Evening star., 1954-04-13
Harfack and Pet Bully
0pening-Day Stars as
Bowie Draws 1O,379
By Lewis T. Atchison

Bowie looks just as good as
Laurel to Jockey Bill Hartack
and Trainer Tommy Kelly, who
continued their successful spring
campaign by winning the $4,000
The Sation, a 51a -furlong sprint
for older horses. with Pet Bully
in record-smaShing time on yes
terday's opening program.
Action in the mutuel depart
ment was somewhat slower.
although the attendance and
betting compared favorably with
the first Monday of last spring.
Yesterdays count was 1O,379
fans and mutuel handle of
1892. 800. "A year ago, Bowie
drew 9.840 persons on the first
Monday and they bet $728, ,499.
The real competition begins
today when the Senators-Yan-
KEGS opening game is expected
to lure some prospective Gus
toners. Thursday is opening
day for the Orioles in Baltimore,
the first major league game
there in So years, and there will
be no racing Good Friday.
Thus. the competition for the
sporting dollar seems serious
this week, at least.
Three Straight Wins.
Pet Bully, carrying 119 pounds,
gave Hartack his third straight
victory on yesterdays card ais
he whistled over 51a furlongs in
a sensational 1:034s.
The 6-year-old son of Petrose-
Camelina cracked a record of
1:05b hung up by Sandy on
November 26, 1927, and equalled
by Sunsard on April IA, 1928, in
beating w. H. Foales' Just Sid
ney, the 2-to-1 favorite, by 11a
lengths. Just Sidney carried Ill
pounds.
1t was a nice win, too. for
Trainer Kelly, who captured two
Laurel Stakes, the $40, ,O00- added
Cherry Blossom and $40, 1000
added Chesapeake Stakes, with
Ring King. The latter. like Pet
Bully. is owned by Mrs. Ada L.
Rice. wife of a wealthy Chicago
grain broker.
Hartack. who rode Ring King
in the Cherry Blossom but had
a previous commitment on
Gweny G. in the Chesapeake,
got the fastest -furlong ride
ever witnessed in Maryland
on Pet Bully. The time was only
three-f1fths of a second slower
than the worlds record of 1:O3H
credited to Nance's Ace, a 3-year-
old carrying 112 pounds, at Trop-
ical Park December 81, 1914.
Track None Too Fast.
Even though he won about
twice as much money in three
less races than Just Sidney last
year, Pet Bully was second choice
to the Foales colt in betting at
AZ to /. Just Sidney, backed
down to 2 to /, led to the turn
but couldn't Withstand his rivals
blazing speed.
Pet Bully may be a California
import, but it wasn't a so-called
cardboard California track he
ran on yesterday. It was dry,
dusty and deep.
Tom j. Barry, Irish-born
trainer of Joe Gavegnano's Err
rard King, returned to Bowie
yesterday after saddling the colt
for his victory in the Expert
mental Handicap Saturday and
reported that he came out of the
race in good style. Errard King,
purchased for $500 as a year.
ling by Gavegnano, will remain
at Jamaica this week with
Coastal Light, a stablemate.
Both are named for the Gotham
Mile Saturday and then will be
shipped to Churchill Downs for
the Derby.
While Errard King was win
ming, Gavegnano's Boston bak-
cry went up in flames Saturday,
and the colts end of the purse
wouldn't cover the loss. But
Derby victory would help.
Barry, who will be saddling
Derby candidates for the first
time, is making his first spring
appearance in Maryland. He has
18 horses in his public stable.
Usually he waits for the fall
meeting.
Rex Enright, South Carolina's
head football coach, who at
tended an Atlantic Coast Confer
ence meeting at Maryland, per-
suaded Jim Tatum to take him
out to the track. It was Tatum's
first look at Bowie.
One of the longest-priced
horses in Maryland racing his
tory showed up yesterday in
Frank Cooper's Kee War, who
was 1908 to l in the mutuels. !,
Although the 3-year-old gelding
had nothing to recommend him
and finichaI Iae4 -. 20