Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-25
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAW By FRANCIS srANN
Testing in the BLUEGRASS
AS on THE MOMENT. the Fl

AS OF THE MOMENT, the Florida-bred Needles is the
2to1 favore to win the Kentucky Derby BY dusk tomor
row. however it may be different story. Weather permitting
Career Boy star of Sonny Whtneys stable
will have stretched his legs Kentucky soil the
Stakes at Keeneland
A big by Career Boy might make him co-favorite
with Needles and possibly indicate trend toward absolute
avortsm for the Whitney entry of Career Boy and Head
Man by post-time at Churchill Downs May S. dull
performance and Needles hackers will be confirmed chalk
players on Derby day.
with the Derby Trial next Tuesday the last of the major
Derby Both supposed to be significant although
the Blue Grass winners rarery have successful in the
Big One and only in years have the Trial winners
the mustard with any consistency.
Indeed Career Boy bucking inx of sort Last Blue
Grass winner to capture the Derby Shut in 1912 and
the only other to take both Bubbng Over in 1926
AS A MEANS OF lingering the Derby winner the
Trial was flop for 10 years. until Citation in 1913 Then
it began to turn such Hill Gail so and Star
in So But finishing on top in the mile Trial far from
guarantee OF big race in the Derby Anybody recall off,
hand last years winner? Something called Flying Fury
less
Perhaps the most significant trend recent years
been the dominance by winter horses in LouSveS annual
cambake There time when horses that raced in the
winter never took down first prize Finally Black Gold in
1924 came off successful in the Louisiana Derby and
made good the favorite at Churchill Downs
Not until IA years later did the Lawrn
bouncing down to the wire but beginning with Whrlaway
in 1s the for the mostly has to horses that
Santa Anita Derby before psettng Nashua last In "a
another Santa Anita Derby winner Determine omped home
Dark STAR Hill Gail nearly all except Count Fleet in 43
were winter horses"
ASSUMING THAT IN THIS ERA it is advantageous to
campaign in Florida California Career Boy no time
to waste Like his stabemate Man. spent the
at Camden c. whereas Needles busy and profitable
colt as he won the rich Flamingo and Florida Derby
Another factor that may have to be considered is the
weather This has been of the worst springs in
hadi Of
apparently Indifferent to track conditions but not
Boy If it up mud on May you very likely
can forget about him.
For that matter if the track Keeneland tomorrow
not good Trainer Sy Vetch may scratch Boy and
wait for the Trial the Derby itself The colt has
IRENE aversion for any kind Of wet track.
SIDELIGHT ALMOST interesting Derby itself
is the decision of Eddie Arcaro stick with Head and
yield his seat aboard Nashua May The $4,000
Lag Handicap at Jamaica falls the day the
Kentucky cssic leaving up to Arcaro to make choice
Only because Golf Ace disqualified did Head Man
win the Wood Memorial last Saturday With racing critics
he lost prestige but Arcaro has asked Sunny FzSmmonS
Louisville Not very successfully did Master Eddie sell the
idea that he placed sixth Derby victory above all other
considerations
ArcaroS choice has led people to wonder Eddie
no longer considers Nashua the awnnng horse he
be- reasoning that Arcaro must think he stands better
chance to make May riding for Whitney The
money would be approximately the If Nashua Won
Arcaro would pocket the entire Jockeys the
Lag On the other hand, Eddie and Eric Guern, who will
ride Career Boy will split whatever they win in the more
than twice -aS rich Derby
Arcaro thus may not be aboard winner either at
Jamaica or Churchill Downs and still pick up $4,000
because of Guern and Career Boy operative just back
from the recent Wood thinks this EddieS chance
Il had $40 on Head Mans nose" he said but felt like
was picking somebody's pocket when Golf dis
qualified"