CITATION: A Love Story

(This is the third of a five part series.)

Out of 114 three-year-olds, Citation, winter book favorite for the 1948 Kentucky Derby, was given high weight of 126 pounds on the Experimental Handicap by John B. Campbell, the racing secretary at the Metropolitan Jockey Club. Two stablemates also were notable on this list. Bewitch received high weight of 121 pounds, taking into consideration the five pound gender allowance, while Free America was also among the leaders. Although flattering to the horse at the top, Citation's assignment was six pounds below Count Fleet's Experimental 132 pounds for 1943, still the highest figure ever given.

PART THREE: RACING IMMORTALITY

A Fast Start

Citation's first four races as a three-year-old were at Hialeah, beginning on February 2, 1948 in a six furlong allowance, also known as the Ground Hog Purse. It was worth $5,000, and Albert Snider was back aboard the two-year-old champion. The affair was supposed to be a tune-up for Citation's later appearance in the Flamingo Stakes at the end of the month, but he would have plenty to do before that. Citation would begin his campaign against older horses, including his stablemate and reigning Horse of the Year Armed. Breaking from post two, with Armed just outside of him, among a field of seven, Citation was kept off the pace by Snider before making his bid going around the far turn. He passed five-year-old Kitchen Police and hit the finish by three-quarters of a length in a solid 1:10 2/5. Armed had broken slow, needed time to get going, and had to settle for sixth. It was the third start on the year for Armed, now seven, and carrying 130 pounds to Citation's 113. It was still a noteworthy performance for the young Citation, who was biologically two-years-old until April, but according to the Thoroughbred calendar had turned a year older on January 1. The winner pocketed $3,250.

Citation returned nine days later in the seven furlong Seminole Handicap, assigned 112 pounds, and prevailed by a length over four-year-old Delegate. Only a neck farther back was Armed, who finished a credible third, while conceding sixteen pounds to Citation and five to Delegate. Citation had broken well, and stayed close to the action, before eventually bounding away in a time of 1:23 flat, with $8,525 of the purse going to him.

On February 18, Citation finally faced his own age group in the 1 1/8 mile Everglades Handicap. He was assigned 126 pounds, but only two other horses ran, Hypnos, under a feathery 109, and Silverling, at 112. The contest was worth $10,000, with $7,200 to the winner. Hypnos led for much of the way, setting brisk fractions of :22 3/5 for the quarter, :45 3/5 at the half, and six furlongs in 1:10 3/5. Citation then drew even and went ahead. Hypnos made another game challenge in the stretch until Citation put him away for keeps, and crossed the finish a length to the good in 1:49.

Citation's next outing would be the 1 1/8 mile Flamingo Stakes. Hypnos and Silverling would also run among the field of eight. Citation, breaking from post five, carried high weight of 126, with the swift Saggy, in post one, getting 122. The others were assigned 118. Saggy broke alertly and took the lead. Citation was just off in third, before eventually splitting horses and romping home by six lengths in 1:48 4/5, only a few ticks off the track record. Big Dial arrived next, followed by Saggy.

Citation and Snider were a perfect fit; but after the Flamingo, they would never ride together again.

Gone Fishing

Albert Snider was probably as good a jockey as any who ever sat on the back of a horse. At the very least, Snider was superb for a horse who would rapidly become a superstar. After the Flamingo Stakes, and before the big spring races still ahead, Snider had planned a fishing trip with two other men, off the Florida Keys. Upon his return, he would resume riding Citation into the Triple Crown. But on that fishing trip, the men were apparently caught in a severe storm and perished. A massive search and rescue team vainly tried to locate the missing individuals but their efforts had to finally be abandoned. Snider left behind a wife, young daughter and a grieving racing community. Snider's companions, lost with him, were Don Frazier of Toronto, and trainer C.H. Trotter.

Calumet and Jimmy Jones were temporarily without a rider for Citation, but with their reputation and resources, they could afford to go after the best and get it. And that meant Eddie Arcaro.

