view raw text
ST. JAMES EASILY DEFEATS ZEV ♦ Rancocas Champion Bows to Speed of G. D. Wideners Crack Colt » Largest Money -Winning Juvenile of Last Year Scores Notable Triumph in Paumonok Handicap Over Americas Greatest Money Winner of All Time • NEW YORK. N. Y., April 29.— George D. Wideners St. James, the largest money-winning juvenile of 1923, is a real three-year-old and he began his three-year-cld career just as the champion Zev did last year. He was winner of the Paumonok Handicap. But it was the champion Zev that he beat with ridiculous ease. It was the opening of the New York tacing season. The weather was just about as disagreeable as could have been imagined, The track at its best and the crowd was but it was a brilliant opening none the less. was there. There was no lack of enthusiasm and the sport made one forget the occasional drizzles of cold rain and the constant chill in the air. The Paumonok Handicap was all that could have been desired. Of course, no one likes to see a champion beaten, but he was beaten by a champion. It was only a question of ___age division. St. James was the three-year- old and Zev the four-year-old. The Wldener colt had done enough last year to make him a champion, but he was not such a sensation as was the son of The Finn and Miss Kearney. And the Paumonok was a truly run race. From a good start it was Zev that set out to make the pace. He was quickly joined by St. James and the son cf Ambassador IV. and Bobolink II., after racing alongside the brown for a few strides, gradually drew away. Sande was content to hold his position with Zev without trying to match him for speed, but St. James nad taken a lead that he would not surrender. Making a good turn for home, Kummer roused the three-year-old with the whip, but it was hardly necessary. Sande hid pulled his whip on Zev and he was racing along with rare courage, but he had met his master at the weights. He could not close an inch on the three-year-old and at the end St. James was winner by a full three lengths. Two lengths farther back came J. S. Cosdcns Dunlin, which beat I* Rosenbergs Sun Pal. for the short end of the stake and the others were well strung cut. JUMPS INTO PROMINENCE. While the Paumonok Handicap was only a three-quarters dash, St. James, when he ran the distance in 1 ills to beat as good a horse as Zev, at once jumped into great prominence among the three-year-old possibilities. It is not known that A. J. Joyner will start him in the Preakness, but he performed in a manner to suggest that he would belong in that prize. Infcrtunately Mr. Joyner was not on hand to see St. James perform, but reports from his home were that he was rapidly recovering from his illness. The companion piece to the Paumonok was the Suffolk Stakes under claiming conditions at five-eighths distance. This resulted in a Maryland victory when J. S. Cosdens Permanent Wave, under a particularly vigorous ride by Shanks, was just up to beat P. H. Sims* Alex Wood 1 iff e in the last stride. The finish was so close that the result was In doubt until the numbers were displayed. William Daniels Master Billy was the on-» to finish third with Harry Payne Whitneys Maud Muller a ekse fourth. There was some confusion at the start by reason of the greenness f some of th" runners, but early in the a-tion Alex Wood I iff « J found his way into the lead and Socrates, a stable mate of Master Billy, went after him with Maud Muller not far away. Permanent Wave met with repeated interference until Shanks took her to the outside where ho found clear sailing. Socrates was through at the head of the stretch and there Alex Woodliffe was going so well that he looked all over a winner. Then in the last eighth •Shanks brought the Ooadea filly up with a mighty rush on the outside and in the last stride she was winner. Through the stretch Maud Muller made a determined bid, but she bore in and McAtee had to ease his rida and straighten her to prevent fouling Socrates, one that had slipped through in the DM antime. That cost Maud Muller her shara in the purs.- and Master Billy was third ahead of In r. After the finish. Burke, who had the mount on Ahx WoodtMTe, was called in to the stand for ins ride on the Sims colt, lie had bmm to the front with a rush on the hack stretch and appeared to hare piled up the field a hit. The order of the lini li was not disturbed. LOOKS LIKE ;OOI O K. Tt was Apprehension from the Oakridge Stable that won the opening race of the day and meeting and John LoftOfl shared in the honor l y Bending him to the post, while it was Johnny Callahan, the veteran of the aaddie. that played the part of pilot, it erne the first start for Apprehension, which is ;i three-yi ar-old son of Friar Rock and Swan Song and his lace was one to suggest that he possesses ouality. Sheridan, from the Rancocas Stable, gave Apprehension a close argument to the head Of the stretch but there, under a drive, Appre- llout.uutd on siiteentu iu„.- j ST. JAMES EASILY BEATS ZEV Continued from fin.t page. hension drew away until at the end he was an easy winner. H. P. Whitneys Miss Whisk followed Sheridan home to Qnish third. The race was a good one when Apprehension ran the five and a half furlongs in 1 :05%, just the fraction of tbe time slower than the track record. After the finish Miss Whisk was worked out the full mile and completed the distance in good fashion. John S. Ward, owner of the Kentucky • champion three-year-old Wise Counsellor, began his invasion of New York auspieiously when his Malt, a three-year-old son of Uncle and Malta was winner of the three-quarters for selling platers that was the second offering of the day. At the end he was showing the way to J. I* Hollands Deadlock while Mrs. Frank Byers Escoba dOro was the one to be third. From a good start Little Alfred was first to show out of the field, but Deadlock was right after him and McAtee, nearing the stretch turn, made the move that took the Holland plater alongside the pacemaker on the outside. Malt had been racing forwardly and when Little Alfred bore out on the stretch turn and carried Deadlock with him the Ward three-year-old slipped through next to the inside raiL It was that move that decided the race for he had saved much ground on the turn and Deadlock could not catch him in the short run home, Ralph Earl and Charles Tucker were guests of "Lafe" Blcck at the opening and it was a part of the celebration of the genial Lafes birthday, which is today. Fred Vantine came over from New Jersey with a party of his friends for the opening of the season.
