BackTrack: Whirlaway Stars in American Derby

Washington Park

The second of Washington Park's three richest events, the American Derby, was the attraction at the Homewood, Ill. track Aug. 23 and there was a crowd of more than 35,000 (estimated), though few expected the race to be much except a parade for Calumet Farm's conquering Whirlaway, which has now won so much money that sports writers have nearly stopped calling him "crazy," "whacky" or "batty," those being adjectives which the horse did not deserve in the first place.

About the only unexpected factor in the race was that Whirlaway ran with horses, instead of behind them; he pulled away as easily as usual when Alfred Robertson let him go.

Whirlaway Nears the Top

Whirlaway has established a number of records for himself this season. He has won more at 3 than any other horse which was also the leading money-winner at 2. He set a time record for the Kentucky Derby. Except for Challedon, whose condition is doubtful, he is the leading money-winner in training. Only Gallant Fox and Zev have won more in a single season than what Whirlaway has already accumulated this year.

On Aug. 23 Whirlaway got in position for even more important honors, passing into the small circle of horses which have won $300,000 or more and even the most skeptical began to eye the $117,119 which lies between him and Seabiscuit to give the Calumet colt at least an outside chance at top honors.

Whirlaway can go any distance which present American racing calls for. He can carry weight. He is, as far as anyone knows, completely sound. He has shown no signs of sulking in his rather extended 3-year-old campaign. If all goes well—a large 'if' with a race horse—the Blenheim II colt should finish the season with less than $100,000 to win to take Seabiscuit's title of leading money winner of the world.

The American Derby ($40,000 added, 3-year-olds, 1 1/4 miles) at Washington Park was rightly considered to be no great task for Whirlaway (126 pounds). He was 1-5 over the field of four which opposed him, one of them being a former plater which was more or less obviously running for a small share of the purse. With Eddie Arcaro tied up at Saratoga Race Course, Robertson was in the saddle for the third time. It was a sort of "rubber" affair for the jockey: Whirlaway got away from him and ran out in on race, was kept in good position in the other.

David Straus' Daily Trouble (118) and Walmac Farm's Bushwhacker (121), both trained by Howard Wells, ran as an entry and it was Daily Trouble which went to the front at the start. From the grandstand the strategy seemed to be to let Daily Trouble set the pace, with Bushwhacker lying back to come on at the end.

Into this there was apparently introduced a further element—Daily Trouble was to set as slow a pace as possible. This was tried in the Belmont Stakes and was defeated in the backstretch when Arcaro made his celebrated remark: "The hell with this, I'm leaving!" to the jockeys nearest him.

It was equally unsuccessful with Robertson. Whirlaway, instead of lagging back of a slow-running field, was sent along for the first few furlongs and around the first turn he went into second place, about a length behind the leader. To a Tee (118) was third at this stage. C. E. Davison's Delray (118) fourth and Bushwhacker last, but the entire field was rather closely grouped.

On the backstretch Robertson let the chestnut colt run and he went past Daily Trouble easily, came around the turn on the rail and straightened nicely in the stretch. It must have seemed a forlorn hope to jockey A. Craig, but he took Bushwacker to the outside and began driving. One by one he picked up the field but Whirlaway, going along easily, was never threatened. He drifted out a little through the last furlong and finished perhaps 12 or 15 feet from the rail. He was nearly three lengths ahead of the driving Bushwhacker and Delray finished third on the inside, 3 1/2 lengths farther back. Daily Trouble was fourth, beaten almost another length, and To a Tee finished a distant fifth.

Time: :24 4/5, :49, 1:13, 1:38 2/5, 2:04, track fast. Stakes division: $44,975, $7,500, $5,000, $2,500.

Addendum: Whirlaway would earn $272,386 in purses in 1941 alone and retire at age 5 with $561,161 in earnings, a record for career earnings at the time. It would stand for five years when another Triple Crown winner, Assault, would surpass it with $576,670 in earnings.

Whirlaway wins 1941 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course