“The Master”

Eddie Arcaro wasn't called “The Master” for nothing. He was simply the best rider of his time and quite possibly the greatest American jockey ever. Arcaro started racing in the early 1930s, teamed up with Ben Jones in 1938 to win the Kentucky Derby with Lawrin, then swept all three classics three years later for Jones, aboard Calumet's Whirlaway. The Cincinnati born Arcaro won the Derby again in 1945 with Fred Hooper's Hoop Jr. Arcaro now hopped aboard Citation's back and it was another match made in Heaven; but not immediately.

Chesapeake Trial

Arcaro teamed with Citation in the colt's next race, the six furlong Chesapeake Trial at Havre de Grace. For Citation, it was a return to the old stomping grounds where he began his career in 1947. He would face a small field of five other three-year-olds, including Saggy, who had set a world record as a two-year-old in the 5 ½ furlong Aberdeen Stakes on the same Maryland track. This was Citation's third start at Havre de Grace and he had yet to see fast surface conditions. His two previous starts had sloppy and good surfaces and for the Trial he would race in the mud. Coming away with two previous wins at the venue, this day would be different. After breaking first, he dropped back to fourth as Saggy and Hefty vied for the lead. Hefty ran out of steam and Saggy went on as Citation made his move to catch him turning for home. Hefty bore out and apparently took Citation with him. Citation, having to cover more ground from a wide trip, couldn't catch Saggy in time, falling a length short at the finish. He hadn't lost to a weak adversary either and Saggy had just posted his eighth win in twelve starts. It was the only time Citation would lose all year.

Turf King

Citation met Saggy five days later in the 1 1/16 mile Chesapeake Stakes. It was a small field of four runners and Citation, Saggy and Dr. Almac took turns sharing the lead until the final turn when Citation turned up the heat and spurted away. Bovard also rallied but finished a distant second as Citation hit the wire more than four lengths ahead in a time of 1:45 4/5 over a good track. Dr. Almac was third, with Saggy trailing.

Citation's next stop was the one mile Derby Trial at Churchill Downs on April 27. He faced three horses, and won easily by a length and a quarter over a fast track. His reputation had soared so high that he was starting to scare off opponents. But Citation wasn't the only one  scaring off other horses. There was another colt, residing in the same Calumet barn, who was a rising star himself. Although he was originally entered in the Trial, Jones subsequently scratched him. In any other year, he might have been racing's biggest star. He was so good and so fast, that he set records, earned a championship in successive seasons, and would carry weight successfully as an older horse. He was truly great and ultimately found his way into the Racing Hall of Fame. But as a three-year-old, in the same stable, he was only second best. His name was Coaltown.

Coaltown

Another son of Bull Lea, the bay colt Coaltown was out of the Bleinheim II mare Easy Lass. Because of respiratory problems, Coaltown never even raced at age two. His primary weapon was his devastating speed but he could also win going a distance of ground. Coaltown made his sophomore debut on February 3, 1948 in a six furlong Maiden Special Weight at Hiahleah and won by two and a half lengths, in 1:11 2/5. Jones reeled him back twenty-three days later and he destroyed ten rivals in an allowance, covering six furlongs in 1:09 3/5, to equal the track record. Leading from just after the start, his margin of victory was twelve lengths.

Coaltown went back and forth between Jimmy and father Ben and had three different jockeys in his first three starts. On April 8, he went to Keeneland where he defeated seven others on a good surface, negotiating six furlongs in 1:12. Two weeks later, Coaltown would have the services of rider Newbold L. Pierson for the rest of the year. The colt put his three race winning streak on the line as he entered post five among six starters for the 1 1/8 mile Blue Grass Stakes. He led from start to finish, setting a track record of 1:49 1/5. Undefeated in four starts, Coaltown had never felt the whip. Finally, on the first Saturday in May, Calumet's two great colts, Coaltown and Citation would race each other for the first time.

Dominance

The six-horse field for the 74^th edition of America's most famous horse race was the smallest since 1907. Four brave runners would attempt to neutralize the power of Citation and Coaltown, among them, My Request, who was riding an unbeaten string thus far that year, including a victory in the Wood Memorial. Because the management feared a minus pool, they eliminated place and show betting. The Calumet entry was 1-5 for the $111,450 race. Coaltown would undoubtedly break on top and set the pace while Citation stayed back and bid his time. No game plan could have been written more accurately.

