Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-10
|Fabius Beaten
Six Lengths by
|22-1 Outsider
Delaware Park Scene
Of Startling Upset
AS Ricci Tovi Wins
BY JOSEPH B. KELLY
Star Racing Editor

STANTON, DEL, June o.
One of the most startling upsets
in Delaware Parks history &C.
CURED in the 10Th running of
the $4,000 Leonard Richards
Stakes today when Ricci Tavi, a
22-to-1 shot from the Whining
ton Christiana Stable,
defeated Calumet Farms Fa-
bus. the Preakness victor, by
six widening lengths.
1t was the first stakes victory
for the lightly-regarded Ricci
Tavi. whose name apparently is
derived from Rikki Tiki Tavi,
the mongoose in Rudyard Kip
ling's jungle Book. Ridden by
Jockey Eldon Nelson, the son
of Rico Monte overlook Fabius,
the 2-to-5 favorite, at the quar-
ter pole and galloped away to
an easy victory in the field of
eight 3-year-olds,
The fading Fabius, whose
rider, Willie Hartack, earlier
had drawn To-day suspension
that will keep him of the Calu-
met colt in next Saturdays Bel
mont Stakes. was all out to save
place money in a tight, three
way photo.
Frosty Mr.. Third
The picture-a mighty i'm
portant item to the place and
show plungers in the crowd of
26, 241-showed Fabius was Sec
ond, a nose ahead of Mrs. Cecil
b. Fishbach's Frosty Mr., 100
to-1 winner of the Chesapeake
Stakes at Laurel. Frosty Mr.
took third money by a head over
the Brandywine Stables Count
erlnand.
Ricci Tavi paid $45.80. $3.50
and 81 across the board. Fabius
returned $2.40 to place and the
minimum 1920 to show. Frosty
Mr., who went off at nearly %
to l, was $4.20 to show.
There was no fluke involved
in Fabius' crushing defeat. AL
though the weather was cool and
the skies threatened rain all day,
the track was fast and in the
previous race a new record for
one mile had been established.
The unlucky Hartack offered
no excuses after the race. saying,
He just went by me and Fabius
was doing his best to save Sec
ond."
Fabius Takes Lead
Shortly after the field broke in
the mile-and-an-eighth Leonard
Richards, Fabius bounded into
the lead. although Hartack tried
to take his free-running colt
back. The others did not seem
interested in going to the front
and Fabius ran by himself
around the clubhouse turn and
into the backStretch.
Clipping the first half in :472s,
Fablus was going easily, with
Ricci Tavi chasing him. At the
far turn, Ricci Tavi moved
closer and as the Delaware
owned outsider engaged Fabius
near the quarter pole, the Calu-
met colt suddenly surrendered.
AS a roar went up from the
surprised crowd, Ricci Tavi ran
right past Fabius and there was
nothing Hartack could do about
it. The final time Of 1:504s was
fairly good. although rs seconds
slower than the track record,
The fractions were 1895, ATS,
1888 and 1:504s.
Jockey Nelson said after the
race that he thought Fablus was
laboring when he passed him at
the top of the stretch.
New Betting Record
A total of SLOT, 010 was chewed
up in the mutuel machinery on
Fabius to win and there was a
minus show pool of $4.799. with
$75,722 being bet on Fabius in
the third slot. The $332,014
wagered on the Leonard Rich
ards represented a new one-rsce
mark for the track.
Ricci Tavi. who passed up the
Preakness after losing to As
sorted in the Preakness Prep,
earned a winners share Of $37, 400
for his most important triumph
in is trips to the post.
Wagering on the day scared
to $2,056,306, highest of the cur
rent 33-day meeting.
The defeat of Fabius made the
day a complete washout for ia
vorite players as choices were
beaten in all eight races.
Mr.. and Mrs. John w. Lunger,
who own the Christiana Stable,
were in the winners circle to re-
ceive an award for their home
bred colt.
Hartack opened the days pro-
gram by driving Landseair to a
head victory over the favored
Eljaka to pay $7.20. The victory
enabled Hartack to move into a