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■ _____ — Loser Weeper and Nine Others Seek Valley Forge Handicap Winner of Metropolitan Has* Dart By, La ran, I risen and Barrage as Main Opponents GARDEN STATE PARK, Camden, N. J., May 20.— Lured from the Metropolitan area by the eighth running of the 5,000 added Valley Forge Handicap, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilts Loser Weeper heads a field of 10 middle-distance performers named for the one mile fixture. The Discovery colt carries only 110 pounds, but remains as the top weight in the field, the first 20 horses in the weight assignments having failed to accept the issue. Loser Weeper, impressive winner of last weeks Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park, will again be ridden by Hedley Wood-house and will match strides with the following three-year-olds and upward: Russell A. Firestones Barrage and Palatine Stables Hash Night, 109 pounds apiece: Mrs. O. L. Nybergs Irisen, 108; Glen Riddle Farms Faraway, 107; E. A. Nicodemus Laran, 106; Brookmeade Stables Dart By and James Cox Bradys Basis, each with 104 pounds; E. Barry Ryans Touch Control, 103, and G. C. Hunts Blue Holly 100 pounds. The Vanderbilt thoroughbreds have enjoyed their most successful season in recent years under the guidance of young Bill Winfrey and Loser Weeper seems certain to go to the post as the public choice. The four-year-old son of Discovery and Outdone has raced but twice this year, and his Metropolitan victory came on the heels of a clever sprint triumph. Trainer Preston Burch, who won the Valley Forge with Howe Stables Cassis in 1943 when it was run at the six furlongs distance, will endeavor to complete a double with Brookmeades Dart By. The Whirlaway gelding is by no means a weak representative, for his last two efforts have been very good. He raced the first mile in 1:36% while setting the pace for his victorious stablemate, Chains, in the rich Dixie Handicap, and followed it up with a local victory while, being timed in 1:44% for a mile and a sixteenth. Job Dean Jessop will handle Dart By tomorrow. Laran Unbeaten This Year Laran figures to attract a fair share of support for he is unbeaten to date this season, his most recent victory coming in the Baltimore Spring Handicap at Pimlico. That triumph was the third of the year for the Hairan gelding, and, like his preceding races, was at six furlongs. He seems nicely rigged at 106 pounds, but, in that Carson Kirk is scheduled to ride, he will be forced to pick up considerable overweight. Another New York invader is Barrage, a four-year-old Blenheim n. colt. Barrage has won two overnight handicaps in New York this season, but as yet, has not been prominent in stakes events. He is without a rider overnight. Faraway, who will represent Samuel D. Riddle, is a rather erratic sort, but is a definite threat on a top performance. The War Relic gelding was unplaced in last weeks Camden Handicap, but prior to that was victorious in a well run six furlongs, timed in 1:10%. His final "blowout" of :47% for a half-mile would indicate that he retains peak form. Lone mare in the overnight field is Irisen, a frequent winner who has stakes victories to her credit. The daughter of Sweep Like was second to Ocean Brief in last Saturdays Camden and prior to that won five races during the season. Usually confined to sprint distances, she has demonstrated on occasions that she can carry her speed for a mile or more. Touch Contral, Basis, Hash Night and Blue Holly would appear to rate as named. Touch Control won his only start this season and, during the past week, worked a mile in 1:39%. Basis was an eight-length winner last out in New York but ascends-the class scale considerably. Hash Night is from the successful Palatine Stable and rates a "look-in," while Blue Holly appears overmatched. After the entries for the race had been drawn a torrential downpour hit the area, with the result that the racing surface greatly resembled the infield lake. Just what effect the conditions will have on the final outcome of the Valley Forge remains to be seen, but it is certain to cause considerable alterations in the figures.
