Weather: Cold; Track: Wet

World's richest horse race is California's $100,000 Santa Anita Handicap. Pride of Florida's racing season is her $50,000 Widener Cup race at Hialeah. Since 1938 these two top U. S. handicap events have been run on the same day. The occasion has whetted the pens of the balmy States' weather-racked pressagents--Californians swearing that Florida horses wear overcoats to keep off the cold; Floridians countering with tales of California horses wearing water wings to get through the rain. Last week these fantasies came almost too true to be funny.

It was so cold at Hialeah that lady railbirds tucked their winter tans into fur coats. Others huddled under blankets, shivered and wished they had stayed home in bed. Runaway breezes whipped the bright costumes of Seminole Indians squatting beneath the palms in the infield, parted the tail feathers of long-legged pink flamingos parading before the stands.

Water covered the track at Santa Anita. It had rained all day Friday. On Saturday morning the heavens added three and a half inches more for good measure. At post time the sun broke through the murky clouds. Then it rained some more. Cash customers puddle-jumped their way to the stands. Hollywood folk shrouded their finery in raincoats. Everyone got wet.

For hardy folk who didn't mind a little weather, the races proved sensational. Those with a propensity for picking long shots had the time of their lives. At odds of 58-to-1 ($118.40 for a $2 ticket) a scarred, thin-shanked, mussy-looking four-year-old named Bay View astonished even his owner by winning the Santa Anita. The bay-colored long shot beat Charles S. Howard's Mioland, the favorite, by a good half-length. He led all the way. His owners, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Pelleted, who had a $100 bet on him, pocketed $5,820 and $90,000 prize money.

Hialeah customers who picked the Widener Cup winner didn't win as much as lucky Santa Anitans, but they got a better race for their money. At 16-to-1 ($34.60 for a $2 ticket) Circle M Ranch's Big Pebble, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Moore, socialite ranchers from Sheridan, Wyo., beat his stablemate. Get Off, by a head after tailing the field most of the way. For their owners, the pair won $60,000. Back in fourth place, a very tired horse, was Edward R. Bradley's Bimelech, 1940's three-year-old champion, odds-on favorite to win. His owner had sold Big Pebble to the Moores two years ago. Though it was the first time Champion Bimelech had ever finished out of the money, it was probably his last race. Word was that he would be sent to stud to replace his famed sire, Black Toney.

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