Wright This Time

Kentucky hardboots have often kicked themselves after the running of the Kentucky Derby. But last week they yipped with glee, This time they had picked the right horse, Warren Wright's Whirlaway.

It took a lot of courage to stick to Whirlaway. Bred at Millionaire Wright's farm in the heart of the Blue Grass, he is a colt of whom Kentuckians might well be proud: a handsome golden chestnut with a tail that almost sweeps the ground. But Whirlaway has inherited a tendency to run out (veer away from the inside rail) at the turns. That trait cost him several important races last year (he was defeated nine times in 16 starts). But Whirlaway proved that he is a stretch-running fool.

This year, Whirly's distaste for crowds on the turns became more & more discouraging. Last fortnight, in the Blue Grass Stakes, traditional Derby preview, he was licked by Our Boots. Last week, four days before the Big Race, he was given another tuneup in the Derby Trial Stakes--only to be beaten by Blue Pair, a colt that cost $600 as a yearling. In desperation, Trainer Ben Jones got canny Eddie Arcaro, a genius at handling headstrong horses, to ride Whirlaway in the Derby.

On Derby Day, when close to 100,000 racing fans began to pour into Louisville's Churchill Downs, the two "solid horses" were Our Boots and Porter's Cap. But by the time the bands tootled My Old Kentucky Home and eleven of the nation's classiest three-year-olds paraded to the post, Whirlaway had become the favorite. In the paddock, the picnic-like infield and the $100 boxes echoed and re-echoed the hardboots' enthusiasm: if Arcaro can keep Whirlaway from bearing out, there is no horse that can outstay him.

The hardboots reckoned right. Rounding the first turn, Whirlaway, a notorious latefoot, was in eighth place. Dispose, the pride of Texas, was in front--with Porter's Cap and Our Boots close behind. In the middle of the backstretch, Whirly, still far behind, began to move up. Nearing the home turn, he was on the heels of the front runners. Could Arcaro keep him from bearing out? The crowd held its breath for a moment, then let go in a nervous yell. Whirlaway had shot through an opening, was tearing down the stretch like a tornado.

Even the loyal hardboots were flabbergasted. The Wright colt not only finished eight lengths in front, but ran the mile and a quarter in 2 min., 2/5 sec. (the last quarter in 24 seconds flat). It was 1/5 of a second faster than the Kentucky Derby record set by Twenty Grand just ten years ago. Said Jockey Arcaro, grinning from ear to ear: "He's the runnin'est horse I ever rode."

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