Evening star., 1953-08-16
.NativeDancer
Wins Travers
.By521 Lengths
Toys With Opposition
In Becoming Fourth
Highest in Earnings
By the Associated Pres.

OARA1OGA SPRINGS, N. Y,
Aug. 15.-Native Dancer toyed
with four rivals for almost a mile
today. then sailed off by him
self in the stretch to win the
$4,000 Travers Stakes by five
and half lengths and become
the fourth leading money-win-
ming horse In the world.
Backed down to prohibitive
1-to-20 odds by a crowd of 49,
260, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt's
powerful gray express train
caught George Auerbach's Die
tar about three-sixteenths of a
mile from the finish of the mile
and-one-quarter race and gall
loped home an easy winner.
Mrs. Widener Wichfeld's
Guardian II was third. two and
a half lengths behind Dictar,
with c. v. Whitney's Fly Wheel
fourth, another length away.
Fifth and last was John w. Niz-
lexis Mr.. Jameson, another Is
lengths up the track.
Show Betting Barred.
There was win and place bet
ting only and The Dancer paid
the minimum of $2.1O, and $2.1O,
with Dictar the same short price
to place.
The gray 3-year-old son of
Polynesian-Geisha by Discovery
produced another minus pool in
the betting as he racked up his
17th victory in 18 starts. There
was a $902.30 minus win pool,
and a $5,695.84 minus place pool
for total of $6,598.15. Previ-
ously this year the Vanderbilt
colt had cost race tracks ST.
033.88 had cost race tracks $77,-
This was the 84th running of
the Travers, the country's Oldest
stakes race, and Native Dancer
won with all the authority of
other great horses who have cap
tured the famous 3-year-ofd
classic.
Boosts Winnings to S677,42O.
When Jockey Eric Guerin
guided him under the wire with
out once using his whip. Native
Dancer collected $18,850 and
boosted his all-time total to
$677,420. This hoiSted him from
fifth place and into fourth, past
Assault, 1916 3-year-old cham
pion, who retired with $675,470
in the bank. Armed is third with
$817,475.
The time was nothing sensa-
tional over the fast track under
a warm sun, but The Dancer
didn't have to travel faster than
hits 2:0535 clocking. Man o. War
holds the Travers record of
2:O145 set in 1920. The track
record is 2:0135.
What a pleasure to ride a
horse like that" Guerin said
afterwards as the crowd swarmed
over police lines to get closer to
the big gray in the winners cir
Gle.
Never Raised Whip.
Il never raised the whip on
him today, just shook him up a
little and away he came" Guerin
won the Travers with One Count
last year.
Trainer Bill Winfrey said "the
only instructions I gave Eric
were to keep him clear. We leave
for Chicago Monday"
The Dancer will start in the
100000 American Derby at
Washington Park next Saturday,
probably with another Wander
bilt colt, Beachcomber.
This was the 17th time in
Native Dancers 18 races that
he's gone off as the odds-on ia
vorite. and he justified the con-
fldence of the crowd again. His
only loss was to Dark Star in the
Kentucky Derby.
Winner disqualified.
The favored Porterhouse,
owned by the Llangollen Farm
finished first in the winner-take-
all Saratoga Special for 2.year
olds. but was disqualified for
bothering Cain Hoy Stables
Turn To, who trailed Porterhouse
by a half-length, was awarded
the $17,250 prize and Porterhouse
was placed last. Permain was
moved up to second, Sir Boss to
third and Swift Sword to fourth.
Turn To, unbeaten in two
starts, paid $8.10. The Irish
bred colt, ridden by Henry Mo-
reno, was timed in 1:124s for the
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