Evening star., 1953-11-12
Armistice Day Looks
Like Natural for
International Race
Continued From Page CID

didn't like the turf. Crafty Ad-
miral tried to turn on the speed
at the start, taking the lead al
most Immediately. Some thought
his inability to shake off Sum-
glow, with Nick Shuk up, in the
first mile killed the Admirals
chances. He quit as suddenly as
though he had heard the 4
o'clock whistle going to the last
turn, and it was first feared
that he had gone lame. This
was not the case.
1t was Crafty Admiral's last
race before being retired to stud.
Iceberg II earned $500 for
second place. Sunglow picked
up $4,000 and Silnet won $2,500.
Strassburger, publisher of a
newspaper in Norristown, Pa,
wasn't there to see his horse win,
but his son Peter accepted the
international Trophy, bulky.
silver affair, from Mime. Henri
Bonnet, wife of the French
Ambassador.
Disqualification Winner.
Worden was a sort of a de-
layed-action winner. He was
invited to compete in the first
international last year and ac-
cepted. But a delay at the air.
port in getting the 4-year-old
son of Wild Risk-Sans Tares
aboard the plane caused Strass-
burger to change his plans and
keep the horse at home.
Smirke took his time winning.
He was coasting along in sixth
place behind Crafty Admiral,
Sunglow, Iceberg II, Silnet and
Wilwyn, in that order. until they
started around the last turn.
The foreigners long -stirrup, Sit
up style of riding seemed to
bring an old racing print to life
going down the backstretch.
Smirke said he was unable to
hold Worden in the early part
of the race and that the horse
never was in danger. Indeed,
the first time around, Charlie
had Worden's head up in the air,
restraining him vigorously. But
nobody, most of all his rivals,
were prepared for the burst of
speed he displayed in the last
three furlongs.
Immediately before the race.
Bridgland told reporters he was
anxious" about the outcome.
But we've done our job" added
the one-time jockey who rode a
winner of the English Derby.
Few realized how well he had
done it.
Trainer Had Worries.
Worden gave his trainer ga
bit of worry" on the backStretch,
but Bridgland, of course, didn't
know how the wheels in Smirke'S
crafty mind were turning. The
rider apparently wasn't at all
worried, either before or during
the running.
Bridgland said the victory
would enhance Worden's stud
fee when he is sent to a breed
ing farm next spring. The
horse will be flown home either
tomorrow or next Tuesday, de-
pending on the availability of
horse transportation.
Jorge Contreras, who rode
Iceberg II, had no excuses for
the 5-year-old Chilean-bred, but
Trainer Preston Burch thought
he had "asked too much" of
Sunglow. This was borne out
by Jockey Shuk's statement
after the race that the 6-year-
old Sun Again offspring ''choked"
after a mile.
Jockey Nanny Mercer, the
English rider who won with
Wilwyn last year. said his mount
went a bit lame. The horse,
winner of II straight races in
1852, was off his feed last week
but it was felt that the post
ponement helped him.
Harwin and Chamier, winner
of the Irish Derby, got in at 120
pounds as compared to 1875 for
the rest of the field. They are
3-year-olds and the conditions
called for weight for age. But
they were in over their heads yes
terday. Harwin, pre-race dark
horse who was supposed to pre-
fer an off course, was never bet
ter than ninth until his final
move carried him to seventh.
Chamier was seventh most of the
way, passing tired horses to
wind up fifth.
GrandStand Jammed.
The crowd wagered $254.728
on the feature, and this figure
could have been higher if the
grandstand patrons had had a
better chance to get to the win
dows. 1t was a mob scene in the
grandstand. Many people I'M
doubtedly preferred to sit and
watch the race, rather than try
to elbow their way through the
jammed aiSleS and runways.
Conditions were better in the
clubhouse, which was crowded
for the first time this year. But
almost everybody who motored
to the track was slowed by traf-
fic. From 1870 am. until we'll
after the second race, cars crept
along. bumper-to-bumper from
the Beltsville junction to Laurel.
Gov. Theodore McKeldin of
Maryland presented himself twice
in the winners circle, and each
time was greeted with a re-
sounding chorus of booes. 1t
sounded like the Governor is not
exactly the man of the hour in
his State,
You Be the