Evening star., 1953-02-22
Henry Hecht Tells Of Porloying
1919 Platter Into Racing Stable
By John ]. FitxGeroId

MIAMI. Feb. 22.-''I started
with one horse Sir Leonid-
back in 1919. as ! recall it. .and
parlayed that platter into a small
and successful stable" Henry
Hecht, Maryland mechant big
wig, said as he summed himself
in the paddock at Hialeah. 1--WE
raced a lot of horses and seen
q lot of racing and over period
Of something like "a years, have
lost none Of my enthusiasm.
Hecht, vice president and di-
rector Of The Hecht Corp. which
controls II large department
stores, Is vacationing at Miami.
Beach, close by the 8-horSe
string he has quartered at Hia-
leah in charge Of Claude Feltner.
They race under his coloiS and
those of his wife. Included is the
recent winner. Hyp Home. Mid
iopolis also was in the group
until claimed after winning.
Wintering at Pimlico Is the
pride Of the Hecht equine col
lection. The Pincher who set .
six-furlong record Of 1:1OA over
that Maryland oval the first day
he carried the Baltimorean's
silks. That was back in l948 and
the mark still stands.
The Pincher was purchased
for $4,000 at a weeding-ou
sale of the Mill River Stable,
after he had been a two-time
winner for that establishment.
It was one Of the best buys
Hecht has ever made, as the
seven-year-old has been a i've
time stake winner for him and
picked up $105.620 in prize
money. Four of the major prin-
cipals were registered over tracks
in Maryland.
Lost First Winner.
"I was pretty much Of a
youngster and had lots to learn
about racing when I claimed Sir
Leonid, which an outsider could
do under the rules prevailing in
those days." Hecht said. He
won first crack out of the box
for me and then I lost him, but
claimed Buddha and won five or
six races with him. Jimmy
I; Rowan was my trainer and this
connection continued until he
was killed in an automobile ac-
cident here in Miami. Then !
got rid of all my horses.
Some years later I made a
fresh start as an owner. with
Guy Bedwell as my partner
First the horses were raced un-
der the name of A. C. Compton
and then as the A. C. C. Stable.
We started by claiming a platter
named Church Call and picked
up many other good winners in
this fashion and by private pur-
chase.
Possibly Sun Egret was the
/ best horse we had in the barn.
He won a number of good stakes
and also finished third to Stage
hand and Dauber in the Santa
Anita Derby. Flagstone. Vicar
and Clingendaal we're other good
ones
"The partnership continued
until 1941 when I went into the
armed services. Just to keep the
Hecht, colors active, I retained
the sprinter Ask Aunt Ada. She
raced under my wife'S colorS.
Upon my return to civilian life
in 1945 started rounding up a
stable again and am happy to be
able to say that the venture has
had fair degree Of success"
Henry My Boy Promising.
Most highly regarded member
of the Hialeah string handled by
Feltner is Henry My Boy, new
conner by Eight Thirty out of
Sirlette, a Sir Damion mare.
Despite fast training trials. we
had not intended to run him
here" Hecht said, "but that plan
/ has been changed. There's a
race in the book Tuesday where
he'll be a starter If conditions
appear suitable. There's q juve-
nile stake at Bowie we're enter
| ing him in and I intend to put
him in and I intend to put him
in every two-year-old special