver
said Ted informed him he prob
ably would pick Hall of Fame
this Saturday at Churchill Downs.
If SO. Doug Dodson gets Big
Stretch.
Uppermost in the little Ca
nadian's mind, Of course, will be
the celebrated case of Eddie
Arcaro when he was contract
Jockey for Greentree. Arcaro took
Devil Diver in the 1912 Derby,
leaving Shut Out for Wayne
Wright. So Shut Out won and
Devil Diver finished sixth. Now
it's Atkinson's decision to make,
and he's expected on the scene
sometime today.
Yet to Win q Derby.
Atkinson has never won Derby
in three attempts. his best being
second with Capot in 1949.
One of the Nations top riders,
he was ninth with Gold Shower
in 1943 and again with Perfect
Bahram in 1916.
Big Stretch ended his 2-year-
old campaign last year with i'm
presSive victories in the Kentucky
Breeders F'uturity and the Pim-
leo Futurity. and rated as one
Of the big Three" along with
Battlefield and Uncle Miltie. But
Ted hasn't been able to find the
winners circle on the son of
Eight Thirty in three races this
season.
In his last start Big Stretch
finished fifth in the Blue Grass
Stakes, showing no liking for mud.
In fact. Gaver says the track must
be fast Saturday or Big Stretch
will stay in his barn.
A lot of the opposition is hop
ing some rain slops up the place,
and forces Big Stretch right out
OF there. Many trainers still think
he'll be the horse to beat.
Jones Fears Big Stretch.
One is Ben Jones, who will
saddle Fanfare for Calumet Farm
in the Derby.
II like both of the Whitney
horses (Mameluke and Counter
point) and I'm as afraid of Big
Stretch as any Of them. Then
there's Ruhe, and nobody hardly
mentions him"
Ruhe. owned by Mrs. Emil
IDenemark, was given first money
in the Blue. Grass Stakes when
Sonic was disqualified. Previously
Ruhe copped the Arkansas Derby
Stanley Mikell, owner of Repe-
toire, also thinks Big Stretch will
be the one to beat.
Another boost for Big Stretch
came from Moody Jolley, who
trains the Cain Hoy Stables Bat
tie Morn-probable Derby favorite
in this big guessing game which
has produced quantity with nc
outstanding quality.
"You know Big Stretch is the
best horse, if he'll decide to run,
Jolley declared.
Keen on Royal Mustang.
However, Sam E. Wilson, jr., the
Corpus Christi (Tex.), oil man
doesn't agree. Wilson plans te
start Royal Mustang, and prob
ably Golden Birch, the latter an
Irish-bred import.
"You can put your two dollars
on Royal Mustang this time" he
said, adding that the colt would
have won the Blue Grass Stakes
if he hadn't been bumped by Ruhe
when Sonic caused interference.
Guesses as to the size of the
Derby field ranged to 20 or more
The last time that many started
was War Admiral's Derby In 1887
If % should go, it would tie the