Page 177 - Speedhorse February 2018

1946, 1947 & 1948 World Champion
Miss Princess (Woven Web TB) with Ernest Lane.
Moore mare was slightly ahead at the 300 and 350 yard markers. Shortly after the 350-yard mark, the King Ranch mare got into high gear to win in :22.1 and a length. Lightfoot Sis was never a real contender.
Sensational match racing, woven in with the purse races of the late 40’s, continued with Miss Bank, owed by D.V. Land of El Paso, taking on Miss Princess a week later. This one also was to be judged and timed at 350 and 400 yards. The King Ranch rep took it all with a New World mark of :17.8 at the 350-yards stripe and a :22.1 length and a half verdict at the end.
The fall meeting at Del Rio in ’48 also saw a hotly contested series of purse and match events. To get the opening day crowd ready for what was to be a meet in which no less than five new world marks were established, Miss Princess took the measure of Stella Moore and Lightfoot Sis. The King Ranch speedster put a 22-flat quarter with Pat Castile in the irons for one of the world marks.
Other new national and world records included a :13.5 clocking over 250 yards by Hoddy in a match race with Flash; a 16.9 second mark by Miss Panama over 330 yards as she beat Pep, Bo-El and other fine challenges; Leota W’s :22.5 quarter for three year olds; Jimmy’s :22.5 quarter for geldings; and an :18.1 time by Chappo S for geldings at 350 yards.
Del Rio was not through yet with her swinging forties. In the final year of that decade, the Queen City of the Rio Grande was to create the scene which produced another world record. This time it was the fine filly Monita, who put
a new mark in the world books by running 250 yards in 13.4 seconds. This fine runner edged
her way to the World Champion title in 1951 following in the footsteps of Miss Princess, a 3-time title holder at the world level, and Shue Fly, who also took such honors on three occasions.
These great lib runners and such wonder sprinting males as Hard Twist, Pep, Diamond Bob, Pelican, Scooter W, Bolo and others gave Del Rio her first era glory. It was a period in quarter racing time that has to be counted as
the real forerunner to the current day’s rich Futurities and Derbies. Folks like the Del Rio Livestock Association made such racing possible here. It was a period when purses were slim, but the competition keen. It was also an era that, when relived in retrospect, had as much going for it in dedicated horsemen and horsewomen
as does the present racing scene. Also, it was mainly because of that earlier era that the present Del Rio Downs now produces an annual Futurity and Derby and other specials with the Alamo Quarterhorse Breeders Association as the sponsoring organization.
There’s more room on that front gate fence for another All American Futurity winner...Del Rio is working on it!
These great lib runners and such wonder sprinting males as Hard Twist, Pep, Diamond Bob, Pelican, Scooter W, Bolo and others gave Del Rio her first era glory.
Monita set a 250-yards
World Record at Del Rio in 1949.
SPEEDHORSE, February 2018 175
LOOKING BACK - AN EXCERPT FROM SEPTEMBER 1975 ISSUE
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