With Citation on the rail and Coaltown alongside him, they both broke fast. Citation was then dropped back in second, while Coaltown took a commanding lead. He was quickly ahead by six lengths, and cut out fractions of :23 3/5, :46 3/5, and 1:11 2/5, before hitting a mile in 1:38. Citation was still running second but well behind, with time and yardage starting to run out. He now had the daunting task of trying to catch one of the fastest horses in the world, who was far in front on an uncontested lead. Logic would say, no matter how good he was, it couldn't be done.

Nearing the far turn, Citation was closing the gap between himself and the speedster. As the pair rounded the bend, Citation was moving faster, catching Coaltown, before going ahead, and rapidly drawing away in the stretch. He crossed the wire three and a half lengths in front with Coaltown next, three lengths to the good of My Request. Previous rains had pelted the Churchill Downs track, creating sloppy conditions, and Citation's final clocking was a very slow 2:05 2/5 for the 1 1/4 miles, well short of Whirlaway's stakes record. Citation took home $83,400 of the purse, boosting his season total to over $176,000 and two year sum to nearly $332,000.

What would Citation do next to match a performance like that?

Encore

Coaltown bypassed the remaining Triple Crown races and instead won Belmont Park's seven furlong Swift Stakes on May 19 by six lengths. Four days earlier, Citation, running on a heavy Pimlico track caused by rainy weather, faced just three horses, all whom he had beaten already, in the 72^nd running of the 1 3/16 mile Preakness Stakes. In 1943, Count Fleet had also faced just three challengers. In 1882, '83, and '89, the race was contested by only two horses. Those for the 1948 edition were all new to the Triple Crown and included King Ranch's Better Self, winner of five of eight starts as a juvenile, runner-up to Citation in the Pimlico Futurity, and returning at age three to finish third in the Wood Memorial. The others were C.V. Whitney's Vulcan's Forge and Sylvester W. Labrot's Bovard, the latter bred in Maryland, and sired by England's last Triple Crown winner for thirty-five years, Bahram. Bovard had two things in common with Citation. He could apparently run under various surface conditions, and was supplemented into the race. The similiarities ended there. After the field was off, Citation made a mockery of the affair, taking the lead and drawing away by five and a half lengths at the wire, in a slow, albeit easily done, 2:02 2/5. Vulcan's Forge was next another three and a half lengths ahead of Bovard who just managed to get his neck ahead of Better Self. Another Jones runner, Faultless, had taken the race the previous year. Of the $134,870 purse, Citation collected $91,870 and boosted his career earnings to $423,700.

The spacing between that year's Preakness and third Triple Crown race, the Belmont Stakes, was four weeks. In the interim, Jimmy entered Citation in the 1 ¼ mile Jersey Stakes at Garden State Park on May 29. Carrying the classic weight of 126 pounds against four others, Citation cruised into the lead around the far turn, and gradually widened it, hitting the finish eleven lengths ahead with a new track record of 2:03. He earned $43,300 of the $50,000 prize money, and his new total of $467,000 lifted him past Seabiscuit into fifth place among the all-time money leaders. Still ahead of him were Stymie, Armed, Assault and Whirlaway; but Citation was closing fast.

Meanwhile on the same day at Belmont Park, Vulcan's Forge, whom Citaton had easily handled in the Preakness, upset Coaltown in the one mile Withers Stakes.

Triple Sweep

Citation worked out the day before the 80^th running of the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes. Among the horses who would try and keep him from becoming the eighth Triple Crown winner were Escadru, who had won the Peter Pan; Yankee Handicap victor Better Self; Gasparilla; Vulcan's Forge; Salmagundi; the Sam Riddle colt Faraway; and Golden Light. Before a crowd of more than 43,000, on a sunny, humid day, Citation broke from post one, and stumbled as he left the gate. He was quickly gathered up by Arcaro, led every step except for a brief encounter with Faraway, before opening up an insurmontable lead, hitting the wire eight lengths ahead of Better Self, with Escadru next. Citation had equaled Count Fleet's stakes record of 2:28 1/5, while pocketing $77,000 of the $117,300 purse; and his career account to that point showed $544,700.

