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With the exception of Whirlaway, who is still lounging at California's blacked-out Santa Anita, nearly every glamor horse in the U.S. was entered in Florida's Widener Handicap, richest race of the winter season.

From California came Charles S. (Seabiscuit) Howard's Mioland and William L. Brann's Challedon, who between them have copped over $500,000 of the turf's purses. There was Market Wise, the rags-to-riches son of Broker's Tip, who has put fabulous profits into his owner's pocket. There was Attention, a worthy son of the late, great Equipoise; and young Alsab, who had won more than $100,000 in one year of racing. Never before had a winter classic attracted such an all-star field. It was also an unusually large field. At the post were 17 starters.

In a large field, even the smartest jockey cannot always keep a good horse from being pocketed or jostled. The 25,000 racing fans at Hialeah Park, more closely crowded than the horses, prepared for a rush-hour start-it was necks and rumps, then necks and necks. On the far turn the horses were bunched like a hand of bananas. Coming into the stretch, the first ten could have been covered with a blanket. But the favorites were too near the stem. Market Wise, the people's choice, got lost in the early shuffle.

In a stretch run that looked like Rosa Bonheur's Horse Fair, & floppy-eared chestnut pulled farther & farther in front. It was Mrs. Payne Whitney's The Rhymer, a four-year-old who-despite the fact that he was ridden by Eddie Arcaro, smartest jockey in the business-had been listed among "the field" in the pari-mutuel betting.-At the finish line The Rhymer was a head in front of Best Seller, a 58-to-1 shot. Third was Olympus, another "field horse."

For long-shot punters, the race was a bonanza. Those who had played the field got $32.80 for $2. Those who picked Best Seller to finish second got $53.20. It was also a great day for handsome John Gaver, Mrs. Whitney's college-bred trainer, who got a $5,000 bonus for saddling the winner. Gaver had had no intention of starting The Rhymer in such fast company. But when Samuel Riddle's War Relic was scratched the day before the race, leaving Jockey Eddie Arcaro without a mount, Gaver decided to take a chance. "It goes to show," said he, "that if you don't aim at the moon once in a while, you'll never hit it."

Said Jockey Arcaro: "I said this morning I hoped the best horse wouldn't win and it didn't."

*Because the pari-mutuel setup is geared for only twelve horses, when there are 13 or more horses running, two or more of the less formidable contenders are grouped as "the field."

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