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Bell Bell Buzzer Buzzer Whips Whips Stony Stony Point Point Rivals; Rivals; Signator Signator Outlasts Outlasts Thumbs Thumbs Up Up by by Neck Neck Early Lead Aids Woolford Racer Mayer Stallion Charges Up Fast in Stretch in Initial Start of Year at Jamaica JAMAICA. L. I., N. Y., April 20.— Wool-ford Farms Signator scored a narro r victory in the featured Fighting Fox Handicap,. ,100 six-furlong dash at Jamaica today, in which he staved off the closing rosta of Louis B. Mayers Thumbs Up, to triumph by a rapidly diminishing neck. Mrs. J. S. Letelliers Jack S. L. came from the rear to take third honors, three lengths back of the Mayer stallion and five before Lt. j.g. Alfred G. Vanderbilts Zanzibar. Bert Pom-eroys Blue Serge completed the small but elite field. Signator was second choice and paid .90, stepping the three-quarter.s in 1:11%. This time was the same as Devil Diver required for his score in the Pau- monok opening day, when the track was appreciably slower and the two marks are the best of the meeting for the distance. The sunny weather attracted another huge off-day crowd of 25,934 to the cozy Metropolitan Jockey Club course, buc such throngs are now commonplace at New York tracks and the attendance has dropped below 20.000 only once thus far in the young season. That was on the cloudy Wednesday of last week. Valdina Lord Upset Winner The public was treated to some .surprises during the running of the early races, beginning with the first event, when J. M. Seiders Valdina Lord captured the first race from the favored Wise Decision and paid 9.60. This was high for the meeting but was not to remain a record foe long. Michigan Smart won the second race in the colors of Joe W. Brown, beating Boiling On with the favored Sirlette a soundly beaten third. The first two winners combined for a Daily Double of 10.80, also tops for the meeting. Then, after Bettys Bobby beat High Plaid and the favored Foe OWoe paying 1.90 in the third, Mimosa Stock Farms Annie Lea led throughout the fourth race and survived an objection to reward his rare backers at the rate of 1.50. Annie Lea appeared to cross her field at the start, bothering the well backed He Got There, who finished second and the favored Thor. who finished third. Signator, who had finished last in a similar sprint only five days ago. quickly showed he was wearing his running shoes today and Eddie Arcaro sent him to- the front in the first quarter. Blue Serge was briefly in second place, a head before Zanzibar, with Thumbs Up and Jack S. L. not far behind. Going into the long curve to the stretch, Signator opened up a three -length lead while Zanzibar moved past Blue Serge, who was visibly wilting from the sizzling pace and was only a half length Contirued on Page Two I I ! j I i ! Signator Scores Narrow Victory Over Thumbs Up Drives Home Only Neck to Good In Sprint Handicap at Jamaica Continued from Page One before Thumbs Up with Jack S. L. lapped on him. • Arcaro skimmed the rail with Signator curving into the stretch while Steve Brooks curved outside of Zanzibar with Thumbs Up and set out in earnest pursuit. The five-year-old son of Blenheim II., who was one of the top handicap stars of last season, responded willingly. He was literally flying down the center of the track while Arcaro was desperately holding the fading Signator together on the rail, but the wire was too near and Thumbs Up just failed to catch his rival. Thumbs Up, who appeared thoroughly fit going to the post, is evidently as good as he was last season and this race should have benefited him, as he had not been worked particularly fast in recent weeks. His next engagement is understood to be the Dixie Handicap at Pimlico, May 6. Jockey Bobby Permane took the stretch turn on one wheel in the Briarwood, secondary feature at a mile and a sixteenth, and, saving much ground, drove Wheatley Stable s Free Lance to a length victory over Grant Thorns Mustafa, with Mill River Stables Pyracanth three lengths farther back. This colt, who had disappointed in two shorter races at this meeting, is regarded as trainer Jim Fitzsimmons Derby candidate. Favored in the wagering, he paid .80 and was timed in 1:46%.
