Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-05
Needles Firm Choice TOWN
Sd Derby Over Fast Track
Biggest Threat
Is Seen From
Calumet Entry
BY CHARLES M. EGAN
Sports Editor Of The Star


LOUISVILLE, May 5.-The big
showdown comes today at time
worn Churchill Downs and with
the 82d Kentucky Derby only a
matter of hours away, the
Florida -foaled Needles still is the
solid favorite despite trend to-
ward the Calumet pair, Fabius
and Pintor Lea.
Needles, a powerful stretch
runner who can 60 on any kind
of a track, probably will be less
than 2-to-1 when he and Jockey
Dave Erb lead a big field of 16
or II 3-year-olds to the post
at about $40 pm. washington
timel. The race will be tele-
vised and broadcast locally on
WTOP, channel 9, starting at
Sis pm.
All indications were that the
1A-mile battle would be de-
cided over a fast track. YeSter-
days predicted showers failed to
materialize and brisk wind and
warm sun combined to dry out
the racing strip. Cloudy weather
was forecast for this afternoon.
Whitney Hand Strengthened
With a dry track virtually as
sured, c. v. Whitney's hand is
strengthened considerably, for
his top performer, Career Boy,
doesn't like mud and might have
been withdrawn if it had rained.
However, the son of Phalanx has
been bothered by bruised hind
foot and may not be at his best.
This factor, coupled with Head
Mans recent failure in the Derby
trial, helped hold down any bet
ting rush to the Whitney pair.
The entry was 4-to-1 on the
morning line and may go higher.
even though Eddie Arcaro and
Eric Guerin are the riders.
Most of the handicappers are
picking Needles but concede they
would be more positive if the
colt owned by Jack Dudley and
Bonnie Heath had not been idle
so long and didn't have such a
big field to contend with. Needles
is a come-from- behind horse, as
he showed in the Flamingo and
Florida Derby, and could en-
counter trouble threading his
way through firing field in the
late stages.
Reaping Right Scratched
If Come On Red, mud run
ner, is scratched, as expected,
that would reduce the field to l6
as Reaping Rights withdrawal
was announced yesterday, just
"a hours after the Louisiana
Derby winner had raped him
self in a workout. The field is
almost equally divided into
speed" horses and stretch run
ners, so there could be some con-
gestion when the former start
backing up and the latter start
coming on.
i In recent years Derby 'front.'
runners have had much the bet
ter of it. as is attested by the
triumps of Swaps, Determine.
Dark Star and Hill Gail. One
has tos go back to 1949, when
the victor was Ponder, Needles
sire, to find slow beginner who
got up in time. Ponder won de-
, clSlVely with a late rush, just
as his sire, Pensive, had done
five years before.
/ If Needles wins he'll do a great
deal more than provide Florida
with another answer to Califor.
mia. He'll join Ponder and PEN
sive in an all-winning Derby
combination which has only one
precedent. That was provided
by Reign Count, 1928 winner;
his son, Count Fleet, who won
in 1943, and Grandson, Count
Turf. surprise victor in 1851.
Trend to Calumet and Jones
The trend to Calumet and Ben
Jones lost no momentum through
Yesterdays developments. With
Willie. Hartack riding Princess
ETuria and Arcaro on her Calu-
met stablemate. Beyond, the big
crowd made this pair the 7-to-5
favorite over the consistent Dou.
bledogdare, last years 2-year-
old filly champion; as it turned
out the crowd was right. too.
Hartack got Princess Turia to
the finish line a thin nose in
front of Doubledogdare, who was
conceding pounds to the Calu.
met filly. Doubledogdare, ridden
by Steve Brooks, went of at 8
to 5.
Hartack, who has decided to
ride Fabius in the Derby. had
only two mounts yesterday and
won with both. Besides Princess
Turia. he scored on Has To Be at
$3.50 in the first race. Willie's
decision to ride Fabius may have
been influenced by the fact that
Pintor Lea. like Career Boy, has
See DERBY, Page A-13