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Eight Eight Oppose Oppose Faultless Faultless in in Belmont; Belmont; Mighty Mighty Story Story Favored Favored for for La La Salle Salle Phalanx Will Meet Wright Star Again Tide Rips Rated Dangerous At Mile and Half Distance; Six Seek National Stallion BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 30. Belmont Park reaches the end of Its 24-day spring meeting tomorrow with the 79th running of the 00,000 Belmont Stakes and the 35th edition of the 0,000 National Stallion Stakes bringing the seasons biggest week-end of racing to an appropriate climax. A field of nine has been named overnight for the Belmont, which is the only race in America run under true Derby conditions, the distance being a mile and a half and geldings barred. Only six have been named for the National Stallion, which will net the winning owner considerably more than the added money owing to its futurity conditions, but the half dozen include the most promising juvenile colts to have raced in the East this year. The National Stallion is a five-furlong dash on the Widener straightaway and has often pointed out a future champion. Previous winners include such as Colin, Sweep, Chance Shot, Blue Larkspur, Equipoise, Pompoon and Attention. Last years National Stallion winner was Jet Pilot, who won this years Derby, and his stablemate, Royal Blood, will attempt the same feat for Maine Chance Farm this year and next. All eyes will be on Faultless in the Belmont. The Calumet Farm colt has a clear edge on what thus far appears a rather mediocre band of three-year-olds this year, having won the Flamingo Stakes at Hia-leah, finished third behind Jet Pilot and Phalanx in the Derby, then won the Preakness and Withers. The son of Bull Lea, from the stakes mare Unerring, looms a solid choice, pos- sibly at less than even money, to turn back his Bight rivals and emulate the achievement of Calumets Whirlaway, who scored in 1941. In order of their probable appeal to the investing public, Fautless will be opposed by C. V. Whitneys entry of Phalanx and Khyber Pass, Bayard Sharps Tide Rips, Walter P. Chryslers Brabancon, Greentree Stables Tailspin, William Helis Ladys Ace, Continued on Page Three Faultless Looms Solid Choice to Whip Eight Foes Over Belmont Stakes Route Phalanx, Tide Rips Rated 4 Closest to Calumet Star; Six Seek National .Stallion Continued from Page One Belair Studs Hyblaze and Mrs. Robert L. Gerrys Young Peter. Phalanx has the dubious distinction of having been the beaten favorite in the Derby, Preakness and the Peter Pan Handicap, after he had won a division of the Wood Memorial with an impressive stretch run. The Whitney star still has a legion of somewhat battered but indefatigable followers who believe that the extended distance of the Belmont will enable him to run over his rivals in the final furlongs. Many of Phalanxs followers seem obsessed with the notion that the fact that Faultless is by Bull Lea makes it impossible for him to go a mile and a half, but the Calumet colt has always finished his races well and any doubts as to his stamina are purely theoretical. Considerable interest is added to this edition of the ancient Belmont, a race that antedates the Derby four years, by the presence of Tide Rips. Several experienced horsemen believe that this colt is the one to beat in the Belmont on the strength of his two easy victories at this meeting. Oddly enough, Tide Rips is owned, bred and trained to be a steeplechaser. Bayard Sharp has long been one of the pillars of the field sport, trainer William Passmore still rides frequently on the obstacle course and was astride a winner the same afternoon he saddled Tide Rips for his last victory, while the colt, himself, is a son of the only American-bred Aintree Grand National winner, Battleship, the long-winded but diminutive son of Man o War. Tide Rips has yet to cope with first class horses, but has drawn away at the end of his two mile and one-sixteenth triumphs in a fashion suggesting that he will at least be running just as fast as Phalanx at the end of the Belmont. Whether or not that will be fast enough to catch Faultless remains to be seen. Tailspin was the surprise winner of the Peter Pan Handicap, in which he led Bra-bancon and Phalanx under the wire in that order. Both of the two who lead the Whitney colt at the end of that mile and a furlong were receiving large chunks of weight, while all of tomorrows candidates must pick up an equal 126 pounds. Strongly ridden by Ted Atkinson, who is becoming a longshot specialist, Tailspin came through on the rail in that race and was pulling away at the end. Though he ran over beaten horses, Phalanx was not gaining appreciably on the leaders, while Brabancon seems destined to spend the major part of his career running second. He has occupied that spot five times this year while unable to win and has led many of the better colts under the wire, finishing second to Faultless in the Flamingo and Withers and not being disgraced on either occasion. Young Peter and Hiblaze raced poorly in the Peter Pan, though the first named would probably have been third before Phalanx with a little better racing luck. Ladys Ace was soundly beaten in the Laz-zarone Purse won by Tide Rips while Khy-ber Pass beat a fair field in slow time in his last start. Last year, this colt consistently outworked Phalanx but never seemed to learn what was expected of him in the afternoon. Ben F. Whitakers My Request looms a strong choice over Mrs. Elizabeth Grahams Royal Blood in the National Stallion. The situation was reversed in the Juvenile Stakes on May 17, when Royal Blood was the odds-on choice, but swerved badly in the running and was beaten two lengths by My Request. Since then Royal Blood has worked with blinkers and has Tun a little straighter. Trainer Tom Smith said that the colt is absolutely sound, but that he has been trying to cure habit of bearing toward the rail ever since he first breezed at Santa Anita. He will wear the hood tomrow, and it might spell the difference, for Royal Bloods speed is well known.
