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SMALL FIELD FOR NEWPORT Seven Nominees Accept Weights for Closing-Day Stake at Gansett. Mile and a Sixteenth Contest Has ,000 In-Added Money— Clodion Top Weight Under 112 Pounds. PAWTUCKET, R. I., May 12.— Narragan-sett Park will end its nineteen-day spring meeting tomorrow afternoon with the mile and a sixteenth ,000 added Newport Handicap as the feature of the program. Only seven of the twenty-nine nominees were named for the race. The small field came as a distinct surprise. However, there has been a steady exodus to Suffolk Downs and other points the past three days, a couple of those intended have gone wrong and yet others were outmatched in the estimation of their trainers. The seven which have accepted weights constitute a speedy and well-matched field. It should assure a more truly run race. Highweight of the field will be Clodion, which won the six furlongs Bristol Handicap last Saturday at long odds. He will carry 112 pounds and the longer distance should not militate against his chances, for he has shown in the past that he can go over a route successfully. Freddie Maschek, who rode Clodion in the Bristol, has been suspended for the rest of the meeting since then by the stewards. It was a blow to trainer Lester Smith, who was highly impressed with the manner in which the lad handled the horse. Smith is expected to ride Ralph Eccard, since he is unable to obtain the services of Maschek. CLODION SLIGHT FAVORITE. Clodion looms as a slight favorite in the wide-open race, price makers believing that he will rule at about 3 to 1. Our Ketcham, which broke a track record in Florida and which is reported to be a dead-ready horse, shipped in especially for the contest. He may prove hard to beat under 108 pounds. Wise Prince, a popular horse in New England and as honest as they come, finished second to Clodion in the Bristol. He is also in tomorrow under 108. At this weight he will be pressing the top two closely for public favor. He has been raced hard for many months, but he appears to stand up under the grind exceptionally well. Pagliacci, in top form right now, will be second starting .highweight under 110 pounds. Stable connections, including Louis Feustel, Jr., son of the man who developed Man o War, believe he is ready to crack down with a winning race and that the distance will be just to his liking. His chances cannot be taken too lightly. WAR MINSTREL BELOW FORM. War Minstrel, which raced well here the past two seasons, is far below that form, but still holds class. He will have only to carry 103 pounds in the saddle. Be Jabbers scored a long shot victory in the Portsmouth Handicap two weeks back. That race was at the same distance of tomorrows Newport. The horse holds plenty of speed and, off the Portsmouth, is a distinct factor. The outsider in the field is Sun Inplay, but he is honest, always trying and usually close up. All in all, the Newport is the most open contest of the season on paper and should result in a thrilling finish. Jimmy Ashcroft has been assigned the mount on Our Ketcham and Ken McCombs will ride Wise Prince. The other jockeys are Wilson on War Minstrel, Merritt on Pagliacci, Bowen on Be Jabbers and Ro-bart on Sun Inplay. Today was bright and warm. If such conditions prevail tomorrow, the largest crowd and the largest handle of the season will be realized. And then— on to Suffolk Downs.
