European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 6, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday .-may6, 1986 the stars and stripes Page .23 commentary of mans Ibe almost hidden among three big slate troopers in Blue. Bill Shoemaker was walking quickly through the empty paddock at Churchill Downs when the de parting spectators noticed him. I did t bet a dime on you shoe one yelled but i m Happy for  at any Racetrack that s the ultimate tribute. And at Churchill Downs saturday even the losers were Happy Cor Bill Shoemaker who won the Kentucky Derby Lor the fourth Lime. At age 54, he s the oldest jockey to win in. He won for the first Lime since he Rode Lucky Debonair 21 years ago after having wan on swaps in i953 and on Tomy Lee in 1959 a Span of 31 years. And to do it he reined Ferdinand through the stretch with All the experience of the jockey whose 8,537 via  in 1949 at Golden Gate Are the most of any jockey in thoroughbred racing history this was the Best one of the whole group shoe was saying now of his four Derby victories. I m in the Twilight of my career and i might not get another Chance  it  some Twilight. In sports this has been a very Good year for Twilight. Jack Nicklaus won the masters Golf tournament at age 46 and now Willie Shoemaker has won the Kentucky Derby at age 54 on a horse trained by 73-year-old Charlie Whittingham Bald As a billiard Ball the California Trainer who had never had a Derby Winner until now. That s another reason this was the Best Derby of the four shoe said. To do it for a Guy like Charlie who i think is the Best Trainer and the Best horseman in the. Business. He takes his time he lets his horses Tell him when they re ready. He did t Rush this horse or put blinkers on him something somebody else might do. In the jockeys room the other riders appeared to glow in shoe s Triumph. There s total respect for that Man in this room Eddie do Lahoussaye was saying now. He loves it does t the ride you saw show you that moments after the Start of that ride. Shoe thought he might be put Over the rail. Later he won on the rail coming out of the Gale we were both on the rail said Keith Allen the jockey on Wise times i was trying to hold my horse out without pulling shoe Over the rail. We were both veiling at the other jockeys to keep their mounts away from  in the jockeys room Allen had apologized to shoe i tried to hold my horse out Allen said. I m glad you  coming out of the no. 1 Post. Shoe had expected problems. Dave Anderson it s always tight coming out of the no. 1 Posl and i got pinched Back further than i wanted to  shoe said. I Hud to pull the horse Buck. He was As close As he could gel i the rail without going Over then he kind of checked himself. He knew he was close. Bui then he started running  even so Ferdinand next to last for the first Quarter of u mile was inst after half a mile. I did t want to be that far Back shoe said but there was t much i could do about in i knew Hud to move him up gradually. I knew if he had enough in him i knew i d make  coming Down the stretch Ferdinand was fourth. I had a Choice of going around those three horses or going through the Hale shoe said. But the rail is always the shortest Way Home and a couple of horses on the rail looked like they were stopping so i decided to shoot through that  was t that dangerous somebody asked him. You Don t think about Ihal in the Kentucky Derby.". How Long did you have to make that decision about three seconds he said smiling could you have gone outside instead and won Why go around three horses when you Sec a link spot to go through you go through. Two horses were stopping of i d tried logo outside 1 might pc Hud to squeeze him a  did All your experience win this race no he said firmly. The horse won this  Stroe had showered shaved and shampooed and now h was blow drying his Gray hair. On a Hanger were his White shirt and a Black tic Over a Gray Glen plaid suit that almost resembled doll s clothing. In a Small Man s profession William Lee Shoemaker born on aug. 19, 1931, in Fabens tex., is among the Small est of jockeys at 4 feet 11 inches and 93 pounds. Out he is the tallest in stature. To addition to his 8,537 victories he has now won 942 stakes races 217 of them Worth $100,000 or More. And his mounts have earned More than $100 million second Only to Lafit Pincay or s total. Shoe was tying his Black tie when one of the Churchill Downs jockey valets slipped the jockey s Money clip into the right hand pocket of his pants. Shoe never even looked at the Money lie just nodded. Shoe might have won his fifth Kentucky Derby sat urday if  t momentarily Slabod up in the Irons on gallon Man in 1957 after misjudging the finish line in that race. Hill ten Rock urged Iron Liege in front for one of his five