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Sicily Charges to Top Flight Victory LaMontagne Miss Runs Down Surosa Victress Gets Home Neck to Good at Belmont as Favored Gallorette Finishes Fifth BELMONT PARK. Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 29. — Harry LaMontagne s Sicily once again demonstrated her liking for the Belmont Park racing strip when she drove to a neck victory in the 0,000 Top Flight Handicap today. Foxcatcher Farms Surosa, despite bearing in during the stretch run, finished closest to the daughter of Reaping Reward, while C. V. Whitneys Recce, the pacemaker, was a weary third before William Helis Earshot. Eleven of the best fillies now in training in the East went postward in this seventh running of the Top Flight, and W. L. Branns Gallorette was a solid choice with the crowd of 18,494 who turned out in unfavorable weather conditions. The winner of the Metropolitan Mile and Nimba Handicap was always prominent, but wilted in the crucial drive and could finish no closer than fifth, beaten almost four lengths. Sicily was ably ridden by Eddie Arcaro, who steered her between horses in the stretch, and paid 1.90. The time of 1:43 Vs for the mile and one-sixteenth was the best in the brief history of the fixture, and compares favorably with the track record, which is only a second faster. The track was officially fast, but was certainly not at its best. Too Much Weight for Gallorette After the race, jockey Job Dean Jessop said that Gallorette did not run into any trouble when Surosa bore in but merely had too much weight. Arnold Kirkland shot Recce to the front at the start of the Top Flight, diagonally across the vast Belmont strip from the stands and the field began to take shape. Letmenow was in closest pursuit, followed by Gallorette, War Date, Mush Mush, Dorothy Brown and Earshot, who were closely grouped. Rampart, Surosa, Darby Dunedin and Sicily followed that lot, with the eventful winner absolutely last at the end of the first quarter. Recce continued to lead down the far side and around the turn to the stretch, while Sicily didnt even start to run until the field had gone six furlongs. Curving into the stretch, Recce still held a daylight lead over Surosa, who moved up strongly on the outside, while Gallorette was racing strongly between them, and appeared to be slightly crowded as Surosa began to bear in. Earshot was also close at hand, and had to swing toward the rail to find racing room. Meanwhile, Sicily surged up on the out-I side, but managed to cut inside of the fading Letmenow, and didnt lose much ground. The Reaping Reward filly drove on determinedly to the wire, and was obviously the winner at the eighth pole, though Surosa held on with unusual courage. Recce was a weary miss at the end, but had a right to be tired after setting a sizzling pace. Earshot lacked racing room in the final stages, but the three-year-old probably would not have been .much closer in any case, while Gallorette ran as though in need of a brief rest. War Date was making her first appearance of the year and ran as though in need of the race. None of the others, except Letmenow ever really were in the race. Sicily earned 7,400 for her ex-polo player owner, who has raced successful sta-. bles in both France and the United States, but is now enjoying the most successful season he has had in many years. Bill Post is sending fit horses to the post for the "Park and Tilford of France," as LaMon- tagne was known before World War II. A. L. Astes Sorisky scored a mild upset in the Bonita Handicap that preceded the Top Flight, skipping to an easy three-length victory over Darby Dan Farms Delilah, the 3 to 5 favorite. J. W. Bowleys Flying Tartar was only a nose away in third place as Har-; rison B. Wilson rode the favorite with less than his customary energy when it was evident that he couldnt win. Mrs. Floyd Wests Comanche Peake completed the small field. Ted Atkinson rode Sorisky, who paid 2.50 and completed the six furlongs in the good time of 1:11%. ♦ i I I : ! I » [ » I j t • t ■ ; f a i i . f t .
