Evening star., 1955-05-21
Dixie Handicap
Goes on Grass
For First Time
Fishermen DueIs
With St. Vincent
At PimIico Today
BY JOSEPH B. KELLY
Star Racing Editor

by JOSEFh b. hELLY
Star Racing Editor
BALTIMORE. May 21.-Pim-
lico presents an old stakes in
a new light today when the
$4,000 Dixie Handicap has its
54th running but its first on the
turf.
Eight topnotch grass horses
will compete in the mile and
three-eighths event with st.
Vincent, weighted with 1875
pounds, heaviest impost of the
field, the favorite mainly be-
cause of his brilliant turf ac-
complishments earlier in the
year at Santa Anita.
The sentimental choice will
be Cornelius v. Whitney's Fish
erman. hero of last falls D. C.
International at Laurel who will
tote 1875 pounds today.
The race may develop into a
two-horse battle between st.
Vincent, to be ridden by Basil
James, and Fisherman, who will
be handled by Hedley Wood
house.
Challengers to the pair are
Chafran Stables Cascanuez with
121: c. Mahlon Kline's Kastsr,
100; Greentree Stables Mahara-
jah, 113; Warner L. Jones Leb-
anon Lad. Ill: Rokeby Stables
Hush Hall, ITO and Leslie Jane
Stables Martha Wave, 104.
st. Vincent, owned by George
Gardiner and Alberta Ranches.
has the most impressive record
on grass. The four-year-old
gelding by Ocean Swell won the
San Gabriel. Washington's Birth
day and San Juan Capistrano
Handicaps at Santa Anita. es-
tablishing a track record each
time.
Just to prove he can run on
the turf in the East as well as
the West, St. Vincent won at
Pimlico last Monday, capturing a
mile and sixteenth event by a
half length from Old Glendale
while carrying 124 pounds in
rather easy fashion.
Fisherman finished last in the
Metropolitan Handicap last Sat-
urday but won the Excelsior
Handicap at Jamaica on April
16. Prior to that. the four-year-
old son of Phalan was beaten a
nose by Social Outcast in the
Campbell Handicap at Bowie.
Cascanuez finished fourth in
his most recent effort but won
the Exterminator Handicap at
Pimlico last Fall. Jockey Bobby
Martin, Pimplico's leading rider.
will pilot Cascanuez.
Kaster, is another formidable
grass runner, having captured
his last race at a mile and three
eights on the turf at Belmont
Park. Augustine Catalano will
ride Kaster.
Maharajah, who also boasts q
victory in his most recent outing
at Belmont Park, has never won
on the grass but finished second
to Social Outcast in the Bou-
gainvillea at Hialeah this winter.
Eldon Nelson will be astride
Maharajah.
Lebanon Lad. a Pimlico win
ner last Saturday on the turf,
will be ridden by Charles M.
Clark; Hush Hall will be guided
by Stanley Small and Eddie
Anyon will pilot Martha's Wave
The roster of former Dixie
winners reads like a list of the
turf's nobility with such horses
as Preakness, Tom Ochiltree.
Duke of Magneta. The Bard and
Sarazen appearing among the
earlier victors and in later years
there is Equipoise, Pompoon,
Whirlaway, Sun Again, Armed.
Assault and Alerted.
Gallant Tonic, the $275.20
winner for 50 in Pimlico's fifth
race yesterday is owned by Mrs.
Robert Lomas of nearby Glyn-
don and is trained by her hus-
band.
Mrs. Lomas reported that she
wagered a sentimental 81 across
the board on Gallant Tonto who
was bred at the family farm.
She said her husband bet moth
ing. The Lomas' bought Popo
Lass, the dam of Gallant Tonic,
for $1,000 at the Timonium
sales and at present the mare
is in foal to Hunters Moon. They
have only three horses in train
ing.
Mrs. Lomas also explained
that yesterday was the first time
Gallant Tonto ran back to his
workouts.
The $275.20 mutuel payoff was
the longest of the spring season
and approached the $420.60 for
50 paid by Ruff Mate on Novem-
ber 10. 1854. at Pimlico. There
was only 1857 bet to win on
Gallant Tonto yesterday in the
pool Of $56,145.
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