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TEN IN METROPOLITAN Renewing Famous Old Race This Afternoon at Belmont Park. .William Woodward Seeking First Victory in Race — Fighting Fox Probable Public Choice. NEW YORK, N. Y., May 19.— William Woodward has won most of the classic races on the American turf, but never the Metropolitan Handicap, but the pleasure of capturing the Westchester Racing Associations important spring test of one mile, for older liorses, may be forthcoming to The Jockey Club chairman at Belmont Park tomorrow. The field of ten is headed by his fast and capable four-year-old "Fighting Fox. The Metropolitan has to be run and won, but on comparative form, the brother to Gallant Fox appears to have the best chance of victory, with its ,700 prize, providing all start. The son of Sir Gallahad III— Marguerite was assigned 122 pounds and, with .War Admiral, Stagehand, Thanksgiving and Sir Damion all declining, will be the starting top weight, ridden as usual by Jimmy Stout. _ Excepting Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilts Heelfly and Gustave Rings Lady Maryland, none of the other Metropolitan candidates has won a stake this year. Heelfly easily defeated a small field in the Gittings Handicap, and the triumph of the Ring mare in the Carroll Handicap was over members of "her own division at six furlongs. She should encounter plenty of trouble among her masculine opponents in the Belmont feature, although her impost is only 109 pounds. ESPECIALLY PREPARED. Fighting Fox has been pointed especially for the Metropolitan since his effort in the Toboggan Handicap, in which he was second to Entracte while shouldering 126 pounds. Prior to that outing, the Belair Stud color-bearer was a strong second to Thanksgiving in the Excelsior Handicap, at a mile and one-sixteenth, giving way to Mrs. Parker Comings colt only in the last few strides after leading from the start. He had won the Jamaica Handicap at six furlongs. Both he and Thanksgiving carried 120 pounds in the Excelsior. Trainer James Fitzsimmons has had Fighting Fox working steadily, the Woodward colt turning a mile in 1:38%, and more recently seven furlongs in 1:25%. Most dangerous of the others in the Metropolitan field appear to be Edward Friendlys Jacola and Joseph E. Wideners Knickerbocker and Heelfly. The former, by virtue of being a four-year-old filly, is the second top weight of the overnight conditions, according to the scale, with her assignment of 115 pounds. Her last effort was in the Dixie Handicap, in which she was third to Sir Damion and Tatterdemalion, beaten four lengths, but prior to that race she accounted for an overnight handicap in creditable time at Jamaica, defeating Tatterdemalion and Brown King. KNICKERBOCKERS STATUS. Knickerbocker is a three-year-old, and as such is the low weight of the field, with 109 pounds. The son of Teddy — Warrior Lass won his only start, a mile and seventy yards for maidens at Jamaica last fall, as a two-year-old, and he was equally successful in his lone appearance this spring, taking a dash of seven furlongs* for horses of his age. Even at the weights he will have to show improvement to be troublesome in the Metropolitan. Heelfly disappointed in the Dixie running, but in the Gittings he displayed a very smart performance, winning by six lengths in the creditable time of 1:45 for a mile and one-continued on thirty-ninth page. TEN IN METROPOLITAN Continued from first page. sixteenth at Pimlico. The manner in which the Vanderbilt veteran behaves at the post seems to have much to do with how he races. Of the other candidates, He Did was third in the Toboggan in his only appearance of the year, while Sun Alexandria placed second to Anthology in a class "C" handicap at a mile and a sixteenth. Danger Point, last years surprise winner of the Metropolitan, displayed but little in his lone start of the season the other day, while Brown King remains an unknown quantity as a racer in this country. Sceneshifter has yet to swing back into the good form he revealed as a three-year-old in 1937 and in the early part of 1938. In support of the Metropolitan an excellent program has been arranged, with the Mad Hatter Handicap certain to attract much interest, as its field is composed of Cravat, .Entracte, Y.riel Toy, Armor Bearer and Spillway. Some likely juvenile colts will be seen in the sixth race and several promising fillies are in the field for the third event, while the Good and Plenty Steeplechase may be productive of one of the most interesting events through the field so far this season its line-up including Sumatra, . Cadeau II Rideaway, Wambaw, Yemasee and Sea Ted
