Evening star., 1953-04-28


should produced few close modern finishes The best
horses are shooting the grand and usually the fields
large Yet only Bold Ventures 1896 victory and Jet
Pilots 1947 triumph were by less than a length.
Indeed the runaway is more common at Churchill Downs
than the finish. Three horses-Johnstown in 1885,
Whrlaway in 194 and Assault in 946each won by eight
lengths. Hoop Jrr won by six in 1945
ONE OF THOSE TWO REAL good finishes since the
Brokers Play duel Cor MeadeFsher appro
priate Bold Ventures head victory Brevity three
years later This may well have been of the better
colt losing because Brevy knocked to his knees coming
starting gate BY the time Wayne Wright got him
Strengthened out Bold Venture was five lengths ahead OF the
fthpac Brevty who had to outside all the He was
wearing down Bold Venture at the end losing by head
Bold Venture, then is remembered by many as a lucky
winner ye ironically his Assault to win 10 years
later by one Of those eight-length margins
The other hair-rang finish OF the last two decades was
by widespread criticism of Eddie Arcaro for his ride
aboard Phalanx 94 Derby when Phalanx went
posward the 2to1 favorte Whether Arcaro or the colt
boh-messed is moot question, but most Of the
evidence against Eddie Phalanx up as the years
champion under Chilean jockey named Donoso
any rate Eric Guern hustled Jet Pilot to the front
and hafmle pole leading Phalanx running last
by IA lengths Moving into the stretch, Guern still
had threeength lead Arcaro now fth and his Jet
Pilot barely managed to win by a head.
THIS COULD BE THE BIG duel again next Saturday.
Guerin versus Arcaro The former will be riding Native
Dancer the latter the California colt Correspondent Don't
underestimate Eric Guern It's true that Arcaro Arcaro
but this 28year-od Guerin from Louisiana is fair hand in
the saddle himself aat5#%% ss.
He looked to be much the best jockey Raaica that
veteran observers usually reluctant about making copar-
sons began talk Of Guern in the breath with Earl
Sande Layerne Faor and Arcaro and Ted ATKINSON This Is
no great overstaement Eric 20 stakes che New York
circuit last including Of seven Native Dancer
Already this meeting he has captured five Of Jamaicas
stakes
Guerin isn't particularly colorful, although for jockey
he is unusually tall. stands 5-feet7 and make ia
pounds Once when he had spill at Belmont Park and
hopitazed for two weeks he shot to 37 pounds But he
returned to riding weight in hurry. Guerin is Native
line Gwynne Vanderbilt could have had Arcaro
for the snap of finger.
THE TRUTH OF THE ARCARo matter in connection with
the forthcoming Derby is that Banana Nose BELTS his
rank as l. again had choice of mounts He could ride
Social Outcas stabemae of Native Dancer Correspond
ent recent tsCorrespondent in the Blue Grass
Stakes Social Outcast in the Wood MemoriaArcaro
Trailing Native Dancer in the Wood he
apparently futy of trying to beat the Vanderbilt
A gambling man, Arcaro not that he needs the money
he might have had pretty good grip $4,000 by riding
Social Oucast for Vanderbilt. AS yrderS, Eddie and
per the Derby purseregardess of whether Native
Dancer Social OutcaSt won If either does.
But Arcaro apparently isn't concedng victory to Native
Passing up VanderbiS colt which Guerin figures
take ALL Eddes obviously shooting the works Corre
Nobody has ridden five Derby winners
Pride could be factor; mentioned earlier
hal fha