The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-01-27
Sports Roundup
ey GAYLE TALBOT

NEW AORA WI 0Oh4SWA~AC
around this time Of the year it is
customary for the horse racing ex-
perts to begin thinking seriously
of the Kentucky Derby and to ad-
wise their readers what horse, or
horses, stand the best chance of
keeping Calumet Farm and trainer
Ben Jones out of the winners
circle.
The job is not one which offers
much future, for Calumet Farm
has won three of the past five
classics at Louisville, running one.
two in one instance. Yet the boys
must persevere, figuring that the
law of averages win pull them out
in time, and we have been taking
careful note Of their observations.
There is more or less general
agreement that the horse which
will keep Ben Jones in the grand
stand on May 2 instead of running
around on the track waving his
white hat either is Native Dancer,
a gray hunk of lightning owned by
ALT Vanderbilt, or Straight Face,
bay belonging to the Greentree
Stable.
Most have heard Of Native
Dancer, even those who don't read
the racing news except on Sun
days. He won nine straight races
around here last summer, In
GLIDING q final little tester at a
mile and one-sixteenth, and he
hasn't been headed yet.
Many who watched and admired
Native Dancer believe he is des-
tined to become very famous
horse, a sort Of latter day Man
o. War, and TO give Vanderbilt
his first Derby victory with lengths
to spare. He is spending the winter
at Santa Anita, just eating and
resting up, as Vanderbilt's great
disappointment, Cousin, did a year
ago.
The other one, Straight Face,
ran in the East last summer with
little distinction. Il was not until.
at the flag end Of the season. he
romped away with both the Ken
lucky Jockey Club Stakes at
Churchill Downs and the Breeders
Futurity at Kenneland that the
racing world sat up and took real
notice Of the big gelding.
Now he's down at Hialeah. pre-
pairing 10 take q crack at the
500 900 Flamlngo and other vel.
paying events, and great many
words have been pouring out about
him. He appears to be the hottest
thing on the premises. Three days
ago they clicked him at ~ Is
seconds for q hslfmile workout.
which, from the excitement II gen
Grated, must be close 20 flying.
Between them, the pair look
plenty capable Of making Ben
Jones stretch his legs. They might
even beat the old training genius
from Parnell. DO. But before You
hook the homestead, there are a
couple more things you should
know.
Native Dancer IL q gray, as
mentioned earlier. and no colt 81
that color has finished first In -
runnings Of the Kentucky Derby.
That Is fact, not fancy.
Straight Face Is a bay eeiding.
Only seven geldings ever have
wound up In the winners circle
Al Churchill Downs. The most
famous was Extermlnat0r. sOld
Bones. " IN 1918. Only one bay geld.
ing ever won Il. Old Rosebud. The
percentage is discouraging.
Jones. meantime. IL bringing
along = cold named ChanIea out az
Santa Anita. He's . son Of Bun
Lea, calnmet's wonder sire, and
he's won two races since the coast
meeting opened. He wasn't ouf q
The money ~ ; z.yeaF.osd. either.
Nothing natky. yoa undernsand
Just . Bull Ira culs trained by
Ben Jones. Deaf know wty Ne
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