Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-22
Maryland Jo|ts Tar Heels, 69-51;
Bardstown Wins Rich Widener
Nodir Is I'd;
HurtuckFo
Claim Loses

MIAMI, Fla, Feb. 81 (AP).-
Seven-year-old Bardstown
showed younger horses how to
run today, then survived a foul
lain tc win the $137,600 Wide
ner Handicap for the second
time in his career.
The Calumet Farm gelding,
carrying high weight Of l24
pounds, ran a brilliant race
under Jockey Steve Brooks. He
went the mile-and-a-quarter
over a dry, fast track in
2:01 Is, only one-fifth Of a Sec
ond slower than the record set
by FL Mono in 1913.
Claiborne Farms Nadir fin
ished a length and quarter
behind BardStown and Jockey
Willie Hartack claimed foul.
But the stewards did not allow
lit.
Price Brothers Hoop Band,
under Charlie Burr, finished
third, but Jockey Jack Leonard
on Ada L. Rice's Air Pilot
claimed Hoop Band interfered
with his mount. The stewards
allowed this foul claim, dropped
Hoop Band to fifth place
and moved Bills Sky Boy to
third and Air Pilot to fourth.
34,12S See Race
The foul claim held up Off
cial results for is minutes, but
the nationally-te pro-
gram stayed on to carry the
final outcome. A crowd Of 34,-
1913, one of Hialeah's all-time
largest, saw the race.
Bardstown, who won the
Widener in 1857, paid $3.50,
$3.40 and 1920. Nadir, second
choice in the field of Is, re-
turned $3.50 and $3.50, while
Bills Sky Boy a 24-to-1 shot,
was $3.50 to show.
Hoop Band was first out Of
the gate. When they swung
past the stands the first time,
it was Hoop Band, Admiral Wee
and Bardstown in that order.
Bardstown moved up to take
the lead just before they fin
ished the first mile and was a
half length in front of Nadir
when they headed for home.
Brooks was driving and whip
ping the aging gelding down
the middle of the stretch while
Hartack was urging his mount
along the rail.
Hoop Band dropped back tot
third at the end of a mile
and Hedley Woodhouse hur-
ried Bills Sky Boy up from
sixth to fourth in the stretch.
Fractional times for this 22d
running of the Widener were
0:231s, OATS, 1:11b and 1886.
Winner Earns $S7,24O
Bardstown, oldest horse in
the race, earned $87,240 for
Mrs. Gene Markey of Lexing-
ton, KY, owner of the famed
Calumet Farm.
BardStown, who won the
Orange Bowl and Tropical Park
Handicaps last month, thus
boosted his 1859 winnings to
SAL G1 and his lifetime earn
ings to 1928, 4O2,
The big crowd bet $432, $50
on the Widener, Shattering the
old Hialeah record for one race
of $412,094 set on Flamingo
Day last year. A daily double
betting record of $250,694 also
was set. The old record, set on
Flamingo Day in 1856, was
$249,565
Jimmy Jones, trainer Of
Bardstown, said he didn't think
there was any foul.
I'VE just had him in tight
but didn't touch him." Jones
said. "Steve Crooks was just
giving him a little race riding
Both horses, Bardstown and
Nadir, went for the same hole
at the three-eighths pole but
Steve was a little bit in front
of him"
Brooks. who also had two
other winners today, said Nadir
drove UP on the inside going
into the stretch and he gave
Hartack room.
Hartack said if Nadir hadn't
been bothered Il wouldn't have
claimed foul"
Burr said he did not think
Hoop Band bothered Air Pilot,
but the stewards saw it diff
ferently.
After the first five came