view raw text
THIRD DEGREE QUALIFIES FOR BLUE GRASS STAKES Greentree Stable Star Breezes All the Way to Win Mereworth Purse His Seasonal Debut a Pleasing and Impressive Performance Warmer Weather and Improved Conditions Reflected in Activity and Size of Crowd LEXINGTON, Ky., April 20 Third Degree, generally considered the best of the Greentree Stables three-year-old prospects, breezed all the way over the mile and one-sixteenth distance of the Mereworth Purse, todays Keeneland feature, to make his seasonal debut a pleasing success. Although under the strongest sort of restraint from Eddie Arcaro, one of the stoutest riders in the profession, the son of Questionnaire and Panache triumphed by a half length over his stablemate, Roll and Toss, which was hard pressed to defeat Hal Price Headleys Old Joe by a length. Yale o Nine was fourth, and Miss Sarah completed the field. The Greentree entry was held at odds of 3-to-10, shortest odds of the meeting. No place or show wagering was held on the event. Third Degree carried 116 pounds and covered the distance in 1:46 over a good but dull track. Had Arcaro turned him loose in the stretch, the Questionnaire colt undoubtedly would have won off by himself. MUCH INTEREST DISPLAYED. Clearer and warmer weather was the order, the conditions being the best of the meeting and a good-sized week-day crowd was present for the Mereworth running, this being in the nature of a trial for the Blue Grass Stakes, a week from today. Much interest was displayed in the afternoons proceedings. Roll and Toss broke in front and was kept there under slight urging in the run to the first turn. Arcaro also had Third Degree away well and permitted him to cross over on Yale o Nine going into the first turn, then coming out slightly as Miss Sarah came up on the outside. As the field settled into the back stretch, the Greentree pair had moved well ahead of the others and continued that way until the second turn where Yale o Nine made a flurry. Arcaro could hardly hold Third Degree and St. Brideaux half-brother went to his running mate gradually. YALE O NINE FALTERS. In the stretch Yale o Nine faltered and Third Degree overtook Roll and Toss even though the latter was placed under pressure, it being apparent the stable wished the other son of Questionnaire to be the winner. Bui Third Degree couldnt be held back and Roll and Toss was unable to respond very much to urging. Old Joe, under 105 pounds, made a belated rush to finish at the heels of the Greentree pair and well before the tiring Yale o Nine and Miss Sarah. Tom Young sent out his first winner of the meeting in Country Prince, which, under a good ride from Carroll Bierman, took the opening event by a head over Indian Lake Stables My Crest, the favorite, as Mrs. E. Babcocks Stears was a close third. Uphold ran fourth among the eleven ordinary platers going six furlongs. Country Prince, a gelded son of Prince Pal Ground Swell, entered the contest as a maiden and was overlooked in the wagering. Bierman got him away well, waiting until turning into the stretch before sending him after the pacemaking Stears. Upon overtaking the latter in the final furlong Continued on twenty-sixth page. I THIRD DEGREE QUALIFIES FOR BLUE GRASS STAKES Continued from first page. Country Prince was compelled to stave off the favorites bid, which had come from far back. Robert McGarvey saddled another juvenile winner for William F. Morgan in Little Ruler, in the second race. Ridden by J. E. Oros, the daughter of Liberty Limited Dominated came with a strong rush in the stretch to defeat Indian Lake Stables Mae-nerva by nearly a length as Kai-Hi was another two lengths away. Valdina Lass, the favorite, was a close fourth. OUTSIDER IN FRONT. Suzanus, owned by Mrs. G. A. Stelings and the extreme outsider in the capacity field of lowly platers, took the third race, at six furlongs, in a driving finish, in which she nosed out D. B. Midkiffs Warwil and C. N. Finchs Bill Donoghue. Also close up at the finish were Isolene and I See. Piloted by G. South, Suzanus was off on top but soon was headed by Bill Donoghue. In the stretch the four-year-old daughter of Distraction Maid of Honor wore down the veteran and held Warwil safe as Isolene and I See made late bids. Alup, slight favorite over Bill Donoghue, was never able to make trouble. Joseph E. Wideners silks were carried to another victory when Acquin took the measure of eleven other maiden juvenile fillies in the fourth event. Away fast and hustled along all the way over the Headley Course distance while enjoying a clear lead, the daughter of Kiev Margosa won by two lengths over T. C. Piatts Reality as J. W. Parrishs Whim Wham was another length and one-half back. Blue Harmony, the favorite, was fourth. Warren Yarberry rode Acquin and took no chances, using his whip freely during the stretch run. Reality was close up throughout, while Whim Wham made up ground near the end as Blue Harmony faltered.
