Jumbo Outruns Battlefield in Swift; Bernwood Speeds to Downs Victory: Nears Rosebens Belmont Record, Daily Racing Form, 1951-05-17

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Jumbo Jumbo Outruns Outruns Battlefield Battlefield in in Swift; Swift; Bernwood Bernwood Speeds Speeds to to Downs Downs Victory Victory Nears Rosebens Belmont Record Headleys Homebred Son of Menow Has Over Length to Spare on Odds-On Favorite By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y„ May 16. — Hal Price Headleys Jumbo scored on upset as he led all the way in the fiftieth running of the Swift Stakes today, reaching the end of the seven furlongs a little more than a length before George D. Wideners Battlefield, despite bearing out in the stretch, a maneuver that had cost him victory in Experimental Handicap No. 2 and the first division of the Blue Grass Stakes. It was another five and a half lengths back to Brookfield Farms Iliad, while Phantom Farms Nullify was three and a half lengths out of the money. Eric Guerin guided the big son of Menow for the first time. Jumbo paid 4.60 as he scored his first victory of the year on the fifth attempt. The time was a brilliant 1:22%, just the fractions slower than the track mark set by the mighty Roseben back in 1906. The time for the six furlongs was 1:09%, two-fifths faster than the record for that distance shared by Nusakan, Roman and Ellis. Jumbo, who won two of his six starts last year, added ,025 to his modest earnings, giving him a total of 2,250. It was the first stakes victory for the homebred son of Menow— Scylla, by Sir Gallahad HJ. Last year, he finished third in the Arlington Futurity and fourth in the Breeders Futurity, his only stakes engagements as a juvenile. Runs Excellent Race in Defeat The crowd of 20,972 made Battlefield an odds-on choice and the colt ran an excellent race in defeat. After the race, Arcaro said that last years juvenile champion had tired at the end and added, "the race should help him." It was Battlefields second start of the year. He had finished second to Uncle Miltie in an overnight race at Jamaica in April. Most important, perhaps, in the view of Battlefields admirer was the fact that he showed no sign of sulking, digging in willingly all through the stretch. Eric Guerin said of Jumbo, "I knew that we were getting late, but I was afraid to hit him for fear that he would drift out farther." Owner-breeder Headley said that Jumbo would not be sent to Pimlico for the Preakness. The field got away to a good start in the Swift, but Jumbo quickly opened up on Continued on Page Five Jumbo Outruns Battlefield In Belmonts Swift Stakes Continued from Page One his rivals, while Nullify was squeezed back a stride or two after the break. In the run down the far side, Jumbo lead Liberty Rab and Iliad by a couple of lengths, while Battlefield was daylight farther back, closely followed by General Staff, Jet Fleet, Nullify, Fanelis Alley and Platoon, the latter trio being closely bunched. The order of the leaders didnt change j until they had rounded the far turn, where I Battlefield started to move up on the rail. A few strides farther on, Liberty Rab headed Iliad briefly, then dropped back out of contention. Battlefield slipped through on the rail with a strong run until he had only Jumpo in front of him. For an instant it seemed that Arcaro was going to try to send the .«3 up on the ouiode of Jumbo, but he took hold as they rounded the final corner. Then, as Jumbo did the expected and began to drift out, Battlefield was steered to the inside. Though continuing to bear out in the long stretch, Jumbo stayed in high gear and Battlrv"-VM **-°s !»»•«■• *•« +i gain, though giving his best under the whip. Their final struggle drew the leaders far away from the rest of the field. Ilaid, though losing ground in the final furlong and obviously exhausted, had no trouble saving third money from Nullify, who finished strongely. General Staff was a distant fifth, followed by a leg-weary Liberty Rab. Fanelis Alley, Jet Fleet and Platoon, who completed the field, were never in contention Jumbo and Battlefield will probably meet again, under the same conditions, in the Withers Mile here a week from Saturday.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1951051701/drf1951051701_1_4
Local Identifier: drf1951051701_1_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800