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Happy Happy Issue Issue Returns Returns to to Best Best Form; Form; Five Five Acceptances Acceptances in in Grosse Grosse Pointe Pointe Siar Reward Tops Stake at Detroit Dixiana Campaigner Carries 122 as He Meets Plumper, King Bay and Eternal Bomb FAIR GROUNDS, Detroit, Mich., May 31. — Charles T. Fishers Dixiana-bred Star Reward, fleet five-year-old son of Reaping Reward and Far Star, heads a small but fast field for the ,500 Grosse Pointe Handicap, which is to headline tomorrows mid-week program at this racing ground. When Joseph A. Goodwins Papa Redbird, the original topweight for tomrrows feature was withdrawn, Star Reward inherited the post of honor and the Fisher color-bearer will parade postward under 122 pounds. After Papa Redbird, who was soundly beaten yesterday in the Alger Memorial, and Peter A. Markeys Piet, presently campaigning in the East, were not named through the overnight entry box for the Grosse Pointe, the likely starting band was cut to five top class sprinters. Star Reward is to meet Hal Price Headleys homebred Plumper, 114; Bernard J. Baxs King Bay, 104; John A. Kinards Eternal Bomb, 103, and Theodore D. Buhls Crack Reward, who is the lightweight for the sprint and assigned 101 pounds. Star Reward, an outstanding performer during his 1948 campaign, amassed earnings of 4,075, annexing major honors in the Shreveport Handicap, New Orleans Handicap, Clark Handicap and the Sheridan Handicap, In the latter event, decided at Washington Park on last August 7, Star Reward won handily and ran the mile distance in 1:35%. Third in Opening Feature Beginning his five-year-old season at Detroit on inaugural day, Star Reward finished third in the six-furlong Curtain Up Handicap behind Papa Redbird and Porters Broom while shouldering 120 pounds. The Fisher horse had not been out since he ran third behind Shy Guy in the Keeneland Special last October when he accepted his engagement in the Curtain Up and he gave an excellent performance, Plumper, a six-year-old gelded son of Menow and Volette, is a dangerous con- Continued on Page Three Detroits Grosse Pointe Draws Five-Horse Field Star Reward Concedes Weight To Plumper and Other Rivals Continued from Page One tender for the Grosse Pointe ani probably will have a legion of backers for the dash. The Headley gelding started in the Oak-wood Purse at the Fair Grounds on May 23 and was third behind Papa Redbird and Miss Mommy at the end of the si" furlongs, which was contested over a slow track in 1:14. Before his shipment from Garden State, Plumper visited the winners ring at Keeneland on two occasions, beating a fair field in an overnight handicap and scoring impressively in the six and one-half furlongs Walmac Handicap. Plumper stamped himself as a quality thoroughbred when he accounted for the Walmac in which he established a new track record and beat an outstanding field. At the wire in the Walmac, Plumper was a head before Johns Joy, who was a like margin in advance of Bewitch while Dixianas great colt, Shy Guy, was a distant fourth. King Bay, a five-year-old well made son of King Cole and Tacky Sue, was a stakes winner in 1947 but raced disappointingly last season. Brought along slowly this spring by trainer Elzy Brown, the Bax horse seems to have hit his best stride again and he won his last outing at Churchill Downs, stepping six furlongs over a muddy course to beat Tidy Sum, Countess In and Best Prospect. Lightly weighted, the Kentucky invader may prove a keen factor in the Grosse Pointe. Eternal Bomb, a winner of his last two local outings, is to be ridden tomorrow by Harry Hart and the gray Kinard colt is presently in top shape. Although the victories achieved here were over less formidable opposition than what he will encounter in the Grosse Pointe, Eternal Bomb has an outside chance to down some of his better regarded rivals. " Crack Reward visited the winners circle last year after capturing three of his 18 engagements, but in three starts during the current season, the Buhl horse has been unplaced. Crack Reward displayed early speed in the recently decided Oakwood purse but failed to stay and ran sixth, soundly beaten.
