view raw text
— — ► Pavot Victorious In Belmont Stakes Drives Home Five Lengths Before Wildlife as Favored Jeep Is Fast-Closing Third ELMONT, L. I., N. Y., June 23.— Walter M. Jeffords Pavot, champion of 19t4 and disappointment of 1945, surged back to ttie heights today in the seventy-seventh running of the Belmont Stakes, driving to the wire five full lengths before his nearest rival. Joseph M. Roeblings Wildlne. A length and three-quarters farther back came Col. C. V. Whitneys Jeep, the 13-to-10 favorite. Pavot was given a masterly ride by Eddie Arcaro and was roundly cheered as he took the lead at the top of the stretch by the crowd of 42,670 that was eager to greet the return of an idol who had been temporarily in eclipse. Pavot paid .20 as second choice to Jeep in the wagering, and stepped the mile and one-half in the fair time of 2:3015. The start of the Belmont, effected directly in front of the stands, was excellent, though Burning Dream went to his knees as the gate flew open and was away badly, while The Doge went out to set the pace before Brookfield, Sea Swallow. Pavot, Wildlife, Adonis and Jeep. The latter quickly dropped back of Burning Dream ! and his action suggested that he was some- i what sore. I The Doge Continues in Lead Curving into the backstretch. The Doge continued to lead Sea Swallow by a little more than a length, with Pavot the same distance behind him and several lengths before Brookfield and Wildlife. Adonis, Burning Dream and Jeep were far back at this stage. The order did not change appreciably going down the backstretch until the far turn was neared, when The Doge abruptly shortened stride and Pavot and Wildlife madea strong move, but Wildlife, who was ridden by Ted Atkinson, ran into a blind switch on the turn and had to take back as Pavot sailed into the lead in response to one crack from Arcaros whip. Atkinson made liberal use of his own whip on Wildlife and quickly recovered most of the lost ground, entering the stretch in second place four lengths back of the son of Case Ace and a Continued on Page Four Pavot Victorious In Belmont Stakes Drives Home Five Lengths Before Wildlife as Favored Jeep Is Fast-Closing Third Continued from Page One little more than a length before Adonis, who was running strongly. Arcaro never stopped riding Pavot through the stretch, hitting him at the eighth pole and again at the sixteenth pole as he widened his margin steadily in the run to the wire. Wildlife was under a hard drive to stave off Jeep, who had still been last at the far turn and was fourth at the top of the stretch a half length back of Adonis. The early pace was exceedingly fast in this Belmont, the quarter being timed in :2245, half in :47, and six furlongs in 1:13%. After that the pace eased slightly, the mile being reached in 1:38% and the mile and a quarter in 2:0415. which means that the last quarters were a mediocre :26 each. Pavot wore blinkers for the first time today. The winners* share of the Belmont was 2,675, and the Belmont Memorial Cup was presented to Walter M. Jeffords by Col. Jock Whitney and George D. Widener, president of the Westchester Racing Association. After being unbeaten in eight starts, seven of them stakes, last year, Pavot succumbed to Polynesian in the Withers, then was badly beaten by that colt and three others in the Preakness last Saturday. He looked himself again today, and after the race Arcaro said he was sitting up on him like a park policeman, though observers in the stands clearly saw the whip rise and fall on three separate occasions. Of the unplaced horses, only Adonis cut any real figure, the Helis colt running an excellent race that promises well for the future. National Stallion to Enfilade OoL C. V. Whitneys juvenile filly. Enfilade, scored a hard-earned victory in the thirty-third running of the National Stallion Stakes, taking the lead at the start of this ,000 added five-furlong dash on the Widener Course, and staving off the closing bid of Maine Chance Farms Harveys Pal, to triumph by a neck. Seven lengths back of this embattled pair came Hal Price Headleys Forgetmenow, who was two and a half lengths before P. A. B. Widener s Happy C. Star Pilot, stablemate of Harveys Pal, completed the small field. Enfilade, a well-supported second choice, paid .70 and skipped the distance in :585, against a stiff head wind. Arnold Kirkland rode the winner, whose margin might have been greater had the jockey made less use of the whip. Each time she was hit, the daughter of Boojum lost nearly half a length. Harveys Pal ran a game race and was steadily cutting down i the winners margin through the final sixteenth. The others were hardly in the race, though Forgetmenow had early speed and Happy C. closed a little ground. Star Pilot climbed badly all the way. Enfilade, who won her debut in dazzling style at Jamaica, then succumbed to the ! brilliant Beaugay here, earned S12.845 by todays victory, most of this sum being nomination fees.
