Events & Discoveries

Patterson stood yet in the dusk and rain, shooting aspirins to smithereens.

FACTS

Anglers have known for 500 years or so that trout get hungry when they're cold and lazy when they're warm. A University of Toronto biologist named Norman Baldwin has now formalized all this with the help of a thermometer and a vast supply of minnows. In 55° water Baldwin's trout gobbled up half their own weight in minnows in a week's time. Then Baldwin turned on the warm water, got his controlled trout pool to 70° and poured in more minnows: Baldwin's trout could eat only a sixth of their weight in minnows that week.

Any fisherman can carry a thermometer; the real lesson of all this may be, if you have to fish in warm water, bring ice cubes.

CALIFORNIA TALK

Every January for the past 10 years Californians have felt their hopes and hearts quicken with the running of the San Vicente Handicap at Santa Anita Park. There is logic wrapped in the anticipation, for three of the last six Kentucky Derby winners (Hill Gail, Determine and Swaps) ran in the Vicente.

Last week, when a handsome chestnut named Old Pueblo, just turned 3, came out for his Vicente, the hopes seemed a littler higher than usual. Old Pueblo had started six races as a 2-year-old, won all six.

Well, he won the Vicente, too, and quite easily. So, as any Californian knows, he is following right along in the hoofprints of the greatest horse in California history—Swaps. In 1955 Swaps won his last race as a 2-year-old, a sprint, at Santa Anita. Old Pueblo has done the same. Swaps came back in his next start in the Vicente and won that. Old Pueblo ditto. Swaps was undefeated throughout his career at Santa Anita. So far, so is Old Pueblo.

On March 8 Old Pueblo will try to duplicate Swap's Santa Anita Derby victory. Then all he has to do is set a track record in the Kentucky Derby Trial and win the Derby on May 3. California is beginning to pop and crackle with people who think he can.

BIG PICTURE