Horse Racing: A Little Bit of Luck

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Even a multimillionaire needs a little luck. Ohio Sportsman John W. Galbreath has had his share: his Pittsburgh Pirates won a World Series in 1960 when Bill Mazeroski hit a home run in the last inning of the last game, and his Chateaugay won the 1963 Kentucky Derby at long-shot odds of 9-1. Galbreath's luck seemed to sour after he paid $1,350,000 to lease the undefeated Italian stallion Ribot for stud duty, improving the stock at his farm in Lexington, Ky. When his original lease ran out last year, about all Galbreath had to show for his money was five years of feed bills and a sore-legged two-year-old colt named Graustark.

Sired by Ribot and foaled by Galbreath's stakes-winning mare Flower Bowl, Graustark was a big (16 hands), rangy colt bred for endurance rather than speed. But at Illinois' Arlington Park last summer, he showed all kinds of speed—winning a six-furlong maiden race by seven lengths, an allowance sprint by nine, the $54,600 Arch Ward Stakes by six. Then he bucked his shins and retired for the year. "Sometimes," sighed Galbreath, "these things work out for the best."

They do indeed. By last week, thanks to the patient ministrations of Trainer Loyd Gentry, Graustark had emerged as the No. 1 candidate for Florida's $100,000 Flamingo Stakes—and possibly for the Kentucky Derby. The race that did it was the $6,000, six-furlong Grenada Purse at Hialeah. The field included three stakes winners, figured to provide a fair test for a horse that had been out of action for five months.

Guided by Jockey Braulio Baeza, Graustark breezed to a five-length victory. Owner Galbreath could undoubtedly recoup his $1,350,000 investment by selling Graustark right now.