Green as Grass

The 19 thoroughbreds that went to the post last week for the Garden State (N.J.) Stakes were competing for the biggest purse ($319,210) in racing history. At a mile and one-sixteenth, the race was the toughest and most revealing test of two-year-olds in the nation.

A race for two-year-olds at championship distance was a project launched by Garden State's President Eugene Mori in 1953. It would appeal to both horse breeders and horseplayers, he reasoned, as a way of separating the sprinters from the stayers. It would also give a line on the potential ability of the following season's three-year-olds. Liberally backed by owners (who were required to shell out more than $2,000 apiece in nominating, eligibility, entry and starting fees) and underwritten for $100,000 by the Garden State Racing Association, the race overnight became the world's wealthiest.

The favorite last week was a dark bay colt named Bold Ruler. "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, famed trainer of Nashua, had fond hopes of Bold Ruler's succeeding his retired champion. Calumet Farm was close to passing up the race. It had a leggy colt named Barbizon, who had won four out of five of his starts, but he seemed to have fallen into a slump. At the last minute, Trainer Jimmy Jones decided to gamble, put up the $10,000 required for last-minute entries and frankly labeled him a long shot. Barbizon, said Jimmy, "reminds me of a big, good-natured country kid who don't know where he left his schoolbooks and don't give a damn. He don't always have his mind on his business."

In his big test Barbizon put his mind to his business and kept it there. Expertly handled by Willie Hartack, the big bay ran in the center of the field through the first two quarters, moved into contention on the turn. Bold Ruler, one of the early front runners, flicked another horse's heel while moving away from the rail, lurched and was left hopelessly behind. Swinging to the outside, Jockey Hartack nudged Barbizon into a thundering stretch drive that carried him past the field to a thin victory over Runner-Up Federal Hill. For his day's work, Barbizon collected a whopping $168,430.50, more than any other two-year-old ever won at one crack. "He's still green as grass," said Jockey Hartack. "There's no telling how good this colt may be."

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