view raw text
Rippey Seeking Second Straight Toboggan Win Gives Eleven Rivals Weight in Opening Stake of Belmont Meet BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I.. N. Y., May 5. — The Westchester Racing Association begins its parade of champions tomorrow when the historic wrought-iron gates are thrown open for the 32-day spring meeting at Belmont Park. Twenty - one stakes totaling 02,500 in added money will be offered during the annual spring meeting, with leaders in all divisions having appointments with destiny in the traditional fixtures. The 0,000 Toboggan Handicap at six furlongs on the Widener straightaway will bring together a dozen crack sprinters in the opening-day feature. This will be followed by two more stakes, the 0,000 Fashion for juvenile fillies and the 5,000 Swift for three-rear-olds on Saturday. After that the sound and fury grows in significance as the Acorn, Metropolitan Mile, Withers Mile, National Stallion, Coaching Club American Oaks and Suburban Handicap are presented in swift succession, reaching a crescendo with the renewal of the 5,000 Belmont Stakes on June 11. Devotees of the steeplechasing will be pampered to the extent of six stakes to be run through the field during the meeting, beginning with the ,500 International Handicap next Thursday. William Helis Rippey, winner of the Paumonok on opening day at Jamaica, heads Belmonts inaugural feature with Continued on Page Three Rippey Seeking Second Straight Toboggan Win Gives Eleven Rivals Weight in Opening Stake of Belmont Meet Continued from Page One 129 pounds and will undoubtedly be favored. The son of Pompey won the Toboggan last year under the same impost in 1:09%, equaling Equipoises feat of 1932. Hhe went a handy half in :49 on the main track this morning, which was all he needed to keep him on edge. The opposition, in order of weights, is composed of Mose Rauzins Buzfuz, with the same 121 he carried successfully in this race in 1947 and finished third with last year; Isidore Biebers Up Beat, 120; Greentree Stables Blue Border, 117; Mrs. Esther duPont Weirs Royal Governor, 114; Hal Price Headleys Pinebloom, 112; Gustave Rings Kitchen Police, 110; Mrs. F. A. Clarks Tea-Maker, also 110; John Barry Ryan, Jr.s Pipette, 108; Mrs. Rea Warners King Rhymer, 105, Rings Rare Jewel and Joe W. Browns Riverlane, 103 each. Up Beat comes from three straight victories at Jamaica and is in the best form of his career. Blue Border raced well in Florida but showed little at Jamaica. He has been training well and has demonstrated speed at times. Royal Governor comes up from Maryland for this race and has races to his credit that give him some sort of chance. Pipette has shown excellent form in recent races and displayed a liking for the straight course when finishing a close second to Rippey in the Fall Highweight in 1947. She may be the "dark horse" of the dash. Racing secretary John B. Campbell has arranged a supporting card studded with potential stakes horses. The Nimba Purse at seven furlongs, that follows the Toboggan as the seventh race, has attracted 10 three-year-old fillies, headed by Foxcatcher Farms Gaffery, winner of the Schuyler -ville, Selima and Santa Margarita Stakes. She will be opposed by such potential Oaks fillies as Tassel, Cheesecloth, Boomdeay and Lithe. The latter won the Demoiselle Stakes for Hal Price Headley last year and comes from Keeneland bearing excellent credentials. Followers of the field sport will be regaled with the Stonewood Purse, in which 11 maiden jumpers meet over the hurdle course. The customary mad scramble of two-year-olds down the Widener Course will be the fourth event, and this test has attracted a score of maiden fillies. Incidentally, the Widener Course races are best seen from the roof and this year some 1,200 additional seats have been provided atop the grandstand, with pari-mutuel facilities, eliminating the necessity of the long climb down to the mezzanine.
