Evening star., 1960-05-05
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS STANN
Modesty at Barn No. ~

LOUISVILLE, MAY 5-By the dawn'S early light the
barn area of Churchill Downs looked more beautiful
The ancient wooden barns took character and the
wood fires famed by the groomS out their pungen
odos In the background the truly early risershorses
and men-were making pleasant noises the rapid but
muted cadence OF hoofbeats on the racing strip.
Barn No. AZ is perhaps yards from the backstretch
where the horses enter to gaop blow otherwise
run as their trainers dictate In this are the two
Kentucky Derby favoriteS Tompion and Bay Ache The
first Tompion is of the aristrocracy racing He is
owned by c. " Sonny Whitney The other or less
represents the poor mans horse
This is a friendly, almost homespun barn at Bally
Aches end. Leonard Frutchman, who owns the colt
who mopped up in Florida winter is not penniless
by any means but he is Johnny Lately in racing
and this little bad-headed 39-year-od boss of an auto
parts manufacturing company nothing if democratic
Bay Ache is his first Derby horse. His trainer Jimmy
Pitt never saddled horse with Bally Aches class Bob
Ussery the 24-year-od jockey from Van Okla
ridden in Derby. This is, or was, gypsy stable.
JEEP STATION WAGON carrying tank of coffee
pulled up in front of Baly Aches STALL If the Messrs
Fruchman, Pitt and Ussery don't kill you with courtesy
they try to do with coffee Usery first to the mobile
coffee tank
I'm buying" he told the dawn patrol of newspaper
men, some of whom got up early and of whom simply
stayed up
Pitt, who had been leading Baly Ache by the rein
under the roof of the barn. cooling him out turned the
colt over to groom and objected.
I'm buying" he announced handing out paper con-
taners of the brew Just about this time Fruchman
rived by car Pitt renounced his philanthropy. He's
buying, Jimmy said, pointing to the boss
I'm getting tired of picking up these coffee chtS"
Frutchman said with mock indignation.
wait until you get the liquor tab for after the
trainers dinner" Pitt replied. "Oh, my aching head"
1T should kill you, Frutchman retorted helping him
self to some coffee Everything all right otherwse?"
For reply Pitt hooked his thumb in the direction of
Baly Ache, who was nbbing at grass few yards away,
a groom holding onto a leash.
IN MANY RESPECTS THE informality of the Frutch-
man Stable-more formally called Edgehill Farm-cas up
memories of the 1855 Seup by the MormonS brought
Swaps to Louisville to win Derby The hardboots gaped
as Swaps led out to be peted by the public They
never had heard of horse whose handlers saved 10
per cent OF the winnings for he to the church and
more for the original jockey unframed young who
was serving the Army in Korea. Willie Shoemaker actually
rode Swaps for another 10 per cent.
Homer ]. (Jimmy) Pitts is somewhat of a character
drawng Ayear old native TenneSSean with his lower
teeth parted in the middle one member of the dawn
patrol put it, T don't know the number the cloud Pitts
riding, but he's riding"
Up to now, Jimmy has been a minor Lacquer so to
speak Even last kept his string of horses at
little Sunshine Park in OdSmar, Fla with only Baly
Ache quartering and racing at Hialeah But success
hasn't spoiled Pitt When asked how feels be
national meght after many years of obscurity Jimmy
laughs
income taxes This year guess I'll pay $4,000 That's
the difference"
BALLY ACHE, HIMSELF, out of leftfied. He
was bought for the equivalent of handful of green
stamps and his breeding suggests that he can't run
mile and quarter, the Derby distance
Sure he can" Pitt chuckles. 81 don't know if he'll
heat anybody but he that far Seriously, III
sumlG that he's bred for speed-Baydam and Celestial
Blue. But when he won at furlongs they said he
never would win at 6. When he won at 6 furlongs
they said he'd go mile Then he won the Famngo
and Florida, both at mile and eighth
Nov they say that he can't go mile and quarter
I'm thinking he can"
We walking back from the Brown Hotel where
See WIN, LOSE OR DRAW Page BIB