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. . j i / ; | i ; COL. C. V. WHITNEY— His homebred Mahmoud colt, Jeep, is favored to capture this afternoons seventy-seventh running of the 0,000 Belmont Stakes. Jeep Jeep Heads Heads Field Field for for Belmont Belmont Stakes; Stakes; Ten Ten to to Seek Seek Lincoln Lincoln Handicap Handicap Honors Honors Pavot and Seven Others Face Whitney Colt Over Long Route Possibility of Off Track May Cause Withdrawals; Six in National Stallion ELMONT, L. I., N. Y., June 22. — The Westchester Racing Association is offering two of the most important stakes on the American racing calendar on the final Belmont Park program tomorrow, with a steeplechase stake and an interesting overnight handicap for sprinters also on the final card of the 18-day meeting. The 0,000 Belmont Stakes, for three-year-olds except geldings, at the true Derby distance of a mile and one-half, will have its seventy-seventh running, while the ,000 added National Stallion, for juveniles of both sexes and geldings, will have its thirty-third running at five furlongs on the Widener straightaway. The chase stake is the Meadow Brook Handicap, first offering of its kind of the year at the extended distance of "about two and ,a half miles" and the overnight handicap is the seven-furlong Stromboli, a ,500 event that is a stake in all but technicality. A surprisingly large field of nine had been entered overnight for the Belmont, but at least one of the field is sure to be withdrawn if the track continues muddy. Threatening skies hint loudly that the Belmont strip will be deep in sandy goo" tomorrow. Status of Burning Dream In order of post position, the Belmont field is now composed of J. M. Roeblings Wildlife, Brookfield Farms Brookfield, Be-lair Studs Johnsport, William Helis Adonis, Pentagon Stables The Doge, E. R. Bradleys Burning Dream, C. S. Howards i Sea Swallow, W. M. Jeffords Pavot and Col. C. V. Whitneys Jeep. All of these colts will carry scale weight of 126 pounds. Trainer Jimmy Smith has stated that Burning Dream would only go postward in the event of a fast track, which is unlikely, while Johnsport is also, and perhaps more suitably, engaged in the eighth race. Jeep is certain to rule favorite in this Belmont, principally because he has not been beaten in New York this year, winning the Experimental Handicap and a division of the Wood Memorial at Jamaica and capturing the Peter Pan Handicap here on Tuesday. The one black stain on Jeeps 1945 record is his venture in the Kentucky Derby, in which he finished fifth, beaten 11 lengths over a muddy track. That mud was advanced as an excuse for the son of Mah-moud — Traffic after the Derby and similar, though less sticky, footing is expected to prevail tomorrow. There is also a doubt in some quarters as to Jeeps being a true stayer, though he finished well in the Peter Pan. That race, the longest he has won, was at a mile and one-eighth and Eddie Arcaro reserved his speed for one run through the stretch. Arnold Kirkland will ride the favorite tomorrow, while Arcaro will be aboard Pavot. Pavot has been the major disappointment of the season thus far. Unbeaten in eight starts last year, seven of them stakes, Pavot made his 1945 debut in the Withers Mile in which he was outgamed by Polynesian. That effort was generally discounted on the theory that the son of Case Ace was not fully tightened for the race, but Polynesian beat him even more decisively in last Saturdays Preakness. Adonis can hardly be recommended after his poor showing in the Preakness and about all he has in his favor is the vastly i improved racing luck of owner Helis. I Brookfield had brilliant form last fall, but failed to develop appreciably over the win- i ter, while Johnsport seems far over his head. This is a unique Belmont Stakes, in that Continued on Page Four Eight Oppose Jeep In Belmont Stakes Pavot, Adonis Regarded as Whitney Colts Main Foes In Mile and Half Fixture Continued Irom Page One it includes none of the placed horses in the Derby or Preakness, Hoop Jr. being seriously crippled, while Polynesian was not thought good enough last December to be made eligible. Pot o Luck, who would probably rule favorite were he in this Belmont on the strength of his obvious liking for a route and his distant second in the Derby, in which he made up much ground, is sitting this out in Chicago. Derby Dieppe, who was third in both of the earlier classics, is another ineligible. The Belmont was inaugurated in 1867, antedating the Kentucky Derby by eight years, but, unlike the Kentucky fixture, it has not been run continuously, due to the ban on New York racing in 1911 and 1912. Ruthless won the Inaugural and since then the Belmont has been won by what is probably the most imposing group of thoroughbreds to embellish the annals of any American stake, including Kingfisher, Harry Hassett, Duke of Magenta, George Kinney and Hanover, at Jerome Park; Henry of Navarre, Hastings, Commando and Delhi, at Morris Park; Peter Pan, Colin, Sweep, The Finn, Friar Rock, Hour-less, Johren. Sir Barton, Man o War, Grey Lag, Zev. Chance Shot, Blue Larkspur, Gallant Fox, Twenty Grand, Peace Chance, Omaha, Granville, War Admiral, Johnstown, Whirlaway and Count Fleet here at Belmont Park. Six in National Stallion The National Stallion has a small field of six, headed by Maine Chances Farms pair of Harveys Pal and Star Pilot, with 122 pounds each. The others are H. P. Headleys Forgetmenow, 119; Crispin Ogle-bays Air Hero, 112; Col. C. V. Whitneys Enfilade, 119, and P. A. B. Wideners Happy C, 112. The Tom Smith-trained pair loom prohibitive favorites. Harveys Pal has started twice and won twice, stepping the five-furlong distance of the National Stallion in :58 in his last appearance. While he has a decidedly peculiar action this son of Bull Dog gets over the ground in a hurry. Star Pilot won his only start here in impressive fashion and may be intrinsically the better of the two. Forgetmenow beat Maine Chance Farms Clover Lea a length in :59 here earlier in the week and is an improving colt. He will probably be the second choice. Enfilade romped to a ten-length victory in her debut at Jamaica, then was beaten by the current juvenile filly champion, Beaugay. something which might happen to the best of them. Happy C. showed promise in his debut, while Air Hero is a fashionably-bred son of Blenheim II. — Anchors Ahead, who is reported to be able to run a bit.
