BackTrack: Lucky Debonair's Record Santa Anita Derby

Jacinto's dazzling reputation was the magnet that lured the largest Derby Day crowd in history to Santa Anita Park, but the colt that captured the imagination of 61,245 fans—and the $100,000-added Derby as well—was Mrs. Ada L. Rice's Lucky Debonair.

Midway around the far turn, Lucky Debonair shoved his head to the front and was challenged immediately by the 1-2 favorite Jacinto. They battled head and head to the eighth pole and then the duel was suddenly over. Lucky Debonair, responding to Bill Shoemaker's urging, drew away to win by four lengths in new Derby record time of 1:47 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Not only did the crowd beat the old Derby Day attendance mark of 61,123 set in 1958 when Silky Sullivan packed them in, but the day's total handle was $5,134,643, the first time that any track in California has gone above five million.

The eight 3-year-olds competing in the Derby were well strung out at the wire. Charger's Kin, having gone around two turns for the first time in his career, was a creditable third, but seven lengths behind Jacinto. Terry's secret was fourth, two lengths behind Charger's Kin and two lengths in front of Arksroni, which shaded Philately by a head. The latter twisted a shoe and Johnny Longden virtually eased the colt, fearing he had gone lame. Then there was another gap of four lengths to Nu Ribot, which beat the trailer, Gummo, by a half-length.

Departing Soon For Laurel

Trainer Frank Catrone announced that Lucky Debonair would depart soon for Laurel and that his next start would be in the Cheasapeake Stakes. 

The rotund trainer, who stands four-feet, nine-inches, added that Shoemaker can have the mount on Lucky Debonair for the Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs if he wants it. 

"It's up to Shoe," Catrone said with a big smile. "I don't see any other 3-year-olds around right now that can beat Lucky Debonair."

Shoemaker, looking rather deobonair in a natty blue sports coat and neat crew-cut, said he definitely wanted the mount if all goes well with the colt between now and the first Saturday in May.

"He's really an exceptional colt," Shoemaker said. "It's a lot of fun riding a horse like Lucky Deonbair. I had been keeping an eye on Jacinto all during the race. At the top of the stretch, Jacinto came to us and was only a head away. That's when I asked Lucky Debonair to run. I hit him a few times and he responded immediately. He really took off."

The Derby was run almost the exact opposite of the recent San Felipe Handicap, in which Jacinto whipped Lucky Debonair by a neck while giving away six pounds. (Each Derby starter carried 118.) Jacinto in that race was between horses and trainer Jim Maloney said later that if he had his choice, Jacinto would have been on the outside in place of Lucky Debonair.

In the Santa Anita Derby, it was evident that Manuel Ycaza was riding to instructions as he took back slightly after the start and guided Jacinto to the outside. Jacinto thus had his preferred position and all seemed well with the heavily favored son of Bold Ruler until midway around the far turn.

Hill Rise's Record Trimmed

As Lucky Debonair, which had assumed the task of running between horses, took the lead from the troubled Philately, Jacinto was only a half-length away on the outside.

Jacinto closed the gap steadily until, as they straightened out at the top of the stretch, he was but inches away. The two remained locked in a grim battle until midstretch, where Lucky Debonair began pulling away for his decisive victory.

Philately made the early pace of :23 for the first quarter, :46 2/5 for a half-mile, and 1:10 2/5 for six furlongs. Lucky Debonair was in front for a mile in 1:35 and his final closing of 1:47 was two-fifths of a second faster than the Derby record set a year ago by Hill Rise.

Catrone, 57, broke into racing as a kid, working for the late Sam Hildreth. He graduated into an exercise boy, then a jockey, and rode for 15 years. In the late 1930s he began training and has had such good horses as Spartan Valor, *Rounders, and Valdina Orphan (third in Shut Out's Kentucky Derby.)

"Lucky Debonair looks like the best colt I've ever had," Catrone said. "He started only once before coming to Santa Anita and although he was a maiden, we felt he was a youngster of much promise. He's developed with every start.

"In the San Felipe when Jacinto beat him, he got tired near the end but the race did him a lot of good. This was the second time around two turns and he improved tremendously."

The colt's sire, Vertex, won at distances from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, and Vertex's sire, The Rhymer, captured the 1942 running of the Widener Handicap.

No Apology and No Scrap

Shoemaker was asked if he and Ycaza had traded punches in the jockeys' room after the race. "No," Shoe said, "but I didn't go up to him and apologize either."

After the Santa Anita Handicap a week earlier, Bill Harmatz had gone over to Ycaza to apologize because Doc Jones was a bit rank in the early running and possibly bothered Gun Bow. That ended in a wild, free-swinging fight.

Lucky Debonair and Jacinto depart soon for the classics with the count even at one each. Their next encounter very likely will be in the Kentucky Derby, the most glamorous race of them all.