This was the second Triple Crown sweep for Calumet Farm and Eddie Arcaro, in addition to being the rider's fourth Belmont Stakes win. They had a horse who was unstoppable and Citation would continue his onslaught through the summer and fall races, mowing down any and all opponents who dared face him.

Horse of Steel

The accolades were pouring in for Citation as well as ongoing comparisons with Man o'War. Many of the same grandiose terms once used in describing Man o'War were now being expressed about Citation.

In a period of nine weeks Citation had raced seven times, including four starts within the Triple Crown series, and won virtually every race with consumate ease. After the Belmont Stakes, he returned approximately three weeks later for the 1 1/8 mile Stars & Stripes Handicap at Arlington Park against a good field of older horses. Among nine runners, Citation won by two lengths in a time of 1:49 1/5 to equal Armed's 1947 track record. His bankroll swelled, with more single season earnings than any horse in history, and a career total of $582,700, putting him past Whirlaway.

Citation was to run next in the Arlington Classic but he pulled a hip muscle in a mishap outside his barn. He returned in good form on August 21, in a six furlong allowance at Washington Park, and won in a solid 1:10 4/5. Seven days later, under 126 pounds, Citation won the 1 ¼ mile American Derby by a length over Free America with Volcanic in third, both runners getting eight pounds from Citation.

Incredible

Citation stands in the sport's highest pantheon as a result of many accomplisments. One of his greatest occurred over three days at Belmont Park in early autumn. On September 29, the colt lined up against five opponents for the Sysonby Mile, breaking from post six. In his usual manner, the handsome bay made his move coming into the far turn, turned up the heat in the stretch before being throttled down approaching the wire. His winning margin was three lengths. Following him at the finish was the four-year-old filly First Flight, who crossed the wire a neck ahead of Coaltown. Of the $29,250 purse, Citation collected $20,200. Three days later, Citation returned for the two mile Jockey Club Gold Cup, with six rivals breaking on his inside. Trying to beat him would be C.V. Whitney and Abe Hewitt's four-year-old Phalanx, the previous year's winner. When the group was off, Citation went right to the front, never threatened, and scampered home by seven lengths. Phalanx was next followed by Beauchef. Citation stopped the timer in 3:21 3/5, the same as Phalanx in 1947 and Whirlaway in 1942. The race, worth $108,800, netted Citation $72,700 increasing his career money to $744,650. Now only Stymie and Armed were ahead of him in earnings.

More Gold

Citation's next start was fourteen days later in Belmont Park's weight-for-age Empire City Gold Cup, a thirteen furlong race (1 5/8 miles). Under 119 pounds, he was part of a field of nine, including Phalanx, who after conceding seven pounds to Citation in the previous contest, now had to do it again. Sent off as a 1-10 favorite, Citation won by two lengths over Phalanx with Carolyn A., five lengths further back in third. His share of the purse was $75,600 bringing his career total to $820,250, passing Armed as the second richest Thoroughbred in history. Only Stymie, with earnings of $911,335, was richer.

The Walkover

Citation made his next start at Pimlico for the 1 3/16 mile Pimlico Special. Nobody else bothered to show up. Arcaro kept him under wraps, then let him breeze the last two furlongs, when he finished in a leisurely 1:59 4/5. It was a $10,000 payday for the stroll around the oval.

The comparisons between Citation and Man o'War continued.

Heading West

Citation had achieved the status of racing immortal. The plan was to bring him back in early 1949 for Santa Anita's Maturity Stakes on January 29, followed by the Santa Anita Handicap. But before he was done as a three-year-old, Gene Mori, a friend of Jimmy Jones, had asked him to bring Citation out to Tanforan in Northern California. Mori, a racetrack owner, had added Tanforan to his collection. Citation made his way to California for two more starts, the first in a six furlong allowance, also known as the San Jose Purse, worth $5,000, on December 3. The surface was muddy and Citation swept by four other three-year-olds and won by a length and a half in a time of 1:12. Carrying 126 pounds, he had spotted runner-up Bold Gallant fourteen pounds and third finisher Barsard seventeen.

