Trainer King Leatherbury said Maryland-bred filly Thirty Paces was the fastest 2-year-old he ever trained. The daughter of Dancing Count won her two starts, both at Bowie, by a combined 21 lengths. Her allowance score, in 1:10 flat, was the second fastest 6-furlong clocking of the meet. Bred by William Stokes and owned by his wife Anita, she was being pointed to Laurel's Cameo Stakes.
The first Maryland-sired crop of 2-year-olds by Summer Hill Farm stallion Dead Ahead yielded two stakes winners -- Mt. Airy Queen and Future Decision -- who won their divisions of the $20,000-added Bowie Kindergarten. Jack and Gretchen Mobberley had purchased Dead Ahead from Harry Guggenheim's estate on a sealed bid, their interest piqued because they had success with a daughter from an earlier crop. In choosing mares for their horse's book, Jack said: "We don't really book mares -- we book owners. We try hard to limit the number of mares to 35. We strongly believe that 35 mares is enough for any stallion."
Trainer Doug Small's middle son Dick was now the trainer of record for the 17 horses his father previously trained for outside owners. "Richard W. Small has had great success since assuming command of his father's public stable, winning four stakes within the past three months." Sally Gibson's Festive Mood, a 6-year-old who had never won a stakes race, won three. And Small sent out 2-year-old filly Future Decision for owner Nathan Cohen. Said the new trainer, a college graduate: "I've never known any other life than horses and the racetracks. I was bred to it. It's a peculiar life. . . Training horses is all I ever want to do."
A Mid-Atlantic trainer with few peers, Dick Small trained until 2014, the year he died of cancer at age 68. He won 1,198 races and trained major winners Broad Brush, Concern, Caesar's Wish and Valley Crossing among others.
Northern Dancer's yearlings were setting sales records in Ireland, with a colt out of champion What a Treat topping the list when sold to trainer Vincent O'Brien for $281,305. The Irish record-setter was one of four Northern Dancer yearlings to bring as much as $200,000 that year. That colt, as well as a son of Fleur (sold to British Bloodstock Agency for $200,000 at Keeneland) were slated for racing abroad.
What a Treat's son was graded stakes winner and English leading sire Be My Guest. The son of Fleur was multiple European classic winner, English Horse of the Year and major sire The Minstrel.
