Evening star., 1960-05-08
WIN, LOSE OR
NNAV By FRANCIS STANN
A Hortock Production

LOUISVILLE MAY They came out of the start
ing gate in the S6h Kentucky Derby this COOL gray day.
and expected By Ache broke on top But on the way
to the first turn the pack right Baly heels
and it was not the lead that Bay Aches supporters ex
pected
Willie Hartack, who has emotional problems and makes
production of them had spent of the week in the
press box taking up little space but reminding one and
all that he Hartack the unpredictabe This day he
was riding Venetian Way and rarely has a rider and
horse fitted better.
Just week ago Venetian Way was beaten by Baly
Ache by 3 lengths in the Stepping Stone Purse on OPEN
ing day here -furlong strip It was the third
straight time that Baly Ache had won over this son of
Royal Coinage and FREELY but the streak ended this
afternoon.
Venetian Way finished as if he were preppnp for a
longer looked he could go another quarter of
me-say the Belmont distance-and Hartack with his
sense of the dramatic. took his good little time about
bringing the colt back to the winners circle in almost
everything Willie made production of it, or so seemed
THE SUN HAD RISEN ON DERBY DAY almost re-
ucanty, Sulky and there gray mist in the barn
area OF Churchill Downs in the early morn 1t was chilly
and gray contrasting to the pleasant sunny blue skies of
the week The horses with the brightest cearest eyes and
heads in all Louisville walked flex their muscles
During most of Derby week the various owners and
trainers were thinking of track record-a clocking
TO beat WhrlawayS 2015 in 191 the only track record
at distance still used at this ancient paint -peeling pile
OF tinder that wasn't bettered in the 195Os
Tompion'S trainer, Bob Wheeler freely predicted
new record early in the week. right after Beau Purple
bounced under the wire in the Derby trial only three
tthS OF second off the record Jimmy Pitt the home
spun trainer of Bay Ache Horato Luro the
Argentnan who trains the Canadian horse Victoria Park
went along with his cohorts Eets FAST thee track that
dunno Bay Ache he may in front and steal EFT My
horse, Victoria Park he's got maybe speed but
with characteristic Latin shrug 81 try hold him and
leave something, no?' All of Luros statements wind up
on the fluid, delightful question-mark chord.
Probably the lavman is not sunnosed tn understond
the 1nricacieS of racing and tracks eve of
the Derby the acknowledged experts-Wheeler Frucht-
man. Pitt and others who targeed to key figures
Claimed that the track here suddenly went slower
Luro was talking before the "Eets no way to ex
plain, he said, "but she's The track eet's fast
faster than overland she's slower My horse like
but eet Bay Ache out by himself gets beeger and
stronger My horseVeecora Park-hes better now than
in Florida. Horatio is tall slender Latin with we'll
kept mustache and 15-year-old record of saddling
horses in this country But Victoria his first Derby
horse
"a Canadian horse, he's never won?" Luro asked of
the group of racing writers touring the barns
Sir Barton wasn't he Canadian?"
He assured that Sir Barton the first of the Triple
Crown winners while Canadian-owned was. American
bred Luro shrugged with Latin eoquence. There's
first time no?" he asked
This has been a strange week. During all the days
See WIN. LOSE OR DRAW. Page F.