victories that share the Derby record with Eddie Arcaro. Docs this shoe was asked now. Make up for Gallant Man nothing Ever makes up shoe said for the mis takes you  has t made Many mistakes but he has never won the triple Crown and now he has an Opportunity with Ferdinand the three year son of Nijinsky ii out of banja , who now will be entered in the pre ukness on May 17 at Pamlico and possibly in the a Ilmoni stakes on june 7. I think this horse is Good enough to win the triple Crown he said. I predicted list january that i was going to win the Derby Othis horse in the Days before tins Derby he touted Ferdinand again. But not enough people listened. Ferdinand went off at 17 to 1, an ignored lung shot. But while shoe talked of this nurse at the Burns Here. In remembered another forgotten horse he worked the morning of the i96i Derby. I left a party at 4 30 in the morning so i came straight to the barn still wearing a Tuxedo and Patent leather  he recalled. On  horse that morn ing All i could think of was what arc you doing on this horse it would pc made a great picture in the jockeys room now behind the grands tand that faces the stretch. Shoe was hurrying to meet his wife Cindy and their 5-year-old daughter Amanda who were happier for him than anybody. In sex peels Amanda to ride show horses and jumpers As her Mobil or does. Cindy he Hus said already has More Blue rib Bons than i have  but he s the Only one in the family with the ruses from four Kentucky Derby victories. Not thai he wan resting on his laurels. After a shun Celebration he is scheduled to return to Hill Yod Park where he Hud several mounts on sunday s card. Are you As Good he was asked now As you were at 35?" maybe not 25, but 35. Yeah he said smiling. Like Good old Kentucky Bourbon 1 improve with  new York Tolmei Graf Gomez win titles in Clay courts tourney Indianapolis a top seeded Steffi Graf of Germany fought off a match Point and a three game deficit in the second set to defeat no 3 Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina in the women s singles final at the 77th . Open Clay courts championships sunday. Sabatini who lost to her teen age rival for the third time in As Many meetings was up 5-2 and had a 40-30 Edge wifi Graf serving when the roof caved in. Graf then won eight straight Points in route to a 2-6, 7-6 7-56-4 Triumph that took just about two hours. In the men s final second seeded Andres Gomez of Ecuador Defeated no. I Thierry Tula inc of France in straight sets to win ire tournament for the second Lime in three years. Gomez completed his fourth consecutive trip to the finals Here with 6 6-4, 7-6 Deci Sion taking the tiebreaker 7-1. Gomez then teamed with Hans Gilde Meister of Chile to win the men s doubles championship dawning John Fitzgerald and Sherwood Stewart 6-4,6-3. It was the third consecutive tournament Triumph for Graf 16 and currently ranked third in the world with a 15-mulch winning Streak. "1 figured it was now or  said Graf about her thoughts when Sabatini had match Point. Somebody else would have been scared to go for it a Winner and then i hit two in a Row so ii was  maybe i got a Little bit nervous Flor the match Point but she did play awfully Well said Sabatini speaking through an inter Preter. And i was tired for a Little  she was playing really great. I Don t think she could play much belter Graf said about the first set. Then she Gat a Little tired and i was playing  Graf who teamed with Sabatini later to win the women s doubles final earned $38,000 with the singles Victory in the showdown Between the two teen agers expected to be longtime rivals on the circuit. Sabatini 15, received 517,000 in singles. She and Graf also earned s7.000 each by lopping Golgi Fernandez and Robin White 6-2,6-0 in doubles. Gomez and Gil Demeis Ler earned �8,100 by winning the men s doubles title. Gomez Defeated by Jimmy Arias in 1983 and by Ivan Lendl last year played unusually aggressive and won 58 of his 89 Points with forcing shots. Although he was caught by passing shots and lobs several limes Gomez consistently charged to the net and Wen for drop shots and winners while keeping Tulane deep behind the Baseline. He does t have a big serve and i Felt confident throughout the match said l6-yr-old Cleffi Graf. Defeated teen age rival Gabriela Saba tin Gomez after the two played for 1 hour and 46 minutes "1 Felt once i got my game together i would be  i did t find a lactic the whole match. I was looking for a Way to disturb him but i did t find in said Tula inc he put More pressure on me on the big paints that i did on  the Victory earned Gomez who has never Tost a set to Tulane in five meetings 551,000 nearly Matching his prize Money of $52,828 heading into the tournament at the Indianapolis sports Center. To Lasne received $25,500