Darby Dan Farm homebred Little Current – by Native Dancer’s grandson, the great European champion Sea-Bird – powered to a 7-length victory in the 99th Preakness, giving owner John Galbreath a win in the only 3-year-old classic to elude him.
The late-running chestnut colt lost all chance in the Kentucky Derby due to traffic problems when last early in the 23-horse field, but rebounded at Pimlico with a trip “aided by the nerve of [his rider] Miguel Rivera, who guided his willing mount through the eye of a needle in early stretch.”
Pimlico management declared well in advance of the race that if more than 14 horses were entered, the Preakness would be split. Editor Snowden Carter believed that decision as “logical, reasonable and just.” He added: “The deal they pulled in Kentucky stating that the racing secretary would eliminate the weakest if the number of entrants exceeded 24 was unfair, crummy and without precedent.”
From the standpoint of pedigrees, the Preakness was dominated by three past Preakness winners – Bold Ruler, Polynesian and the latter’s son, Native Dancer. Six of the 13 starters were grandsons of Bold Ruler. But Polynesian carried the day as three of the top four finishers were his male-line descendants. Native Dancer appeared behind Little Current and fourth-place finisher Jolly Johu (by son Restless Native). Finishing second was Neapolitan Way, a son of Barbizon (by Polynesian). Bold Ruler’s grandson, Kentucky Derby winner Cannonade (by Bold Bidder), was third.
Stuart Janney Jr.’s Ruffian won her debut by 15 lengths and equaled the track record at Belmont Park. Bred in Kentucky by Marylander Janney, the daughter of Reviewer was out of Maryland-bred Shenanigans, by Native Dancer, and a half-sister to Icecapade. The second choice in the betting, Ruffian drew away from her opposition in the 51⁄2-furlong race, coasting home in 1:03.
The MHBA’s 40th annual Yearling Show bordered on the edge of disaster when heavy rain coupled with a 50 mph wind swept the show ring in the centerfield of the Timonium racetrack. The previous year’s Triple Crown-winning trainer Lucien Laurin somehow managed to judge all four classes in the unrelenting rain, but found judging for the grand championship utterly impossible and retreated to the Timonium sales pavilion where the job was completed. He selected as grand champion a Quadrangle—Ameriturn (by *Turn-to) colt bred and shown by Dr. and Mrs. William Wright’s Labadie Mill Farm of Middletown, Del.
