Elkridge Lasts for Head Win in Appleton Chase: Floating Isle Just Misses after Nearly Losing Rider at Obstacle, Daily Racing Form, 1945-06-13

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► a 8Br |W|i|||, I 1 iii ___jjHii ii i -JKLi iwmi KENT MILLER — Owner of Elkridge, | Appleton winner. I Elkridge Lasts for Head Win in Appleton Chase ■ Floating Isle Just Misses After Nearly Losing Rider at Obstacle ELMONT. L. I., N. Y., June 12.— The best steeplechase, in a year that has seen the poorest exhibitions of that sport in some time, was the feature event at Belmont Park today, when the twenty-fourth running of the Charles L. Appleton Steeplechase was the piece de resistance. Kent Millers popular Elkridge was the winner of the major part of the ,000 added money, scoring by a head over Thomas T. Motts Floating Isle at the end of the "about two miles." Elkridge was second choice to the Mrs. F. A. Clark pair of Royal Archer and Chesapeake, and paid .30. He was given a smooth and patient ride by the veteran, J. S. Harrison. A crowd of 25.839 turned out at the beautiful Westchester Racing Association track to watch the eight-race program and, among the throng, was William C. Lang-ley, recently appointed member of the state racing commission, who presented the Charles L. Appleton Memorial Cup to Kent Miller after the fixture. Three of the eight startere in the Appleton failed to complete the course, Merpolis losing his rider at the tenth fence and Chesapeake falling at the final obstacle, with Gay Venture also going down, apparently through trying to avoid trampling jockey Kratz, rider of the Clark horse. None of the riders were injured though Kratz was shaken up a bit and I was removed in the ambulance. Coming to the fence directly opposite Continued on Page Six EEkridge Lasts for Head Win in Appleton Chase Floating Isle Just Misses After Nearly Losing Rider at Obstacle Continued from Page One the grandstand, Royal Archer and Chesapeake were carrying the Clark banner in front, before Mercator and Elkridge. with Floating Isle close at hand. George Walker f.31 but sailed over Floating Isles head at i this fence, losing the reins and one iron j It was fully a hundred yards before he recovered the reins and missing stirrup and was able to set sail after the leaders, and he had lost many lengths. Meanwhile. Chesapeake had taken the lead from his stablemate, Royal Archer, and Elkridge had moved up to challenge. Elkridge and Chesapeake reached the final hedge on a line, with Floating Isle charg-; ing strongly on this pair when Chesapeake went down. Elkridge appeared to be "home free" as he started the run in over the | flat but tired suddenly and Floating Isle I just missed catching him right on the j wire. Mercator, who had always been prominent, continued steadily to earn third i money half a dozen lengths back of the runner Hip and 10 lengths before the weary Royal Archer. Considerable use was made of the Clark pair throughout the running, Chesapeake falling as much from fatigue as anything j else and Royal Archer staggering home. It | was learned later that Merpolis had broken a leg in his fall and was destroyed. The first diso.ualification of a winning horse of the New York season came in the third race when Mrs. E. D. Jacobs Portage Trail was set back by the stewards after beating Mrs. Jean Richs Rekrab a nose at the end of this mile and a furlong test. A notorious run-out horse, Portage Trail carried Rekrab to the outside fence and Jockey Buddy Mills continued whipping with his right hand during the run to the wire, appearing to bother W. Mehrtens, who was on the ultimate winner. The stewards lost little time in making their decision, which was a foregone conclusion, even before the objection sign was flashed on the infield board. Equinox, third under the wire, a length and a half back, inherited second place and Sugar Ration, who was a little more than a length behind, moved into third place. Jacian completed the field.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1940s/drf1945061301/drf1945061301_1_6
Local Identifier: drf1945061301_1_6
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800