Highbinder (FL)

TB, B, H, FOALED APRIL 19, 1968

( ROUGH'N TUMBLE - ASPIDISTRA, BY BETTER SELF )

Breeder: Tartan Farms

CAREER STATISTICS*

29

9

7

4

$129,304

1971

 12

 2

 4

 1

 $48,709

 $4,059

Jim Prench Takes Dwyer And Pays $4 at Aqueduct

By Joe Nichols

July 11, 1971

Credit...The New York Times Archives

Jim French, Frank Caldwell's persistent colt who has been running with the best of them all year, finally managed to win a race yesterday. The sturdy 3‐year‐old captured the $81,700 Dwyer Handicap after a stirring stretch duel with the Rokeby Stable's Farewell Party, whom he beat by three‐ quarters of a length.

A slim field of six competed in the 1¼‐mile test for 3‐year‐ olds, and in going to his first victory since he won the Santa Anita Derby on April 3 Jim French came within one‐fifth of a second of the stakes rec ord. His time under the top burden of 125 pounds was 2:01 3/5.

The crowd of 39,618, well aware of Jim French's capabili ties, established him as the favorite and his return was $4 for $2. His jockey was Angel Cordero Jr., for whom the triumph was his third succes sive one, in six rides, on the program.

From the start Farewell Party, under 113 pounds with Jorge Velasquez, raced in front, except for a few moments when the Tartan Stable's Highbinder showed the way. When Fare well Party regained the lead, there was a good chance that he would go on and thwart Jim French's bid for the anticipated victory.

But in the straightaway Cor dero guided his mount to the lead and his margin was clear at the finish. Before making his bid for first place, Jim French had been as far back as fifth.

As for Farewell Party, whose ¡performance was quite com mendable, his margin over the third horse, Epic Journey, was seven lengths. After that came Highbinder, Silver Mallet and Bixa. The fractional times on the fast track were 0:23 4/5, 0:4735, 1:11 2/5, and 1:36.

Cordero said of the perform ance, “It was a slow pace and Jim French ran easy, close enough for us. We took the lead after we straightened out and I pushed him and he ran his race to win.”

Cordero, usually loquacious after a stakes victory, cut his comment short because he had to fly immediately to Monmouth Park to ride Cathy Honey in the Molly Pitcher. Jim French, who is trained by Johnny Campo, is a Kentucky‐bred son of Graustark, and his record is a formidable one despite the paucity of victories.

Previous to the Dwyer he had been in 14 races at such widely scattered points as Florida, California, Illinois, Kentucky and Maryland, en gaging in stakes competition at all of those places. Before tak ing the Santa Anita he had won the Dade Metropolitan, but he had to be content with sec and money in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes and third money In the Preak ness.

His share of yesterday's purse was $49,020, which raised his season's earnings to $320,291. His career earnings —he won the Remsen and the Miami Beach Handicap as a 2‐year‐old—now total $394,701.

Dwyer Honors 2 Brothers

The Dwyer handicap was named foe the brothers, Mike and Phil Dwyer, who were able, through the operation of a suc cessful wholesale meat busi ness in Brooklyn to enter thor oughbred racing. Their first venture was the purchase of a colt named Rhadamanthus from August Belmont in 1876.

From the start the brothers experienced good fortune, and from 1883 through 1888, they won the Belmont Stakes five times, with George Kinney, Panique, Inspector B, Hanover and Sir. Dixon. Their only de feat in that span was in 1885.

Two years after the “old” Aqueduct track opened the Dwyers purchased it in 1896, and they proceeded to remodel it into a “showplace” of the era. In the succeeding years Mike became a betting plunger, but Phil remained the conserv ative businessman.

After his brother died in the early 1900's, Phil branched out as a track owner and assumed the owneship of the Gravesend and the Jamaica courses.

Phil died in 1917 and the next year the Dwyer was in stituted at Aqueduct. Originally a stakes race, it became a handicap in 1956. Run at vary ing distances over the years, the Dwyer has also been con tested at Jamaica and at Bel mont Park.