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ESPOSA LIKELY CHOICE Brilliant Ziegler Mare Top Weight in Continental Handicap. 0,000 Added Feature at Jamaica Draws Fast Band of Eligibles Bull Lea Nominated. NEW YORK, N. Y., Oct. 7. Esposa, best member of her sex now in training, heads a group of eleven named for the twenty-first running of the Continental Handicap at Jamaica tomorrow afternoon. William Zieg-lers crack mare must carry 126 pounds in the mile and one-sixteenth attraction, con- ceding from seven to twenty-six pounds in actual weight to her rivals, a group which includes Idle Miss, a mighty capable lady herself, and several three-year-olds which have been good stake winners. On paper the 0,000 feature shapes up as an extremely tough race and one in which there should be no outstanding favorite. Since all the entrants are known to be in tip-top condition, it is improbable that any one, except Maeriel, which also is in a lesser handicap, will withdraw. Only rain should bring other scratches, and that seems unlikely, as the sun was beating down on the track today, with a brisk breeze ruffling the shrubbery. All of which means the mile track should be thoroughly dried out for the week-end competition and lightning fast. The Continental will be the last big chance of the Metropolitan season for the nominees, as there are no other stakes of "ten grand" slated for decision in this vicinity. CARRIES HIGH WEIGHT. Overnight it appears that Esposa will rule a slight favorite, despite her crushing defeat in the Havre de Grace Handicap, with Idle Miss next in demand and Bull Lea the third choice. The six-year-old daughter of Espino Quick Batter is the reputation horse of the race, due to many good stake victories during the present season and an enviable record in 1937. She had War Admiral as straight as a string in the Saratoga Handicap," while last November at Pimlico she took the measure of Seabiscuit. The most recent victory of Esposa was registered in the Hawthorne Gold Cup, while at the Spa she accounted for the Champlain Handicap, in addition to chasing War Admiral home in three stakes and finishing third to him in another. Her most imposing triumph was in the Butler Handicap. No other hopeful can boast of such a record. Idle Miss, one of the most improved horses In training, also has been a three-time stake -winner during 1938, taking the Matron at Arlington Park, the Hannah Dustin at Suffolk Downs and the Ladies at Belmont Park. All were handicaps. In the Ladies she whipped a good filly when she down the Continued on thirty-second page. j ESPOSA LIKELY CHOICE Continued from first page. Selima winner, Jacola, with ease. Her mile m 1:39 at Jamaica was a most impressive trial for the stake, and it is questionable if the Distraction filly was ever better. Consequently Esposa will have no easy task con-maVdg PUnds t0 the B- F- Christmas The above pair are not the only members of their sex in the race, as Rust and Roguish Girl also are slated to go. Thou -h weightea favorably, both appear outmatched. Ihe three-year-old division should be represented capably by Bull Lea and Great Union, the two appearing superior to Cant Wait, Galapas and War Magic, the other entrants of that age. Bull Lea, though a right goodvcolt, has been able to annex only a single stake this season. That was the-Kenner, at Saratoga Springs. His most recent start was in the Potomac Handicap, at Havre de Grace, where he finished right on top of Menow when that swift colt cracked the track record for a mile and one-sixteenth. Since then his training has been all that could be desired. Great Union has been away from the races since late August at Saratoga Springs, when he finished second to Thanksgiving in the Huron Handicap after cutting out the pace. In front of that he beat older horses in the Merchants and Citizens Handicap, a stake in which Esposa was as good as left at the post. He has been pointed carefully for this .event and his trials also have been, creditable.
