view raw text
EIGHTEEN BELMONT STAKES , Numerous Prizes for Good Horses at Westchester Track. Withers and Belmont Stakes Outstanding Three-Year-Old Features of Meeting Opening Monday. ♦ NEW YORK, N. Y., May 9.— Following the close of Jamaica Saturday, comes the most elaborate of all spring meetings at magnificent Belmont Park. With a wealth of eighteen stakes, starting with the Toboggan on opening day next Monday, May 11, and winding up with the historic Belmont Stakes at the close of the twenty-four-day session, June 6, turf patrons can look forward to witnessing some of the finest sport ever offered at this course. There never have been better prospects for a Withers Mile or a Belmont. The Withers will be run on Saturday, May 23, but ahead of that comes a slightly lesser feature for the three-year-old division, the Swift Stakes at seven furlongs, scheduled Tuesday, May 19. This race will give some of the candidates for the Withers a chance to show themselves. There also are two stakes for three-year-old fillies in the Acorn, Wednesday, May 27 at a mile, this to be followed by the Coaching Club American Oaks at a mile and three furlongs. Wednesday, June 3. In addition to stakes exclusively for them, the three-year-olds also will have chances in the Toboggan Handicap, the Metropolitan Handicap, and the famous old Suburban Handicap which are for horses of upward years as well, over six furlongs, a mile, and a mile and a quarter, respectively. Then there are several stakes for two-year-olds. Most important of these are the Juvenile on Saturday, May 30, and the National Stallion Stakes to be run on closing day, along with the Belmont and the Meadow Brook Steeplechase Handicap. The two juvenile events are at five furlongs over the Widener straightaway. The Withers and the Belmont should provide tremendous interest, for in other years the three-year-old championship practically has been established by the time the horses got to Belmont Park through the prior running of the Kentucky Derby and Pimlico Preakness. There is no outstanding champion at this time, and arguments will continue until Bold Venture, the recent Derby winner, and Brevity meet again, and the signs are promising that this will be at Belmont Park.