Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-12
Wynn Tames Tigers for No. $50;
Talent Show Wins Rich Maturity
Foul Claim
DisuIIowed
AtLoureI
BY LEWIS r. ATCHISON
star Stan Writer

star stan Wtlter
Mrs. Ada L. Rice's Talent
Show, who had been close a
couple Of times in seven previ-
Gus races this year. finally hit
the winners circle yesterday by
whipping six rivals in the $685.
800 Laurel Maturity.
As seems to be customary
after important races in Mary
land these days, Trainer Clyde
Trout and Jockey Jack Leon
ard had to wait about 10 min
utes, while the stewards investi-
gated a foul claim lodged by
Bobby Ussery, the rider of
second-place Piano Jim, before
they we're given the trophy.
Actually, they weren't Sweat
ing it out" for there seemed to
be no valid claim involved. al
though Ussery deserved an
oscar" for his effort.
Backbone Founders
Talent Show, third choice in
the betting. won by a comfort
able Ia lengths, while a dis
appointed crowd Of 18,445,
which had established Bon
crist Farms Backbone as the
IFS favorite, watched him fin
ish q laundering last-some IL
lengths behind the winner.
Second to Vertex in the recent
100000 Campbell at Bowie,
Backbone plainly had no liking
for the sloppy track.
Talent Show. who usually
doesn't run as well in the mud
las Leonard pointed out after
the race-didn't seem to mind
the goo that resulted from an
all-day drizzle. With Leonard
beating a left-handed tattoo
through the stretch, Talent
Show completed the mile and
one-eighth in 1:503s, only one
second of Roamer's 45-year-
old track record.
The winner paid $3.50, $500
and $4.20, while Piano Jim re-
turned $4.40 and $3.50. Mrs.
S. Helene Sadacca's late-start-
ing A Dragon Killer, who saved
show by a neck from the Crab
grass Stables Noureddin, paid
$500.
Scratch Anticipated
While there is no intention
of detracting from Talent
Shows victory, it was obvious
after six furlongs that the track
didn't suit Backbone. Some
observers had doubts almost to
the moment Of the bugle that
he would start. and when he
chucked it the son of Worden,
a washington, D. c., Interna-
tional winner, left no doubt
that he was through. And this
was the same horse that logged
Vertex over a good track in the
Campbell and hung on grimly
to save second place from the
same Talent Show.
Backbone carried top weight
of 119 pounds, with Talent
Show packing ia. The crowd,
which probably included some
baseball fans with no place
else to go, apparently didn't
consider all these factors. OF
a total of $140,579 in the win
pool, $38,413 went on Back
bones nose. It only helped to
swell the days total mutuel
handle to 1882, 644-the best
betting day Of the meeting.
Ussery, one of the Nations
top riders at the moment, got
Backbone out in front at the
start, with Talent Show right
with him to the turn. AS the
field moved into the back
stretch, Noureddin, ridden by
Chris Rogers, temporarily took
over the No. 2 spot and Talent
Show dropped back to third.
Made Move Too Early
Leonard said. 1--WE had a lit
tie trouble going down the
backstretch" when Piano Jim
made his move. The latter
seemed to be picking out a VIC
tory tune for Owner Walter M.
Jeffords when he wrested the
lead from Backbone at the far
turn, but many pressbox OBJ
servers thought he made his
move too early. He didn't have
the necessary finishing kick
See LAUREL, Page E-7