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Expect Papa Red bird and Star Reward To Meet in Grosse Pointe Next Week Plumper, Piet and Crack * Reward Also Eligible to Wednesdays Detroit Race PAIR GROUNDS, Detroit, Mich., May 26. — The ,500 Grosse Pointe Handicap, which is to be decided here next Wednesday afternoon, attracted much, attention from Motor City turf patrons when nominations for the six-furlong stake revealed that Joseph A. Goodwins homebred colt, Papa Redbird, and Charles T. Fishers Crack homebred, Star Reward, had been made eligible for the sprint. Track conditions last Monday caused the withdrawal of Star Reward from the Oakwood .Purse, won by Papa Redbird, and the meeting of the two stars in the Grosse Pointe probably will develop into a sharp contest. Papa Redbird, quick four-year-old son of Balladier and Taj Bibi, has a large following in the Motor City but Star Reward also has a legion of staunch supporters and the midweek headliner probably will draw a sizable crowd. Papa Redbird, winner of the 1948 renewal of the Arlington Classic and Dick Welles Stakes, beat Shy Guy in both those important events and he gave a game and impressive performance here inaugural day when he accounted for the 0,000 Curtain Up Handicap. Willard Cook has been assigned the mount on Papa Redbird for the Grosse Pointe. Brought along carefully by trainer Johnny Zoeller since his arrival from Lexington, Ky., Papa Redbird has retained peak form and his victory in the Oakwood was a handy one. The Goodwin colt assumed command soon after the start and he was not under severe pressure at any stage of his journey over the slow footing, beating Mrs. E. E. Dale Shaffers Miss Mommy and Hal Price Headleys Plumper. Plumper is a nominee for the Grosse Pointe along with Theodore D. Buhls Crack Reward, who finished sixth and last in the Oakwood. Star Reward ran a close third to Papa Redbird and Porters Broom under equal weight of-120 pounds with the victor in the Curtain Up and before his transfer to the Fair Grounds the Dixiana horse ran third to his stablemate, Shy Guy, and Headley stables Pellicle in the Ben Ali Handicap. Jockey Robert Lee Baird, contract rider for the locally owned Fisher establishment, is to ride Star Reward in the midweek headliner. Plumper turned in a sharp effort against Papa Redbird and Miss Mommy in the Oakwood, his first engagement of the local meeting, dead-heating with Childeric for the show award in that dash. Plumper, however, cannot be lightly regarded in the Grosse Pointe if he races back to his Kentucky form. During the Keeneland spring meeting Plumper set a new six and one-half furlongs track record in the Walmac Handicap when he defeated Johns Joy, Bewitch, Shy Guy, Roi Rouge, Phar Mon and other thoroughbreds of that class. Peter A Markeys Piet is another quick colt eligible for the Wednesday fixture. Piet, a son of Grand Slam and Valdina Lark, ran fourth in the Curtain Up Handicap and he was recently shipped to New York but may be returned to the Motor City to fill several stakes engagements. Winner of the 1947 running of the rich Arlington Futurity, Piet has repeatedly stamped himself as a top colt during a colorful career. Others named for the Grosse Pointe are Bernard J. Bax King Bay, Buhl stables Crack Reward, and John Kinards Eternal Bomb. In the meantime at the Fair Grounds, patrons and turfmen are looking forward to the running of the 5,000 Frontier Stakes on Saturday and the renewal of the 5,000 Col. F. M. Alger Memorial Handicap, which is to headline Mondays holiday program. The Frontier has drawn the nominations of such useful three-year-olds as Johns Joy, Sequence, Our Request, Arise, Summond and Stole, while the Alger probable starting band is expected to bring out Shy Guy, Seven League, Pellicle, Sir Sprite, and possibly some invaders from Chicago and New York.
