1947 History
Four Different Leading Money Winners!
Part 1, Part 2

Cover Up,
 a four year old son of Alibhai, the western handicap star of the 1947 season.
Photo taken at age 11 by Bob Hopper.

My sincere thanks to 
The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America 
by William Robertson
for permission to excerpt this article that we may re-live the moment.

During 1947,
 for the only time in history,
 four different horses were listed as the world's leading money winner at one time or another.

.Calumet Farm's Whirlaway, the horse who had made those colors famous before he retired with record earnings of $561,161, still was the leader at the beginning of the year, but it was generally anticipated that he would be dethroned some time during the season -- most probably by Stymie, who had finished out 1946 less than $50,000 away. Assault needed $120,000 to make it, and considering the normal tailing off in the income of rich three-year-olds when they become four and fall into the hands of the handicapper, it would require a bit of doing, since Assault had not been that sensational at three. As for Armed, he was a gelding and had lots of time.

Stymie also was in the handicap division,
 but he got better as he got older, contrary to all custom. 
As it turned out, he actually did win more money as a six-year-old than during any other season.

What ever reservations had been held concerning Assault's intrinsic quality
 were dissipated as he opened his four-year-old season with five straight handicap victories, carrying more than scale weight in each, and extending his string of stakes, carried over from the previous season, to seven.

After a layoff of nearly six months, 
he came out for the 1 1/8-mile Grey Lag Handicap under top weight of 128 pounds, 
to win by a neck from the seasoned Lets Dance (110) in 1:49 4/5,
 just a tick off the track record. 
Stymie, making his second start of the year and carrying 126 pounds,
 finished fourth in his favorite event.
 (Stymie had won the Grey Lag twice, and each victory was a landmark in his career; his first stakes win, in 1945, and his first track record, 1946)

Assault then moved down to Pimlico, 
where he won the Dixie Handicap under 129 pounds, beating the formidable South American stayer, Rico Monte, while conceding him 9 pounds. 
The next day, up in New York, Stymie won the Metropolitan Handicap and moved closer to the earnings record,; one good purse would do it.

In the Suburban, however, Assault, carrying 130 pounds, 
won by two lengths from Natchez (120), with another tough South American, Talon, third under 113. Stymie was fourth, beaten ten lengths under 126 pounds.

It was the King Ranch colt who emerged as challenger now, 
and on June 21 Assault completed his blitz, winning the Brooklyn Handicap under 133 pounds by three lengths from Stymie (124) to become the world's leading money winner 
with total earnings of $576,680.

Meanwhile, Stymie had picked up a second to Gallorette 
in the Queens County Handicap,
 and subsequent wins in the Questionaire and Sussex Handicaps, 
the latter in new track record time at Delaware, put him on top July 5. 
A week later, however, he met Assault for the fourth time that year
 and a historic battle ensued.

Assault had been assigned 135 pounds for the 1 3/16-mile Butler Handicap, 
against 126 on Stymie, 121 on Rico Monte, 
117 on Gallorette and 111 on Risolater.
 Klegerg and Hirsch accepted the assignment and Assault went to the post. 
The field being essentially a collection of stretch runners, 
there was no early pace to speak of:
 the first 6 furlongs were run in 1:13 4/5, the mile 1:38 3/5. 
As they turned for home, Gallorette, Assault and Stymie made their runs,
 and the King Ranch colt became sandwiched between the other pair.
 Having literally to bull his way into contention, overcoming interference from Gallorette,
 he refused to flinch from the tight quarters, 
and under a masterful ride by Arcaro, 
Assault went on to win by a head from Stymie, thereby regaining his crown. 
The time of 1:56 3/5 was the fastest of the year at Jamaica.

If the polls had closed at this point, 
Assault might have been elected Horse of the Decade . . . . . .

.