At age 72 Vernon Krebs took out his trainer’s license, and five years later enjoyed the best winning percentage in 1973 of any trainer in America – six starts and six wins, all from his one-horse stable, Ocala Milissa, whom he also bred.

His modest dwelling gave no suggestion of being the headquarters for a horse breeding and racing operation. Krebs even put in his own training track around his cornfield. When asked the circumference, Krebs replied, “Five times around equals 2 miles if you pull up at the willow tree.”

• Maryland-bred 2-year-old Gusty O’Shay, bred by owner Mrs. G. Tyson Hopkins of Great Falls, Va., and trained by West Virginian Harrison Johnson, unexpectedly galloped to fame in Saratoga’s Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga. Beaten in his first two claiming races, and out of a $2,500 mare bred on a free service to first-year Maryland sire Rose Argent, Gusty O’Shay added his name to Hopeful greats Man o’ War, Whirlaway, Native Dancer, Nashua, Buckpasser and Secretariat.
  
  
• An excerpt from economist Dr. Robert G. Lawrence’s book on data behind the Maryland racing industry read, “The economic impact of horse racing is more than 10 times as important to Maryland as is generally considered. Its economic contribution is not limited to one of its most visible aspects – the pari-mutuel tax on wagering . . . Those who know racing often note the similarity of this industry to an iceberg – nine-tenths is out of sight. In 1970, although pari-mutuel taxes paid to the state exceeded $14 million, these taxes made up only 8.6 percent of the $163 million cash flow of this industry.”
  
  
• Nonoalco, a 2-year-old son of recently deceased Maryland stallion Nearctic, rose to the top of the European juvenile standings when he captured France’s Prix Morny, defeating the previously unbeaten Maryland-bred filly Lianga.