Mercator Heads Quintet Entered in Hitchcock Chase at Aqueduct: Three Dots Takes Up Top Impost of 122 Pounds in Flying Heels Handicap, Daily Racing Form, 1946-06-11

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■ 1/ J Mercator Heads Quintet Entered .In Hitchcock Chase at Aqueduct / A e . 5 t f . * I ] 1 i ] i ; I i I i i | i ; i i I , i ; I s ; ■ ; I - i - B Three Dots Takes Up Top Impost of 122 Pounds in Flying Heels Handicap AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 10.— A quintet of seasoned jumpers will endeavor to entertain the fans at Aqueduct tomorrow, when the 0,000 Hitchcock Steeplechase Handicap at about two miles and a half will be the feature offering. W. H. Lipscombs Mercator, an "all or nothing" horse who usually either wins in brilliant style or falls or falters after setting the pace, heads the small field for the lucrative prize under 156 pounds. He must concede nine pounds to Thomas Motts Floating Isle, while Rigan McKinneys improving Navigate gets in with 142, Kent Millers War Battle must cany 139 and Brookmeade Stables Delhi Daii is the lightweight of the party with 133. Mercator held on well in his last race at Belmont, finishing second behind Burma Road under the same impost he carries to- morrow, and leading Floating Isle and Delhi Dan, who finished third and fourth, to the wire. The veteran jumper won his pre- ceding race at Belmont and had Navigate and War Battle among others back of him on that occasion. A quick, trappy type of chaser, Mercator should be at no disadvantage rounding the sharper Aqueduct turns. No riders has yet been assigned by trainer Willie Jones. Floating Isle, Delhi Dan and Navigate have all raced well enough recently to profit by any mistakes the favorite or his rider might make. Floating Isle was one of the best chasers in training last year, but has been slow to come to hand this season, his last race being his best. Delhi Dan and Navigate on the other hand, have improved considerably this season. War Battle has the speed to go out with Mercator, but is primarily a hurdler and is not too sure at his fences. War Battle Primarily Hurdler This Hitchcock, which is named for the late Thomas Hitchcock, probably the greatest developer of steeplechase horses America has known, will be the fifth event on the eight-race card. It will be followed by the ,500 Flying Heels Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for class "C" horses that has also drawn a field of five. The Flying Heels is headed by Three Dots, a Western invader who raced well here last season and is reported in peak form. He will carry 122 pounds, conceding nine to Chief Barker, who has not been seen in these parts this year. The others are Scholarship, a speedy trick who will carry 112; Miss Drummond, 108 and Mahmoudess, 105. The latter pair are mares and appear to have their work cut out for them, though Miss Drummond will probably be right on the pace for at least five furlongs, and Mah-3 moudess has been racing well against the best of her sex in longer tests. Three Dots, who will be ridden by Ted Atkinson, will probably be a tepid choice, with Scholarship and Chief Barker also getting support, along with Miss Drummond. It would be no surprise to see the crowd do considerable shopping around here with the market providing two or three dif-e ferent favorites at various stages of the wagering. The track record victory of Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords improving Natchez in the Kent Stakes at Delaware on Saturday has added interest to Saturdays 0,000 Dwyer here, in which he is expected to meet King Ranchs Assault and Maine Chance Farms Lord Boswell. Natchez finished a good second back of Assault in the Belmont Stakes and is on the upgrade. It would reel quire comparatively little additional im-s provement for him to become a serious threat to the "Triple Crown" winner in the erstwhile Brooklyn. There are seven probables for the Dwyer and a couple of others who might start with a little encouragement. Besides Assault, Natchez and Lord Boswell, Col. E. R. Bradleys Be Courageous, winner of his last two starts; Foxcatcher Farms consistent Hampden, Frank Franels improving Hadrian and Mrs. A. Wichfelds Cable are expected to go postward. In addition, E. P. Taylors Windfields and Mrs, Alfred Roberts War Watch might be sent in quest of a share of the rich prize, [ ■ » r 3 I t . a j, 3 5 r B g t s a ». y . d h ft to ,o le P. ie y, d ,d e ie in


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1940s/drf1946061101/drf1946061101_3_4
Local Identifier: drf1946061101_3_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800