TROTTING UPROAR AFTER YONKERS RACE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29240, 25 June 1960, Page 6

TROTTING UPROAR AFTER YONKERS RACE

Caduceus Dead-Heats, i Then Placed Last * (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, June 23. New Zealand’s Caduceus won and lost at ‘ Yonkers Raceway tonight. The nine-year-old stallion went past the ■■ post a .dead-heat winner with Canada’s Champ • Volo in a photo finish, but two protests lodged , against Caduceus threw the race result into ! uproarious confusion. When the dust had settled down Caduceus found himself relegated to seventh and last, and Canada’s ; Champ Volo was announced the winner of this third • International race.

Speedy Pick, of the U.S., was placed second and Canada’s Mighty Dudley was given third.

Widower Creed, which actually trailed the field to the post, and hi the running came in last, was given fourth position because his fellow-American, Bye Bye Byrd, the original fourth, interfered with him in the home straight.

Champ Volo paid 98.30 dollars for the win on the two-dollar totalisator—the highest of the Yonkers season to date. * The time for tonight's race was 2m in 1 l-ssec. The driver of Caduceus. J. D. Litten, said after the race that officials were “entitled to disqualify me.” He said he was naturally disappointed, adding: “I interfered with Del Miller (the driver of O’Brien Hanover) but had no intention of doing so. I went to the front without wanting it. I was way up there, and what do you do then. . . ." Litten said Bye Bye Byrd, which challenged Caduceus for the lead from the two-furlong mark, would not have beaten him. “He was a very tired horse,” Litten said. •/‘Worse Than Losing” Talking about the Interference at the start with O’Brien Handver, Litten said that the fact that he put Del Miller out of the race was a bigger disappointment tp him than losing. ‘ O’Brien Hanover, cut across by Caduceus from the speedy start, went up in the air at the turn out of the straight the first time. In doing so he slammed'Widower Creed right back and put him dut of the running. i With the favourite. Widower Creed, out of it and trailing the field by up to 20 lengths, Caducous stayed out in front with Bye Bye/Byrd, which cleared the interference from his outside barrier position, challenging for the lead. Champ Volo was up in the three leading horses and a large gap separated them from the rest of the field. * The three, with Bye Bye Byrd Kept on the outside by Caduceus, set- out for home. Speedy Pick, Of the United States, managed to get up with the leading bunch tithough he had suffered alight interference when O’Brien Hanover broke. ;At the turn from the back stretch with the finish looming up, Bye Bye Byrd managed to get his head In front of Caduoeus, but he was still out from tjie rails and Litten had the advantage as the horses swept ipto the straight Litten said later, although it was difficult for fans to see, that Clint Hodgins, driver of Bye Bye Byrd, suffered slightly when Caduceus moved out from the rails as be made the turn into tiie home stretch. Hodgins said the wheels of the two sulkies-touched at that point although Litten said he did not think this was so. In any case, Bye Bye Byrd broke momentarily and under the tremendous pressure in the home stretch the break put him out of tiie running. It was this break that brought about a further revision of the finishing order. Racing officials said Bye Bye Byrd had interfered with Widower Creed in the straight and they gave the fourth placing in the International to Widower Creed, relegating Bye Bye Byrd from fourth to fifth. Winner Of Series In spite of Widower Creed’s unplaced run tonight, he was declared outright winner of the International series on his past performances—first over— 12 furlongs on June 2 and second over 10 furlongs on. June 9. Caduceus, which led to the post, clocked 31 seconds for the first quarter, Imin 2 3-ssec for the half-mile, brought up the threequarter mile in Imin 31 4-ssec, and the mile in 2min 1 l-ssec.

Champ Volo paid 25.30 dollars for the place and nine dollars for the show.

Cadueeus opened in the betting at 9/5, fluctuated with 8/5 and 2/1 and started at 5/2. Speedy Pick, which started at 15/1, paid 13.10 dollars for the

place (first and second), and 8.60 dollars for the show (first, second and third).

Mighty Dudley paid 12.20 dollars for the'show.

The official placings, declared after a long delay, were: Champ Volo 1, Speedy Pick 2, Mighty Dudley 3, Widower Creed 4, Bye Bye Byrd 5, O’Brien Hanover 6, Caduceus 7.

The objection against Caduceus was lodged by the judges. Fred Bradbury, driver of Speedy Pick, lodged an objection against Champ Volo but it was not allowed. Slower Pace The race was at a slower pace than expected, with Caduceus and Champ Volo clocking 2min 1 1-5 sec for the mUe. The track record for the distance at Yonkers is Imin 58 4-5 sec, run by Speedy Pick in August, 1958. Bye Bye Bird holds the world record of the distanceover a mile track—of Imin 57 4-5 sec. set in 1959. Caduceus brought up the first quarter last night in 31 seconds, the half-mile in Imin 2 3-ssec, the three-quarters in Imin 31 4-5 sec, and the mile came up in 2min 1 l-ssec in the fast track. Before the race Litten had inferred by talking about the bonus payment made by Yonkers Raceway for a world record, that he would be out to set a new time. But he clocked a faster first quarter—29 seconds—in the 12 furlongs leg of the international on June 2, when Caduceus led at the start but finished fourth. The official result of the race brought up the highest totalisator payout this season for Yonkers Raceway, with Champ Volo returning 9830 dollars for the win from a two dollar investment