THE BIG DERBY SCRAMBLE

Jockey Larry Adams on Prego (No. 6) glances over as he beats Ridan to the wire by a neck in last week's Flamingo. The blur at right is unruly Sunrise County, who veered 75 feet across the track, won the race and then lost it on a foul.

139 HORSES AND NO TRUE FAVORITE

For the first time since 1957, Hialeah's Flamingo Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby were run on the same day last week. Since both these $100,000, 1‚⅛-mile races for 3-year-olds are accepted as major steppingstones to the Kentucky Derby, it was expected that the results would bring into focus the very fuzzy Derby picture. They didn't.

At Santa Anita a favored horse did win. Neil S. McCarthy's Royal Attack overtook another favorite, Fred Hooper's Admiral's Voyage, and won going away in his best effort yet. At Hialeah, however, where Jockey Herberto Hinojosa insisted on riding like John Wayne, the Flamingo wound up as the most inconclusive Kentucky Derby trial ever.

While Hinojosa eventually got his wild mount, Sunrise County, to the finish line well in front, he was properly disqualified to third position for veering out in the middle of the stretch and taking Ridan part of the way with him. This permitted the long shot Prego, who was wisely held on the inside, to edge Ridan by a neck and wind up the winner of $88,530 on a foul. A messy show, to say the least. What it portends for the 139 horses nominated for the 88th Kentucky Derby on May 5 is one of history's most confusing marches to Churchill Downs. And because everyone is going to think that this has become the year of the long shot, the starting Derby field may be of cavalry proportions. The 1928 record of 22 starters could even be surpassed.

The confusion also has been compounded by the temporary inactivity of several horses whose chances range from excellent to questionable. First of these, of course, is Sir Gaylord, who beat Ridan and Crimson Satan in the Bahamas (see cover). He has been on the sidelines with an ankle injury since he won the Everglades so convincingly last month. Another is Decidedly, who missed the Flamingo because of a slight attack of colic. Still another is Donut King, whose various ailments have kept him from racing since his second-place finish to Crimson Satan in last fall's Garden State. Donut King is scheduled to ship from California to New York this week and will work toward a starting stall at Churchill Downs via the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 21.

In winning on the Coast, Royal Attack finally justified the high hopes that so many California horsemen held for him after he won four of his seven starts last year. In his earlier stakes races this winter Royal Attack often appeared to be the best horse in the field but just as often had one excuse or another for losing. Last week, under his new trainer, Buddy Hirsch (the highly capable son of veteran King Ranch Trainer Max Hirsch), everything worked to perfection for him. The handsomest horse in a bulky field of 15, this chestnut son of Royal Charger out of the Bull Lea mare Dragona permitted Eight Ball and Admiral's Voyage to set the early pace. He coasted up the backstretch in third position under the patient guidance of Eddie Burns. But when Admiral's Voyage tried to increase his narrow lead in the turn for home, Burns cut loose with Royal Attack. Although his winning margin was less than a length, he was drawing out at the wire. Throughout the last half mile of the race it appeared that this good colt could have gone to the front whenever Burns wanted him to and won by several lengths.

Royal Attack, purchased from Leslie Combs for $28,500 as a yearling at the Keeneland sales, is owned by one of the shrewdest horsemen in California. McCarthy commented after the race, "I wouldn't say that I've ever had a better 3-year-old." This is high praise indeed from a man who, as turf adviser to the late Louis B. Mayer, once increased the value of that movie magnate's racing holdings by $3 million in three years.

For the others in the Santa Anita Derby there is really not a great deal to say and no point in offering excuses. Admiral's Voyage simply ran out of gas the way his stablemate Crozier did a year ago. Sir Ribot, Doc Jocoy and Drill Site all ran fairly respectably. A few weeks ago there appeared to be little class on the West Coast. Now, at least, we have Royal Attack, and in two months he will try to become the fourth horse (after Hill Gail, Determine and Swaps) to follow up a Santa Anita Derby triumph with victory in Kentucky.

If any of the first three finishers in the Flamingo—Sunrise County, Prego or Ridan—win in Kentucky it would be truly remarkable. A fit Sir Gaylord could easily beat any of them. Prego, an Ambiorix colt out of a Count Fleet mare, won only because of Hinojosa's awful mistake. Instructed to bring Sunrise County from off the pace, Hinojosa suddenly found himself on the lead and made up his mind to steal the race. But as the field curved into the stretch Sunrise County started to bear out. Charging at a 45° angle toward the outside fence, he left the rail open to anyone. Prego turned out to be that lucky anyone. Later Hinojosa told the stewards, "I had two choices: to pull up or to go on and take a shot at the money. I decided to take a shot at the money." The stewards decided to take a shot at Hinojosa. They suspended him for 15 days.

Below are 20 of the likeliest Derby candidates and their latest odds. Bets with Tony Alessio's Future Book must be made in person, not by telephone or mail. Figuring a way to get the money to Caliente may be difficult; but figuring the winner of this year's Derby may be even tougher.

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PHOTO

RAY FISHER