Evening star., 1953-08-23
Triumphs Easily
With Brilliant
Stretch Drive
Time Is Fast 1:482-5;
Lond!Ioeked Second,
Precious Stone Third
By the Associated Press

TFSClOuS OTOHS MIRO
By the Assoeioted Press
CHICAGO. Aug. 22.-Alfred :
Gwynne Vanderbilt's sensational
Native Dancer. given a brilliant
ride by Jockey Eddie 'Arcaro.
burst to the front midway in the
stretch to win the $112,600
American Derby today. going
away by two lengths over James
C.. Brady's Landlocked.
Harvey C. Fruehauf's Precious
Stone was third, three lengths
behind, and Harry N. Ead's Sir
Mango finished fourth in a field
of eight.
Van Crosby and Thaxter were
scratched.
In winning his 18th race in
10 starts the big gray stepped
the mile and a furlong in 1:482s,
only a fifth of a second off the
track record set by Colossal in
1948. His winning share was
$66,500 to boost his earnings as
the fourth leading money win
ner of all time to $743,920.
Carries Top ImpOst.
The Dancer carried 1913 pounds,
top impost of his career, and
was ridden for the first time by
an unfamiliar jockey, Arcaro.
His regular rider, Eric Guerin,
was serving a Today suspension
pined on him by Saratoga stew
ards a week ago.
Sir Mango, with Dave Erb
aboard, set the early pace and
looked as if he might be Native
Dancers chief threat, as he was
in the Arlington Classic last
month. .--
At one fourth of mile, Sir
Mango led by two lengths over
Landlocked and maintained
that margin to the three fourths
marker. At the start of the
stretch Sir Mango still was on
top, Landlocked was second by
a length, Precious Stone, third,
and Native Dancer, fourth.
Native Dancer Takes Lead.
On the last turn Arcaro
brought The Dancer through
from the inside to the outside
and started to move. At the
eighth pole the great gray cham
pion shot to the front and the
outcome was never in doubt.
A crowd of 37,108, largest at
Washington Park since 1851,
backed Native Dancer down to
to S. There was no show bet
ting. The winner returned $2.40
and 1920. Landlocked, winning
/ $4,000 for second place, paid
$3.50. Precious Stones third
prize was $12,500 and Sir Mango
picked up $500.
The total mutual for the nine
race program was $2,127,389.
fourth highest handle in Wash
ington Park history.
The American Derby victory
was Arcaro's fourth. The little
Italian, who has been riding %
years, won with Citation in 1948,
Hill Prince in 1850 and Mark
Ye-Well in 1852.
II guess The Dancer is just
about everything they said he
is," Arcaro reported after the
race. |'He handled himself per-
fectly but going down the back
stretch he didn't seem to be
doing too much. Nearing the
half-mile pole, I got busy and
started to pump on him. He
still didn't do much, but all of
a sudden he started to run and
that was it.
Moves When He Sees Fit.
apparently this horse likes
to make his move when he sees
fit"
Vanderbilt asked Arcaro if he
ever hit the colt.
II was afraid I would have
to get at him early and when
I started to pump on him and
he failed to respond Immediately,
I was about to go with the whip"
Arcaro answered. But just then
he burst ahead and I knew the
race was all over.
II think I realized I had the
race won half way around the
final turn. But I did not want |
to hit hIm. thinking l might |
knock him off his stride, SO / |
just sat there. I think / shook |
the whip at him several times
in the stretch"
Arcaro. revealing that only |
this morning he had a wrenched |
ankle X-rayed because of con-
tinuing pain that had bothered
him all week, has always main
tanned that Calumet's Citation
the all-time money-winning
champion with a total of 81 $685.
760-waS the greatest horse he
had ever ridden.
Calls Him One Of Greatest.
"After riding the Dancer to-
dou I OoHa cou that thu bic. rr,.n., sr.