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Here and There on the Turf Black Marias Class How Valorous Failed Opening of Washington Park Triumph for Kentucky The manner in which Black Maria won the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park Monday leaves no doubt of her high place in the handicap division It is only the second time since 1891 that a mare has triumphed in this famous old han ¬ dicap The other that won was Gunfire a fouryearold in 1903 when she won under the colors of the late William Whitney She led Green B Morris Old England home in that race In her fol ¬ lowing race she was only nosed out for the Brooklyn Handicap in one of the most remarkable renewals of that old race raceGunfire Gunfire carried 109 pounds to victory while Black Maria a filly of like age took up 116 pounds against the best horses that could be mustered Monday and it was a good band In the Brooklyn Handicap when Gunfire was nosed out by the threeyearold she took up 111 pounds still five pounds less than the daughter of Black Toney carried so bril ¬ liantly at Belmont Park on Decoration Day DayAnd And there was something more than the mere winning that made the victory of Black Maria decidedly remarkable In the stretch she was forced out until several lengths were lost when Sande took Mr Wideners Osmand wide There did not appear to be any real excuse for the manner in which he crowded the filly but she was good enough to over ¬ come that interference fight her way past Osmand and beat him a length in a drive driveThe The race was one to at once give Mr Coes handsome filly new importance She had shown her worth on various other occasions but the Metropolitan Handicap was a test of both speed and gameness and she came through with flying colors It was also thoroughly demonstrated by her resolute finish at the end of the mile that she is well equipped to race on for a mile and a quarter or as far as horses are asked to race raceJust Just now the handicap division will do well to pay a little attention to this queenly filly That same Metropolitan Handicap demonstrated that Valorous after all may not prove such a dangerous oppo ¬ nent to Chance Shot in the Belmont Stakes as was predicted on his victory in the mile and an eighth of the Select Handicap When Sande on Osmand forced Black Maria out at the head of the stretch there came a great oppor ¬ tunity for Valorous McAtee had saved ground with him on the stretch turn and with the other two losing so much ground he had a royal chance to race by the pair but he did not prove fast enough Just for the fraction of an instant it seemed that he would profit by the other two coming so wide but when the fight was on at its fiercest he failed and the best he could do was finish two lengths back of Osmand which was beaten by the filly fillyThere There did not appear to be any good excuse for Valorous The stable was unfortunate in not having Macaw leave the post with the others He would have been a real help in possibly forc ¬ ing the pace but Osmand forced the pace and then outstayed Valorous after losing much ground on the stretch turn by forcing Black Maria out All of that made it seem that if Chance Shot is as much better than Valorous as is popu ¬ larly believed then Valorous has little chance to beat him in the Belmont Stakes or any other race for Osmand took up 112 pounds on Monday while Valorous only shouldered 108 pounds poundsJust Just taking that line it would seem that the Belmont Stakes has almost nar ¬ rowed to one horse now and that horse is Joseph E Wideners Chance Shot ShotRacing Racing returns to the City of Chicago today with the opening of the meeting of the Illinois Jockey Club at Washing ¬ ton Park Of course Aurora derives much of its patronage and support from Chicago but Washington Park Lincoln Fields and Hawthorne are really the three city courses and the ones that give Chicago its long term of racing racingFor For this meeting there has been a re ¬ organization of the Illinois Jockey Club and it is assured that under the direc ¬ tion of the new control there will be new life in the racing Matt Winn and his associates enjoy the confidence ofj both the horsemen and patrons of the turf to a greater degree than any others who conduct racing and the plans that have been made for the second meeting at this delightful course at Homewood promise that the meeting will bring to ¬ gether better horses than it was possible to attract last year For the opening day feature there is the Washington Park Handicap at threequarters It has an added money value of 5000 and the field that has been attracted is a worthy one The other races offer a fitting setting for this opening feature and with favorable weather the opening is sure to be a notable one There are various other special races of importance dur ¬ ing the meeting at Washington Park and the richest event of the meeting the American Derby with 25000 added is to be run on June 18 There was a Kentucky victory in the running of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on Decoration Day when Mary Jane daughter of Pennant and Bourbon Lass which races fori Gallagher Combs took the old race from another Kentucky filly H P Headleys Handy Mandy while New York had to be content with third when H P Whitneys Fresco beat Krick for that portion of the money While not attempting to take anything away from either Mary Jane or Handy Mandy it must be suggested that Abel made ex ¬ cessive use of Pandora a stablemate to Fresco After crossing in front sharply for which he earned a deserved punish ¬ ment he rushed the Whitney filly into a long lead and virtually killed her off He was probably endeavoring to carry the others along for the benefit of Fresco but there did not seem to be any really good reason for the big hurry when the other riders did not fall for the invitation to sprint with Pandora PandoraBut But it was a thoroughly good renewal of the old stake race Probably the same race run over again would bring the same result with Handy Mandy possibly a bit closer to Mary Jane at the end of the journey And Mary Jane was giv ¬ ing Handy Mandy ten pounds as well as a beating so that there seems to be no doubt of her being queen of the fillies in Kentucky at least and it is isdoubtful doubtful if the East has a filly of the same age capable of taking her measure And on the same day at Churchill Downs S A Cowans Boon Companion showed a complete return to good form when he raced a mile in 137 to nose out as good a colt as Rolled Stocking while further back followed Hydromel War Eagle Rhinock Royal Julian and Flatiron This good son of North Star III Blushing Beauty by Cunard was away from the races from the close of the Miami meeting last year until the sport returned to the Florida course He won the Miami Cup Handicap of 1926 and there was some fear later that he was through racing but Al Wood ¬ man was patient brought him back and undoubtedly that patience is to be re ¬ warded
