Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-28
Nashuas Rivals Given Little Hope
of Upset in 7Qth Preakness TODAY
Clouds Indicate
Possibly Wet
PimIico Track
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON
Star stan Correspondent

representing WllIlam woodward,
jr.'s Bel Air Stud, awaited the
bugle today at Pimlico for the
10th running of the 100000
added Preakness. ...
Pimlico looked for a crowd
of 10000 for the mile and three
Sixteenths, the second Of the
Triple Crown races, but the long
holiday week end, plus coast-to-
coast radio broadcast and tele.
vision over the Columbia Broad
casting System, threatened to
cut the figure by several thou
sand.
Post time for the first race
today was moved up to LAS pm.
IS minutes earlier than usual.
The feature was scheduled for
5::45 pm, with the broadcast
and, TV beginning at $50. (The
race will be telecast in Washing
ton by WTOP-TV (Channel 81
and broadcast by WTOP Q,500
kc).
There was an outside chance
that the nine-horse field would
have a wet track for the classic,
for the weather forecast was
considerable cloudiness, becom-
ing warm and more humid. with
a chance of thundershowers in
the late afternoon or evening""
Nashua Likely to Be 1 to 2
/ But neither an off track nor
his rivals were expected to beat
Nashua today. The muscular
son of Nasrullah was rated the
4-to-5 favorite in the morning
line and figured to be a 1-to-2
choice when the band struck
up Maryland, My Maryland"
for the colorful post parade. All
will carry 1876 pounds.
Jockey Eddie Arcaro looked for
his fifth Preakness victory on
Nashua and Eric Guerin, riding
Clifford Mooers' Traffic Judge.
one OF two horses given outside
chances of beating him, was out
for his second triumph in the
race. Traffic Judge, coming off
last weeks triumph in the With
ers Mile at Belmont Park, fig
ured to be third choice at ap-
proximately 6 to /.
Saratoga May Sulk
The colt with the best chance
of scoring an upset If in the
proper frame of mind appeared
to be Montpelier's Saratoga.
Second to record-breaking Dedi-
cate in the Jersey Stakes and
winner of Laurers Chesapeake
Stakes before that, Saratoga has
the speed to extend Nashua. But
the colt sulked in his last stiff
workout Monday and seems to
be sour and not ready for his
best ACE. There was some doubt
that he would even start until
yesterday.
The rest of the field includes
WI Ranch's Honeys Alibi, win
ner of the 1-mile Preakness
Prep last Monday. and Dun
treath Farms Fleet Path, pace
setting runnerup. The first, rid
den by Carlos Gonzalez, a story
book rider making his first ap-
pearance in a nationally impor-
tant stake, is a dark horse threat
at IS to /.
Sticks Surprise Entry
Rounding out the field were
Maryland-owned Nance's Lad,
second in the Withers; Roslyn
Stables Go Lightly, Gee Cohen's
Chuck Thompson and B & G
Stables Sticks. who was flown
here from Chicago Thursday
night after being made an
eleventh hour entry. A victory
for Sticks would be the greatest
upset in Preakness history, sur
passing Clarence RUNNERS tri-
umph astride Coventry in 1925,
which netted $45.60 for each
So ticket.
A Nashua victory is expected
to bring the minimum payoff
of 1920 in show and possibly
place pools, and not much more
than $40 to win. Big bettors.
looking for a quick return on
what seems to be almost sure
thing, are expected to dump it
on Nashua to show and take 10
cents on the dollar, as guaran-
teed by Maryland law. The
track was expected to ask for
wagering on only two places
when the field dwindled to five
potential starters earlier this
week. but, with nine contestants,
decided against it.
Track Likely to Take Beating
! Pimlico is almost certain to
take another financial licking,
as it did two years ago when
Native Dancers victor created
minus show pool Of more than
$4,000. The sum is believed to
be a record, one that might be
surpassed today.
The winner will earn S68,050
If all nine horses start, and the
next three prizes of $4,000,
$4,000 and $500. respectively.
are believed to have induced
several owners to enter their
colts. Sticks, for example. never
has won stake and. indeed.
was only fourth for the first
time in his brief career last
Saturday. Fourth money would
be impressive alongside his total
winnings of $500.
Chuck Thompson ran so poor
ly finishing last in the Freak
ness Prep that his owner vir-
tually had decided against put
ting up the $500 entry fee and
additional $500 starting fee. But
facing opposition only slightly
better, Gee Cohen undoubtedly
figured the odds of picking up at
lease seven times that much
were in his favor.