Tanforan Handicap

Citation returned eight days later for the 1 ¼ mile Tanforan Handicap. Conceding weight, he easily disposed of six runners in track record time of 2:02 4/5 on a good surface. For his five length win, the Bull Lea son made $31,800 bringing his overall earnings to $865,150. His epic three-year-old campaign was now finished.

Unbeknown to Mori, the Tanforan track had been “fortified” with concrete because of a problem with water run-off. Although Citation had once again drubbed his peers, Arcaro sensed that his mount did not like the track. Sometime after the race Citation's left front leg began bothering him. It soon became apparent why. The colt had developed an inflamatory condition with calcification called an osselet. In an effort to promote circulation and thus healing, a cautery procedure known as “pin firing” was done. It didn't help.

In 1948, this fabulous racehorse, Citation, made 20 starts, posted 19 wins, sixteen of these in stakes, one second after a compromised trip, and earned $709,470. He had defeated older horses seven times. He raced on nine different racetracks, over a variety of surface conditions, in seven different states, from coast to coast. He set records while easily defeating many of racing's best runners. He was voted 1948 Horse of the Year, three-year-old champion, three-year-old champion male, and handicap champion. Coaltown was named champion sprinter.

But now, in his last race of the year, Citation had been hurt; and he needed rest. After two dominant years of racing, with a resume showing 29 starts, 27 wins, two seconds, and earnings of $865,150, what more did he really need to prove as an older horse?

To be continued...

Resources

"Winter Book Derby Favorite" (from photo), The Independent, January 6, 1948.

U.P. "Calumet Dominates," St. Joseph News-Press, January 12, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation, Armed Will Clash,” San Antonio Express, February 2, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Wins Ground Hog Purse at 1-5 as Stablemate Armed Finishes Sixth,” The New York Times, February 3, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Will Be Horse To Watch In Kentucky Derby,” The Daily Mail, February 3, 1948.

James Roach. “Citation Annexes Seminole With Armed Third at Hialeah,” The New York Times, February 12, 1948.

Associated Press. “Seminole Handicap Is Won By Citation,” Joplin Globe, February 12, 1948.

James Roach. “Citation Takes Everglades Handicap for 11^th Victory in 12 Starts,” The New York Times, February 19, 1948.

James Roach. “Coaltown, 3-10 Choice, Equals Hialeah Track Mark for Six Furlongs; Calumet Sprinter Wins From Quebec,” The New York Times, February 27, 1948.

James Roach. “Calumet Colt 1-5 For Hialeah Race; Citation Seeks 12^th Score in 13 Starts Against 7 Rivals for $44,500 Top Prize,” The New York Times, February 28, 1948.

Associated Press. “Favored Citation Wins Rich Flamingo Stakes,” Joplin Globe, February 29, 1948.

James Roach. “Citation, 1-5, Beats Big Dial With Ease In $62,100 Flamingo,” The New York Times, February 29, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Rates 'Peake Choice,” The Charleston Gazette, April 12, 1948.

Associated Press. “Saggy Badly Whips Citation,” The News, April 13, 1948.

Associated Press. “Saggy Registers Upset Over Citation in Sprint at Havre de Grace,” The New York Times, April 13, 1948.

Associated Press. “Chesapeake Stakes Rubber Duel For Saggy, Citation,” Portland Press Herald, April 17, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Favored Over Saggy Today,” The New York Times, April 17, 1948.

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U.P., “Small Field For Derby Predicted,” Lubbock Morn. Avalanche, April 27, 1948.

James Roach. “Derby Trial Draws Slim Line-Up Against Odds-On Citation Today,” The New York Times, April 27, 1948.

James Roach. “Citation Beats Three Rivals in Mile Derby Trial at Churchill Downs,” The New York Times, April 28, 1948.

John Chandler (A.P.). “Small Field Is Indicated For Derby Classic,” Moberly Monitor, April 28, 1948.

