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Assault Works Mile in 7:37 7-5 In Sensational Trial at Jamaica King Ranch Colt Indicates t Readiness for Seasons Bow In Grey Lag on Week-End JAMAICA, L. I., N. Y., April 30.— The champ showed this morning that he still had the speed that made him "Horse of the Year" in 1946 when he came over to Jamaica yesterday afternoon, passed a quiet night, then came on the track this morning and skipped a mile in 1:37 Ms. The champ, of course, is King Ranchs Assault, who is slated to make his seasonal debut in Saturdays 0,000 Grey Lag Handicap at a mile and a furlong. The winner of the Experimental, Wood Memorial, Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes, Dwyer, Pimlico Special and Westchester Handicap last year really mizzled along this morning, stepping the first quarter in :2AYs, the half in :47%, five furlongs in :59y5. three-quarters in 1:11%, and seven furlongs in l:24x/5. Very few horses have been racing any faster at Jamaica this year and t. e o.n Li . id Venture came out of the trial as fresh as he started. Veteran dockers say they nave never seen a similar trial. While this sensational work may have the effect of reducing the Grey Lag field somewhat, Assault is expected to oppose Mrs. Ethel D. Jacobs Stymie, who made his 1947 debut in the fourth race today, W. L. Branns Gallorette, Greentree Stables Coincidence, Lazy F. Ranchs Calvados, Sunshine Stables Lets Dance, E. P. Taylors Windfields, Elmendorf Farms Polynesian and C. V. Whitneys Bright Sword. There is also the possibility that W L Ranchs Battant, a South American star who seems to finally be acclimated, and Richard A. Ryans Talon, another gaucho who raced miserably yesterday, but performed well in Florida, will take part in the Grey Lag. To Concede Weight Assault will have to pick up 128 pounds, conceding two to Stymie and considerably larger chunks to the others. Stymies race today told very little as the big chestnut was virtually left at the post. That race was run in 1:10% and Stymie was beaten about seven lengths with Basil James scrubbing vigorously from the start. He looked in fine condition, however, and was gaining some ground at the end. The son of Equestrian worked out seven furlongs in 1:27, but had to go around a couple of horses at the clubhouse turn. Obviously, if he turns back to this mornings trial he literally "cant lose" the closing day fixture, but better horses than Assault have been beaten at times, including Man o War and Exterminator, the latter winning exactly half of his 100 starts, yet being generally regarded as the best gelding ever seen in this country. Last Saturdays Excelsior pointed out Coincidence as Assaults and Stymies chief rival though he suffers from a nine-pound weight shift in relation to Polynesian. When this was mentioned to Jockey Ted Atkinson, who will again be in the saddle, he said, "Gee, did we really give that horse a nine-pound beating?" From the stands it appeared that they did. Incidentally, newspaper photographs giving the impression that Polynesian was blocked at the head of the stretch in the Excelsior are completely deceptive, being taken from a flat trajectory that failed to reveal the fact that Coincidence was already more than a length in front of the favorite when he started to move toward the rail. Tomorrows off-day feature is a six-furlong dash styled the Rialto that has attracted a field of nine, headed by Lazy F. Ranchs Nathaniel, who was a beaten odds-on choice here last Saturday. This colt worked well behind such as Phalanx, current Kentucky Derby favorite, last year appeared short in that race, stopping after setting the pace for a half mile and finishing third behind Warden Jr. and Stage Kid. While he will probably again be favored, the odds may be slightly more liberal. Stage Kid, Intrepid and Childeric appear to be his chief rivals in this sprint.
