Henry L. Straus, president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, president of Tropical Park, vice president and general manager of the American Totalisator Company and a breeder of importance in the state’s scheme of things, was one of the more regular visitors to the winner’s circle at Laurel on stakes days,” reported Don Reed.

Not only did Straus’ homebred filly Nokomis capture the Maryland Futurity, but his distance-loving 4-year-old Pilaster captured two stakes, the Sagamore and Grayson. Their trainer, Frank A. Bonsal Jr., was the Laurel meet’s leading trainer, by a wide margin.
Nokomis, a daughter of Swing and Sway, was foaled at Straus’ Cherry Hill Farm in Reisterstown and a half-sister to 1943 Maryland Futurity winner Quarter Moon, who stood at stud not far from his birthplace, at Worthington Farms in Glyndon.

• No opposition could be mustered against Citation in the 12th Pimlico Special, which resulted in the race’s second walkover. Had any opponents faced Citation, the 3-year-old son of Bull Lea could have won $25,000 by defeating them – his gallop around Pimlico netted $10,000.
  Citation became the fifth Calumet horse to score in the Special and the second by a walkover, following Whirlaway in 1942. Others to carry the famed devil’s red and blue to victory were Twilight Tear, Armed and Fervent.