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Associated Press. “Citation Captures Derby Going Away,” Oakland Tribune, May 2, 1948.

Associated Press. “Mud, Citation Cut Preakness Entries,” Daily Capital News, May 14, 1948.

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John Chandler (A.P.). “Four Horses Seek Preakness Prize,” The Salt Lake Tribune, May 15, 1948.

James Roach. “Calumet Colt Set For $134,870 Race,” The New York Times, May 15, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Romps to Easy Victory in Preakness Stake,” The Corpus Christi Caller-Times, May 16, 1948.

James Roach. “Big Calumet Day; Citation Earns $91,870 to Round Out Record $169,670 Total,” The New York Times, May 16, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Among 6 In Jersey Stakes,” The New York Times, May 29, 1948.

“Citation Sets Mark; Coaltown Fails Withers,” Waterloo Sunday Courier, May 30, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Now 5^th Among Leading Winners,” The Post-Standard, May 31, 1948.

Joseph C. Nichols. “Citation Is First By Ten Lengths,” The New York Times, May 30, 1948.

Leo H. Petersen. “Citation Goes Out After Turf Immortality,” The Wisconsin State Journal, June 12, 1948.

James Roach. “Citation Favored in 80^th Belmont Stakes Today,” The New York Times, June 12, 1948.

James Roach. “Colt Ties Record; Citation Wins 1 ½-Mile Belmont in 2:28 1/5 for Triple Crown,” The New York Times, June 13, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Scores Seventh Win In Row Before 46,490,” Portland Press Herald, July 6, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Annexes Stars And Stripes,” The New York Times, July 6, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Tops Big Chicago Card Today,” Portland Press Herald, August 21, 1948.

Associated Press. “Star Hoofer Recovers From Injury,” Kingsport Times-News, August 22, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Triumphs in Chicago Dash And Colosal Annexes $43,950 Races,” The New York Times, August 22, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Tops Field In American Derby,” The New York Times, August 28, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation and Free America Finish One, Two As 1-10 Choice in $88,750 American Derby,” The New York Times, August 29, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation Going In Sysonby Mile Today,” Morning Herald, September 29, 1948.

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Associated Press. “Eddie Arcaro Steers Citation to Easy Eight-length Belmont Victory,” Long Beach Press-Telegram, October 3, 1948.

James Roach. “Citation First by 8 Lengths In $108,800 Gold Cup Race,” The New York Times, October 3, 1948.

James Roach. “Citation Heads Field of 10 in $112,700 Gold Cup Race at Belmont Park Today,” The New York Times, October 16, 1948.

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James Roach. “Citation Captures Gold Cup By 2 Lengths Over Phalanx,” The New York Times, October 17, 1948.

Associated Press. “Special Walkover For Citation Today,” The New York Times, October 29, 1948.

George Bowen (A.P.). “Crown Citation Race King At Pimlico Today,” The Lowell Sun, October 29, 1948.

Associated Press. “Cancer Fund Gets Citation's $10,000,” The New York Times, October 30, 1948.

Associated Press. “Man o'War Or Citation Better? May Take Years To Find Out,” Hutchinson News-Herald, November 9, 1948.

U.P. “Citation, 4 Others In Coast Dash Today,” The New York Times, December 3, 1948.

Associated Press. “Champion Annexes West Coast Debut,” The New York Times, December 4, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation 1-10 Shot In Field Of 7 Today,” The New York Times, December 11, 1948.

Associated Press. “Citation, 1-20, Sets Tanforan Record in 5-Length Score,” The New York Times, December 12, 1948.

Associated Press. “Doctor 'Fires' Horse's Leg,” Long Beach Press-Telegram, December 30, 1948.

Pohla Smith. Citation Thoroughbred Legends, No. 3 (Lexington, KY: Eclipse Press, 2000).

Thoroughbred Champions: Top 100 Racehorses of the 20^th Century (Lexington, KY: The Blood-Horse, Inc., 1999).

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Thoroughbred Times Co., Inc., The Original Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac 2009 (Lexington, KY: Thoroughbred Times Books, 2008).

Copyright 2011, 2012 by John Califano