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Wolverine Wolverine Engages Engages Field Field of of Seven; Seven; Whirling Whirling Dough Dough Wins Wins With With Ease Ease Sir Sprite Carries 124 in Turf Stake Michigan Mile Winner Has Frere Jacques, Pellicle to Beat at Mile and Sixteenth FAIR GROUNDS, Detroit, Mich., June 14. — The ,500 Wolverine Handicap, second of a series of important turf course events, which will be climaxed later in the Michigan Racing Association season by the 0,000 Belle Isle Handicap, is to feature tomorrows program at this Woodward Avenue racing grounds. Connections for seven of the original group of 11 nominees to the one mile and one-sixteenth Wolverine, named their charges to contest the grass track stake and the race undoubtedly will provide excellent sport. Sir Sprite, O. Frank Woodwards homebred son of Ariel and Southern Beauty, drew the top weight burden of 124 pounds for the Wolverine on the strength of his recent victory in the Michigan Mile. Jacob Shers Frere Jacques has been assigned 120 pounds for the mid-week headliner while Hal Price Headleys homebred Pellicle is next in the estimation of Handicapper Charles J. McLennan and the fast -son of Sir Damion is to answer the bugle tomorrow under 118 pounds. Completing the Wolverine band are: Estate of C. S. Pop-ovitz Love Sonnet, 112, pounds; Henry Forrests First Digree, 105; P. R. and H. L. Hintons Boy-Plin, 104, and S. I. Crews Castel Beau, assigned 103 pounds. Hart Assigned Mount Sir Sprite, who is to have the saddle services of his regular rider, Harry Hart in the Wolverine, is one of the early choices for the stake and he is well remembered by local fans for the sparkling record he compiled last year. The Woodward horse accounted for the 1948 renewals of the Col. Alger Memorial, the Motor City, and Independence Day Handicap and he visited the local winners ring on two occasions during his current campaign. Sir Sprite turned back a quick band of sprinters May 18 in the Noquette Purse and then earned major honors in the initial turf course fixture of the local meeting, the Michigan Mile. Pellicle, second to Sir Sprite in the aforementioned grass track stake, is to be ridden tomorrow by dimunitive Jerry West and the Headley star is expected to offer Sir Sprite some sturdy opposition. Victor in the 1947 running of Arlington Parks Grassland Handicap, Pellicle is quite at home on the grass footing and he was beaten but a length and one-half by Sir Sprite in the Michigan Mile after leading that field until well inside the stretch. Frere Jacques, third in the Michigan Mile, and defeated by a three-length mar- Continued on Page Two Sir Sprite Heads Wolverine Field Michigan MileWinnerTakes Up 124 Pounds While Facing Frere Jacques and Pellicle Continued from Page One gin, was at one time considered the best turf course performer in the country and the Sher gelding won the Grassland Handicap in 1946, beating Equifox and Stonette. On last February 2 at Hialeah, Frere Jacques displayed excellent form in the one mile and three-sixteenths Baugainvillea Handicap over the turf and beat Anecdote and Friar Tuck.. First Degree, one of the better-rated members of the Forrest Stable, won six of his 20 engagements last year, but was beaten in his only two starts this year. In his last victorious trip, the gelded son of Third Degree beat a fair field at Churchill Downs in November but -his recent morn- -ing trials indicate that he is reaching his best form and he is considered a dangerous contender at the Wolverine weights. Jockey Lois C. Cook will guide First Degree tomorrow. Ran Second to Shy Guy While Love Sonnet has failed to show his best over the turf, he, nevertheless, will have a legion of backers for the Wolverine. Beaten off in the Michigan Mile, Love Sonnet then came back with an unusually sharp performance to finish second to Dix-ianas fleet Shy Guy in the nine-furlong Alger Memorial, bowing to the Fisher homebred by a four and one-half lengths margin.* Following Love Sonnet to the wire in the Alger were such useful thoroughbreds as Turbine, Pellicle, Papa Redbird, Sir Sprite, Childeric and Air Sailor. Trainer Douglas Sekicky announced this morning that jockey Willard Cook will have the mount on Love Sonnet. Castel Beau hasnt raced to expectations thus far this year but the Crew gelding was good enough to beat Hash Night, Cosmic Missile, and Challe Anne last autumn at Keeneland. Trainer Stanley "Buck" Hazzard has second call on the services of Willard Cook for tomorrows stake. Boy-Plin, like Castel Beau, is an outsider in the Wolverine field and he would have to improve tremendously to get a share in the spoils. Lightly campaigned during the past two seasons, the Hinton horse, has failed to reach the winners circle.
