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Pimlico Opens Short Meeting Today Spencer Steeplechase Initial* ► Feature of Eight-Day Session Fleettown Has 148-Pound ■ Impost; McKinney Sending Out Three-Horse Entry PIMLICO, Baltimore, Md., May 5.— The Maryland Jockey Clubs abbreviated eight-day spring meeting gets under way at this historic Pimlico race course tomorrow with an attractive program featuring steeple- chase thoroughbreds in the 37th running of the 0,000 added Jervis Spencer Handi- cap. The event, which is at the two miles distances and over 15 jumps, has attracted 11 top members of the division. Highweight in the Spencer field is Brookmeade Stables Fleettown, who has 148 pounds as his package. Others named overnight are Graham Grants Luan Casca, 146; Mrs. Corliss Sullivans three-ply entry of The Heir, 146, Drift, 140, and Allier, 137; another three-horse entry of Mrs. Cort-right Wetherills Adaptable, 146, and C. Mahlon Klines Last Rock, 141, and Half Hour, 134; Rokeby Stables Genancoke, 144; Bayard Sharps Lieut. Well, 142, and Auburn Farms Homogenize, 139 pounds. Genancoke, stablemate of last years steeplechase champion, American Way, likely will come up the public choice in what shapes up as an extremely wide open affair. The seven-year-old gray son of Gino won the Battleship over this course last season, which was largely responsible for his garnering 8,250 in purses. Genancoke will be ridden by the capable Tommy Field, who, it is reported, handled Jack Skinners charge in a recent Middleburg, Va., triumph. Former steeplechase rider Rigan McKinney will send forth a strong trio in The Heir, Drift and Allier. The Heir was the most proficient of the trio last season, winning five of 16 races and earning close to 0,000. His stakes victories were in the Charles L. Appleton, Broad Hollow, Lion Heart and Beverwyck Handicaps. Drift was a double stakes winner during 1948, taking the Belmont Spring Maiden and the Butler Cap. Allier is definitely the weaker member of the trio. After Consecutive Triple in Stake Lieut. Well was able to win only one race in six attempts last year, but that came in his first race of the season, which was in the Spencer. He will be striving for a consecutive triple in the race, having won it in both 47 and 48. The highweight of the Spencer field, Fleettown, won 2,475 during his 1948 campaign, but gave evidence that he prefers the Belmont Park course, for his only two victories were at that point. He won the International and Corinthian Handicaps over the course. Luan Casca is a nine -year-old imported horse, of whom little is known in this country. Reports have it that he schooled exceptionally well over the local course, but it would be hard to expect victory at the first asking. Importations down through the years have usually needed a race or two over our courses to show to best advantage. The entry of Adaptable, Last Rock and Half Hour could offer serious contention, with the leppers shaping up as named. Adaptable is, by far, the better of the three, as his 48 earnings of 2,370 will attest. His stakes victories during that campaign came in the Meadowbrook, Manley and Noel Handicaps, and in each of his races he showed a desire for more than the two-mile distance. Homogenize was somewhat of a surprise development last season, winning five races in 13 attempts and garnering in the neighborhood of 0,000 in purse money. He, too, was a stakes winner, taking major money in the Governor Ogle Handicap. j i I ■ j , | j | I
