White Lie

Mme. Suzy Volterra, 38, a pert, blonde Parisian widow, was not exactly a plunger. When her bay colt Phil Drake went to the post for the 176th running of the English Derby at Epsom Downs last week, it had the bright red and white of the Volterra stables on its back and only $56 of Suzy's money on its nose. With fine French caution, Suzy also bet $14 insurance money on the Aga Khan's Hafiz II.

As Suzy figured it, she was not at Epsom to clean out the bookies. Her husband, the late Leon Volterra, French theater tycoon (Folies-Bergeres and Casino de Paris), had left her well fixed. She wanted to win to wipe out a white lie: Leon had died in 1949 still believing his wife's report that he owned a Derby winner. That year, the Volterra stables were running Amour Drake, the Derby favorite, and Amour Drake was beaten in a photo finish. Leon Volterra, on his deathbed, was told his horse had won.

Now Suzy was still trying to win a Derby for her husband, but $56 was not much of an expression of hope. Aside from the hunch players, the crowd had no more. Phil Drake had raced only twice, and won once; he went off at 100 to 8. The favorite, at 11-4, was Acropolis, a handsome colt owned by the grand old lady of English turf, Alice Lady Derby herself.

The field broke cleanly on the first try. Downhill to Tattenham Corner, Acropolis was moving well in fourth place; Phil Drake was slogging along in the pack, 20 lengths behind the leader. Uphill into the stretch, Irish-bred Panaslipper (100 to 1) charged into the lead on the outside. "I thought I was home and dried," said Panaslipper's Jockey Jim Eddery. Then Phil Drake came on. The big-hearted son of Admiral Drake slid past as if the field had slowed to a trot. Suzy Volterra's red and white silks crossed under the wire a length and a half ahead of Panaslipper. Running doggedly in third position: Acropolis.

The $52,645 prize money meant as little to Suzy Volterra as the loss of her bet on Hafiz II. She had a winner for her husband's stables, and that was enough. Back in the saddling area, Alice Lady Derby congratulated her jockey on his fine ride and made brave plans for one more Derby.

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