California Router

To the skeptical eye of the Eastern racing fan, California breeds speed horses --not routers. The Californias tend to set a glowing pace through the early furlongs of the mile-and-a-quarter Kentucky Derby, only to fade in the homestretch.* At Long Island's Jamaica race track last week Easterners watched the latest pride of California, a leggy three-year-old bay named Correlation, and came away convinced there must be something wrong about their impression of California horses.

Though he was already the Derby favorite in the winter betting books run from Tijuana, Mexico, Correlation went to the post in the mile-and-an-eighth Wood Memorial at odds of 2-1. And even those odds were shorter than Correlation would have carried had it not been for the fact that he was to be ridden by sage little Willie Shoemaker, 22, a master at getting the best out of his mount at the right time. The odds-on favorite of the Eastern crowd was C. V. Whitney's sturdy brown colt, Fisherman, winner a week before of the mile-and-a-sixteenth Gotham Stakes (TIME. April 26).

Correlation's Jockey Shoemaker was also a little skeptical about his horse before the race. All closemouthed Willie would admit was that Correlation is "a big horse with plenty of speed, a horse that can come from behind." As it turned out, Willie called the race as it was run.

At the break from the gate. Fisherman, on the inside post position, stumbled. Correlation, with Jockey Shoemaker handling him easily, slid in behind the pace, well out of trouble. At the three-quarter-mile mark Correlation was fifth, Fisherman sixth, both saving strength for the homestretch move. Both made the move together rounding the final turn. At that stage Willie gave the California colt just one crack with his bat. "When I hit him," said Willie afterward, "he took off."

Correlation came from behind with a rush, passed horses in rapid-fire order and galloped across the finish line with Shoemaker looking over his shoulder at Fisherman, three-and-a-half lengths behind. The official time: a sparkling 1:50, three-fifths faster than Native Dancer's winning time a year ago. For running like a router, Correlation earned $86,000 for his California owner, Oilman Robert Lytle. Jockey Shoemaker, looking ahead to the extra furlong in this week's Kentucky Derby, was convinced he had a router, too. "He was running good. There was plenty of horse left."

In a Kentucky prep race for the Derby last week Jockey Eddie Arcaro, riding another come-from-behind race (from twelfth at the half-mile mark), brought the Woodvale Farm's Goyamo home first in the $38,600 Blue Grass Stakes at Lexington. Time: 1:50 3/5

*First and last California horse to win the Derby: Morvich, in 1922.

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