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GOLD SEEKER SURPRISES Outsider Carries Off Chesapeake Stakes at Havre de Grace. Delphinium Finishes Second and Grand Slam Third Other Derby-Candidates in the Ruck. HAVRE DE GRACE, Md., April 18. Gold Seeker, a filly which was unable to break out of the maiden ranks until she reached Santa Anita last winter, surprised racegoers at this course today as she came from far back in the Chesapeake Stakes to register decisively over nine colts in the mile and a sixteenth event, which is the fir,st important test of the spring season for Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Before a throng which packed every available space in the grandstand and clubhouse, one estimated at 20,000, the daughter of Messenger and Golden Fair, which races for the Foxcatcher Farm of Wm. Du-pont, Jr., drove past the judges a length and a half in advance of the pacemaking Delphinium, from the Brookmeade establishment, with the Bomar Stables Grand Slam a length farther away. It was the first for the Delaware filly since her third in the Santa Anita Derby and netted her owner ,425 in prize money. She came in for little more than stable backing, showing 2.20 to in the mutuels. A candidate for the Derby and Preakness, she hardly shapes up as a formidable prospect for either event, as her final time of 1:46, over a fast track, marked an indifferent effort with 109 pounds up. PETERS RIDES GOOD RACE. Jockey Peters rode a mighty steady race to make the accounting with Gold Seeker. Hischarge was lacking in early speed, being far off the leaders for the first six furlongs. Making the final turn he drove her up steadily on the outside as he obtained clear passage and once the home stretch was reached, the Messenger maid levelled away in earnest, coming through the bunch with a spurt which caught Delphinium about fifty yards from the final pole. From that point she was drawing away. Delphinium, a first-time starter and also a candidate for the two big spring specials for three-year-olds, displayed a high flight of early speed. He carried Postage Due off his feet in the first five furlongs and then drew away slightly to maintain command until inside the sixteenth mark. Then he trailed off as if a trifle shy on condition. Grand Slam, another which was making his 1936 debut, also performed in highly creditable fashion. He was outpaced during the early stages but moved up steadily from the three furlongs post and finished in courageous fashion. The race should do him a world of good and he promises to be a far keener colt on Derby day. Teufel never was far off the leaders, making his run curving for home and then hanging as if in need of the race. Postage Due and Speed to Spare had early speed but quit. Bright Plumage, best supported of the field, is no Derby horse. He left slowly and was in tight quarters along the rail for five-eighths of a mile. However, he had a clear run from the three furlongs post, but tired badly in the stretch after reaching a contending position. Howard, capable distance performer in the Araho Stable of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Continued on eighteenth page. GOLD SEEKER SURPRISES Continued from first page. OHara, qualified in most impressive fashion for the Philadelphia Handicap next Saturday as he romped away with principal honors in the mile and a sixteenth condition event which was the afternoons secondary attraction. The Rolled Stocking Escarpo-lette gelding, favored by a big pull in the weights, was four lengths in advance of the heavily burdened Stand Pat at the final post, with Legume a like margin away as he gathered third money. Excellent train-j ing sent the five-year-old to the post one of the choices at a shade less than 2 to 1. J While his final time of 1:45 was two full second slower than the track record,, he had speed to spare at the finish. I Stand Pat, also a Philadelphia Handicap! candidate, had to pack top weight of 121 J pounds and concede fifteen to the winner. He turned in a good effort under his im-, post, being right there for the first milei and then tailing off slightly. It was his j first start since Hialeah Park, and he seems , certain to improve. Legume had the early speed and held sway until Howard made his run. He was far superior to Chatmoss and Braving Danger, the other two starters. Identify, winner of tfie Toboggan Handicap and four other stakes during 1935, started his seasons campaigning auspiciously as he nosed out Singing Wood in the Calvert Handicap, a six furlongs dash which attracted a smart band of sprinters. The stretch duel between the pair carried them away from the other four contestants, New Deal being two lengths back as he took third money in easy fashion from Sablin. Alfred Vanderbilts representative, packing 120 pounds, ran the distance in 1:12, just a shade better than the plater Night Sprite hung out in the preceding dash. Skinny Fallon sent the succesful Man o : War Footprint five-year-old to the front at the start to take a clear lead in the first furlong. Midway around the turn he was joined by Singing Wood, the pair racing closely lapped for the remainder of the journey, and the Sagamore horse just lasting long enough to gain the award. Singing Wood, carrying top weight of 128 pounds, was bothered right after the break and was in tight quarters during the first two furlongs. Then Jones found his way into the clear and drove Jock Whitneys representative smartly to join the leader. Under intermittent punishment he responded gamely and with a few strides farther to go probably would have been the winner. New Deal showed early speed and always held the others perfectly safe. Nautch turned in a very poor performance. Goldey F., winner of the Hialeah Juvenile Championship and the filly end of the Nursery at the Miami course, continued on her unbeaten way as she ran her string of consecutive victories up to half a dozen in the initial four and a half furlongs. The chestnut daughter of Tall Timber and Naha-ranna which races under the silks of Mrs. W. A. Bridges was a length in advance of Jock Whitneys Tall Oak, with Yellow Tulip half a length farther away. She was heavily supported, being a 17 to 20 choice in the machines. Litzenberger put Goldey F. in front at the break and she quickly drew clear of her five rivals. She raced along at a brisk clip fandr the entire way, never to be headed. At the end she had something to spare, as she completed the journey in :54, time which was one second slower than the track mark. Tall Oak, fractious at the post and responsible for a considerable delay, left busily ! and galloped along in second place for practically the entire distance. Jones had him i under intermittent punishment through the j stretch, but to no avail. Yellow Tulip, a first-time starter, was green in the early running, but finished well and will improve. Balkos Maid tired after showing speed for I half a mile. I Night Sprite, a gelded son of Nocturnal i and Dark Phantom, after an idle winter at j Pimlico, came forth for the first time this ! season to provide a major surprise as he trounced the highly fancied Star Porter in the six-furlong claimer which was second on the card. Though the finish was close, "Heimie" Neusteters plater looked the winner, and the camera eye verified the opinion of chart callers. Half a dozen lengths back of the two leaders, Portden managed to outstay Character for third money. The race was little more than a two-horse contest for the full trip, Night Sprite and Star Porter racing head and head from the fall of the flag to the final post. The last named gelding managed to force his nose to the front fifty yards from the finish, but he hung right on the money as if in need of a tightener.
