Evening star., 1953-01-18
Blue Reading Takes
Secondary Feature
Despite Foot Injury
By the Associoied Press


ARCADIA. Calf. Jan. II. -
Mark-Ye-Well, Calumet Farms
solid favorite for the $4,000
Santa Anita Maturity two weeks
hence, romped to an easy vic
tory today. in the 25.000-San
Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita
Park.
Making his first start as a
four-year-old, Mark Ye = Well
just laid back, then won as he
pleased under Eddie Arcaro. A
13-to-20 favorite, the winner
paid $2.70 straight and $220 to
place. Stranglehold returned
$40 to place. Due to the small
field, there was no show betting.
The days secondary feature,
the $20,000-added San Carlos
Handicap for 3-year-olds and
up, went to Blue Reading in
driving finish which caught Ruth
Lily and Big Noise. Time for
the 7-furlong event was 1:2325.
Hurt Only Week Ago.
It was Blue Readings second
stakes win in row, and some
thing of surprise. The 6-year-
old came out of his victory in
the Santa Catalina last Saturday
with a quarter crack. and only
Tuesday was fitted with a special
shoe. His winners share was
$14,350.
The San Fernando was less of
a horse race. Mark -Ye-Well was
boxed around the first turn, but
got into the clear on the back
stretch, running an easy fourth
behind Southarlington, Horse
trader-Ed and Indian Land.
Then, starting into the far
turn, the Calumet ace edged
into third place. BY the time
the field of six starters came
off the turn, Mark-Ye-Well was
on top by a head and had in
creased it to length and one
nail at tne wire.
Stranglehold, part of an entry
with Horsetrader-Ed, got up for
second, a length and a half
over the fading Southarlington.
Horsetrader-Ed was fourth, fol-
lowed by Arroz and Indian Land.
Hollow Victory BOOed.
The easy victory drew a scat
tering of boos from the crowd
estimated at $1,000 as Mark-Ye-
Well trotted back to the winners
circle.
Mark k-Ye-Well and Calumet's
Hill Gail have been assigned top
weight of 130 pounds for the
100000 Santa Anita Handicap
February %. the traditional big
race at Santa Anita. Both also
are eligible for the Maturity
limited to -olds-on jan
uary 81. Hill Gail ran a nail
in his foot in the stable area,
however. and is doubtful can
didate in the Maturity.
Time for today's mile and
one-sixteenth event was a fairly
slow 1:4415, since the track was
rated fast. The victory was
worth $15,500 to Calumet.
The winner carried 122
pounds. Jackie Westrope was up
on Stranglehold. who got in at
112. Southarlington, with Bobby
Summers aboard, carried only
108.
In the other feature, Blue
Reading came from all the way
back to nip Ruth Lily and Big
Noise at the wire. Big Noise,
owned by Harry James, the
trumpeter, and his actress-wife,
Betty Cradle, led all the way
until Ruth Lily caught him in
the stretch. Then Blue Reading
came flying strides from the
finish to pass them both.
FavOrite Runs Fourth.
Blue Reading. owned by C. L.
Hirsch and ridden by Bill Pear
son, paid $3.50, $3.50 and $3.50.
Ruth Lily returned $6.70 and
$490 and Big Noise $3.50. Alfred
G.. Vanderbilt's First Glance, the
8-to-5 favorite, was fourth.
The San Fernando lost two of
It's scheduled eight starters when
Marcador and Don Rebelde
were scratched shortly before
post time. That reduced the field
to five entries. since Stranglehold
and Horsetrader-Ed are owned
by Mr.. and Mrs. N. G. Phillips
and were coupled in the mutuels.
The total pari-mutuel handle
for the day was $2,963,291.