Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-24

Needles Gets
Third Money

M46IA4, CAd., I1dl. 90 VI -
Calumet Farms Bardstown
clinched handicap honors for
the winter today when he sped
to a half length victory in the
$126, 800 Gulfstream Park Handi-
cap before 24,851 racing fans.
Bardstown carried high weight
of 100 pounds and ran the mile
and a quarter in the excellent
time Of 2:0025. His Stablemate,
Fabius, was second and Florida
born Needles finished third in the
field of seven.
Time of the race, over a
lightning-fast track, was only
three-fifths of a second slower
than the track record set by an
other Calumet horse, Coaltown.
under 1913 pounds at 1:594s on
March 10, 1949.
Jockey Willie Hartack. the
Nations leading rider last year.
kept Bardstown well off the pace
set by Keystone Stables Pieces
ofeight. while Fabius, ridden by
Eddie Arcaro. was alongside the
leader for the first mile.
Needles, winner of the Ken
lucky Derby and other rich
stakes last year. trailed as ex-
pected in the early running and
had passed only one horse at
the end Of the mile.
Needles 3 Lengths OF
When they reached the far
turn Needles started picking up
horses, but still was three lengths
behind the leaders when they
headed into the stretch.
Meantime. Bardstown took over
the lead which t'abius had
wrested from Piecesofeight, and
as they swung for home the big
dark bay gelding was moving
fast.
Hasty House Farms Platan
had come from last place in the
last half mile and took fourth
money, followed by D. E. Love-
mans North Cone. Mrs. Ada L.
Rice's Call Me Lucky and Pieces
ofeight in that order.
The Calumet entry of Bards.
town and Fablus went postward
the odds-on choice at 8 to S and
paid $500 and $2.70. There was
no show betting because of the
small field. Needles was second
choice at 8 to 5.
Calumet's trainer, Jimmy
Jones, accepted the trophy from
Richard Erwin, Florida's attorney
general. Bardstown earned S76.-
400 as the winners share and
Fabius' second-place finish was
worth $4,000.
Calumet's Hot Horses
1t was the second time within
the week that Calumet horses
finished one-two in a feature.
Gen. Duke and Iron Liege took
top money in the Fountain of
Youth Handicap Wednesday.
Jack Dudley and Bonnie Heath.
owners Of Needles. received S12,-
600 for his third-place finish,
while the fourth horse earned
$500 and the fifth horse So, 800.
Il didn't expect to be quite as
far back early as I was but when
it came time to move had no
problems Hartack said after he
left the winners circle.
Arcaro had no comment but
was grinning broadly and Dave
Erb. riding Needles. said, THE
winner was just too much horse
for us today although Needles
ran a game race"
Erb said that when he hit
Needles entering the stretch the
horse seemed to be 'leg weary"
Jones Delighted"
Naturally I'm delighted"
Jones said This horse (Bards-
town has had a hard campaign
this winter and deserves a rest.
He has been declared from tout
of the Campbell at Bowie. We're
going to remain here and we'll
decide later about running in
the Southern Cross at the end
of the tGulfstream) meeting"
Hugh Fontaine. trainer of
Needles, said he was "a little
disappointed. but now I'll def
nitely point Needles for the
Southern Cross on April 90"
Bardstown, 5-year-old son Of
Alibhai out of Twilight Tear.
did not race as a q or 3-year
old. He won nine of Is starts
last year and beginning in jan
uary won the Tropical, Widener
and Appleton Handicaps. finish
ing second in the McLennan. His
earnings have now reached
$40l ,585.
Fabius won the Preakness. the
Derby Trial and the Jersey
Stakes last year and triumphed
in the Armed Handicap this
season. Loveman. owner of North
Cone, had paid $4,000 supple
mentary fee to enter the Gulf
stream Park Handicap and his
horses birthplace finish re-
turned $500 of that.
Today's crowd of 24,85l wag-
Coo cIu ESTprANS p.