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Devil Diver Will Compete in Excelsior If Jamaica Course Is Fast Tomorrow Apache Again May Be Chief* Rival of Greentree Stables Recent Paumonok Winner JAMAICA. L. I.. N. Y.. April 13.— A cloudless sky, bright sun and brisk wind combining to dry out the Jamaica strip suggest that Greentree Stables Devil Diver will head the field going postward for the 0,000 Excelsior Handicap, at a mile and one-sixteenth on Saturday. Trainer John Gaver has said that he would start the son of St. Germans — Dabchick in the thirty-seventh running of this fixture if the track j is fast on the week-end and, barring un-| foreseen changes in the weather, the Metropolitan Jockey Club oval will be at its best. Devil Diver finished in a dead heat with j Market Wise for "Handicap Horse of the I Year honors in a poll of turf writers conducted at the end of the 1943 season, and he picked up where he left off by scoring an impressive triumph in last Saturdays Paumonok Handicap. In that six-furlong inaugural feature the Greentree ace ran down the Belair Studs Apache in the stretch to win by a length and a half going away. Eurasian Still Considered Probable Apache may be Devil Divers chief rival in the Excelsior, where he receives six pounds from his conqueror, who must pack 129 to his 123 pounds. In the Excelsior they each carried 130. While a mile is generally regarded as Apaches limit in top company, he has sometimes gotten a bit more ground and the weight shift and improved condition make him a factor not to be lightly dismissed. Havahome Stables Eurasian, who was ► _ , , one of the better three-year-olds last year and who had early foot in his Hialeah ventures this winter, is still considered a probable under 119 pounds, though he has already declined engagements in the Paumonok and an overnight feature at this meeting. The remainder of the probables at this writing are Tom Heards Boysy, 114; Mrs. T. Christophers Grey Wing, 109; Millbrook Stables Alex Barth, 105, and V. L. Sheas Rascal, 102. There is the prospect that one or two more of the light weights will accept the issue. Boysy finished sixth in the Paumonok under 112. and picks up two pounds despite this defeat. The distance of the Excelsior seems a bit more suitable to the veteran son of Blue Larkspur and he is also thought to have benefited by his initial outing. Boysy worked a mile in 1:43%. handily, on Wednesday. Incidentally, he ran second behind Olympus in the 1942 renewal under the same impost. Grey Wings impressive victory over Stymie here on Tuesday is still fresh in racegoers minds. How he will stack up against such as Devil Diver and Apache remains to be seen, but the son of Halcyon was a good stakes performer last season and threatens to be formidable at the weights. Hell be receiving the sizable chunk of 20 pounds from the top weight and 14 from Apache. Rascal, who finished fourth behind Alex Barth. Moon Maiden and Rath Ronan on i opening day. appears a bit out of his element. If only Devil Diver, Apache, Eurasian, Boysy and Grey Wing should go postward i in the Excelsior, it still would be a highly interesting contest on paper and one to » stimulate a brisk trade at the tote windows, though the Greentree colt will probably be odds-on.
