Withers to Jamestown: Champion Juvenile of Last Year Adds to His List of Successes, Daily Racing Form, 1931-06-01

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Withers to Jamestown . . Champion Juvenile of Last Year Adds to His List of Successes ♦ Easily Proves His Superiority Over Rivals After Sensational Display of Early Speed by Non-Staying M or stone — Corinthian Steeplechase to Indigo. » NEW YORK, N. Y., May 30.— Jamestown, the magnificent son of St. James and Mile. Dazie, carried the George D. Widener silks ta an easy victory in the famous old Withers Stakes of the Westchester Association at Belmont Park today. It was his first big race of the year and a step nearer the mile and a half of the Belmont Stakes when he will be failed upon to race against the Greentree Stables Twenty Grand, winner of the Kentucky Derby. The Withers Stakes added 7,300 to the score of the Widener champion. „ Walter Walter J. J. Salmon Salmons s Ladder Ladder raced raced to to second second Walter Walter J. J. Salmon Salmons s Ladder Ladder raced raced to to second second place, with Morton L. Schwartz Clock Tower just nosing out the Greentree Stables Surf Board for third. The Withers Stakes and the chance to see Jamestown in action brought out one of the greatest crowds ever gathered at beautiful Belmont Park and never has a Withers winner been given a greater ovation as he dashed past the finish four lengths clear of the struggling band back of him. The Corinthian Steeplechase and the Memorial Handicap whetted the appetite for the big event of the day and from the first race to the last it was a rare day of sport that was furnished for the double holiday. ANCHORS AWEIGH FRACTIOUS. Little time was lost at the barrier, though the bad actions of Anchors Aweigh, stable-mate to Surf Board, resulted in his being taken to the outside of the stalls. The start was good and as was to be expected it was Mors tone that took command, but Commuter was right with him and McAtee had Jamestown racing closely after them and running along next to the inner rail. The first quarter was covered in :22%, and there Morstone had a lead of a length, while Commuter was just a neck before the big bay and Ladder followed three lengths farther back, with Sun Meadow at his throat-latch. When the three furlongs post was passed in :33% and the half in :45, Commuter was beginning to tire of the excessive speed, but Jamestown continued to follow the son of Morvich without any apparent exertion. Surf Board had moved up slightly to be lapped on Ladder, and Clock Tower, though two lengths back of these, was going well. Commuter was through when the stretch was reached, and McAtee came out from the rail in order to go outside Morstone. The Block colt was hanging on exceedingly well after completing the five furlongs in :58, but Jamestown was easily his master, and as McAtee moved up he went to the leader in a half dozen strides and was past to take the lead. INCREASES LEAD. When a length clear McAtee had nothing further to worry about, and as the son of St. James widened the gap McAtee glanced back once. From there to the finish Jamestown continued to draw away to be the winner by four lengths to the thunderous applause of the immense throng on the lawns and in the stands. Ladder had been sticking to his task courageously, and he held second place perfectly safe when Mor-] stone had dropped back beaten, and a lively l duel was staged between the fast closing Clock Tower and Surf Board for third money. The Schwartz colt proved the gamest to gain the decision by a nose. The result of the Withers was more or less expected, but the manner in which the son of St. James finished his mile gave further hope that he will be able to carry his wonderful speed over the mile and a half distance in the Belmont. The victory brought the earnings of the big bay colt to a total of 80,235. Morfair, a two-year-old brother to Mor-[ stone, carried the silks of Benjamin Block I to victory in the opening four and a half furlongs dash for maiden juveniles. It brought out a field of nineteen, and it was Leonine, from the Rancocas Stable, that finished second, with the Fair Stables Mak-alu just saving third from Robert A, Fair- [ Continued on thirteenth page. i 1 , i ; , , , , ■ • . , [ , . , . i 1 2 3 B j 3 r j 5 . . i ~ 0 e r r ; e withers to jamestown Continued from first page. bairns Stimulator. It was a swiftly run race when the son of Morvich finished in :51%, just a fraction slower than the track record, and he v/as winner by two lengths, while the others were in close order. Senado, from the Quincy Stable, was the one to cut out the early running, but he tired in the final furlong, and it was there the others closed on him, and Morfair, coming through magnificently, was going away at the end to win by two lengths. Leonine finished gamely, and Makalu was also closing ground at the end. There came a surprise in the running of the Corinthian Steeplechase Handicap over the short course when Joseph E. Wideners Indigo was the winner over Stephen San-! fords Ivory II., with Argonaut, from the Rolling Plains Stable, an easy third. The race had a net value of ,550 to the winner. Twenty-five lengths back of Argonaut came Mrs. Grace Dennys Le Bey, the French jumper, and eased up twice as far back was Mrs. John Hay Whitneys Cawvoge. Edward R. Bradleys Beelzebub, the top-weight, and most fancied in the field, was in a close contending position when he made a bad landing and unseated Thorndyke three fences from the finish, while Le Bey was going exceedingly well until he struck a fence the second turn of the course, ruining his chance for victory. Beelzebub was the one to show the way over the first two fences, while Lambert was trying his best to take back with Le Bey, which was in a running mood. Round-, ing into the front field Lambert crossed to the inside with Le Bey and when he per-, mitted him to run he quickly assumed com-, mand and was attended by Beelzebub and Argonaut, on which the amateur rider Rigan McKinney had the mount. The three were well lapped at both the water and the Liver- pool. Le Bey continued to show the way at the lower end of the field and there Argo-e naut had dropped back, while Indigo moved up slightly. Then it was in the back field and while under a steadying restraint that Le Bey made his mistake. He hit hard and it was only his prowess that prevented his going down, but it caused him to drop back and Beelzebub regained the lead. Argonaut was racing after him and Indigo steadily made up ground on the outside. Then as has been told Beelzebub made a bad landing three fences from the finish and Thorndyke was unseated. That left Indigo and Argonaut in command. Ivory II. was beginning to find his way into the contention. It was not until the front field that Indigo had Argonaut headed and was home the winner by four lengths. Then Ivory II., closing strongly, outgamed Argonaut to second place by a length. take Fortunately Thorndyke was not seriously hurt by his fall, though he was brought from the field in the track ambulance. In a program of less importance, the Memorial Day Handicap would have been a stellar attraction. It was a seven furlong race over the main course that brought out seven of the best sprinters in training. And it brought a rare thrill when the Glenn Riddle Farms Great Gun, lightweight of the party, the Rancocas Stables Grattan and Joseph E. Davis Colossal swept past the line so closely lapped that the result was in doubt until the numbers were displayed.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1930s/drf1931060101/drf1931060101_1_3
Local Identifier: drf1931060101_1_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800