Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-02-23
WIN, LOSE OR
GNAV By FRANCIS STANN
Unusual Man With Future
By FRANCIS STANN

OLDSMAR, FLA. FEB. 23-SunShine Park is the semi
private semi-publc horse track which has been termed
the poor mans Haleah 1t is here that one normally
looks Tor quality, although ago fuss raised
about l2-yearod, Bee Tee Lee who won $50 in race
and passed a lifetime 100000 mark
Bee Tee Lee was raScaly sort who Stunned exercise
OF any Kind except when he cOndeScended to run in an
actual He trained by Jimmy Pitts What Pitts
failed to reazeand he had company-was that in his
stable unraced and underrated was great 2year-old
named Bally Ache.
Baly Ache Just happens to be likely winner of this
weeks rich Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Whereas it took
Bee Tee Lee nearly dozen years to win 100000 IA
sensational feat for Sunshine horseD Bally Ache
won $303000 in his first year of racing and could have
won about 100000 had he been step or so faster
or uckier in five photo finishes in 100000 and up
But Baly Ache was exception Sunshine Park is
not the place to look for the stars But it's good spot
as any to expect the unusual For instance is G. A.
doc Murphy
THERE is NO TELLING how old Doc is He is
Negro stopped yet proud weak of and yet percptve
He is listed trainer and owner of the G. A. Murphy
Stable. 1t consists of horse 3-year-old named
Captain Humpty.
The other afternoon Captain Humpty barreled down
the stretch at Sunshine to win $7OO and pay his
precious few hackers the bounul S62 So He has
started twice since and while Captain Humpty wasn't
successful he at least moved up in class The colt
is not of classic breeding but horsemen by
pity, say that Murphy may have a useful sort"
In the stable Doc holding court His eve
sight is so poor that he relies his hands and fingers
to locate his colts STALL With the blessed faculties of the
nearond he gives minute instructions the exercise boy
The colt was a gift from James Walsh a breeder in
Lexington KY
Il worked for him large number of years and he
gives me this colt Doc explained First time run him
that horse comes in $3.50 winner Oh man, that
living day."
DOC PRETENDS that he is SO years Old
mo more than 90, anyhow" he says People with
long memories vow that he must be rs at least Murphy
oetrays himself by recalling that than 40 years ago
he trained horse in uarez Mexico that beat one sadded
by the legendary Ben Jones of Calumet six-tme Ken
lucky Derby winning trainer.
Amt beat no JoneSes snce-not Ben and not Jimmy
but did that day." Murphy chuckeS.
Bob Brumby, who conducting a fascinating tour
OF this one-horse stable, cued the old fellow
When Captain Humpty won for you, did you have
something down him?"
Doc rolled his eyes toward the heavens
Man. how could bet? My horse ate that dav but
didn't How you gonna bet when you don't have no
eating money!"
But after paying off the jockey exercise boy and
hay BILL Doc must have had enough left to eat on The
day he had taken to the track infrmary for
checkup Both stomach and heart rebelled but neither
to all-conquering proportions.
DOC COULD READ and write since his boyhood days
in New Orleans and for these gifts he owes his present
lofty status as owner of stable
There this Negro trainer-a real great one
named Bill Perkins He couldn't read write, but he
could rub his hands on horse and tell you how fast
ne could run each furlong of a
i read them condition books to him at first Then
got to walking hots Later got to riding exercise We
KIDS used to wear derby hats, and when the derbie
stopped flying off head you knew the yearng was
broke and ready for training"
And so it went over the years. The old guy walked
the hos and drank the rank coffee boiled the crude
plates in the stable He slept straw and while
he have been better trainer than his boss
he the head man.
Now he is not only trainer but owner too And
1t isn't the tranerowner and the horse lack futures
After ALL the colt is only g. and Murphys is what
he makes it,