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t — Eight-Horse Field In Crete Handicap Johns Joy Topweight and Likely Favorite Under 121 In Lincolns First Stake By J. J. MURPHY Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON PARK, Homewood, 111., May 18. — Eight of the 23 horses nominated will do battle in the Crete Handicap, first stake event of the Illinois season which will be the headline piece at Washington Park on the first Saturday of the Lincoln Fields meeting. The field, although somewhat smaller than had been expected, is a top-notch one, every racer entered having some semblance of a claim to fame. Topping the list is the highweight, Johns Joy, scheduled to carry 121 pounds. Then in order of allotted poundage come Roman Bath, 119; Ballydam, 116; Sabaean, 115; Circus Clown, 113; Sun David, 112; Enforcer, 110, and Prop, 107. The purse will be 0,000 added and the distance six furlongs. Johns Joy comes from Churchill Downs, where two starts ago he established a seven-furlong track record at that course in running the distance in 1:22%. Coming off that race he tangled with the Calumet Farms good mare Wistful at the mile and a sixteenth route and she defeated him by a head, but the son of Bull Dog still finished in advance of such as Shy Guy and Mr. Trouble. Johns Joy races in the silks of John Kinard, Arkansas rice planter, and will be ridden by Job Dean Jessop. The horse has earned over 7,000 this season in purse money, which is more than he took down for the entire year of 1950. Weight Shift in Roman Baths Favor Roman Bath, beaten a head by Johns Joy in the latters record shattering Kentucky jaunt, has a switch of two pounds in his favor from that race, which was his last outing and, incidentally, his first start of the year. The colt, who won four of his 16 starts last season, is owned by Hasty House Farm, of which Harry Trotsek is the trainer. Trotsek is expected to be in New York to saddle Oil Capitol in the Metropolitan, but has appointed a capable assistant .to replace him. Kenny Church is in from Kentucky to steer the son of Roman. Ballydam is an Irish importation who started once at Sportsmans Park and was a galloping winner. It was his first start of the year. Last season the imported colt won five out of 12 and earned about 6,000 while campaigning in New England. Mrs. Continued on Page Fifty-One Field of Eight Named For Renewal of Crete Johns Joy Meets Roman Bath, Sabaean in First Lincoln Stake Continued from Page One Hattie Toff el is the owner and Bob Cramer, the trainer. Sabaean was somewhat of a sensation in southern racing circles during the past winter. He started for the first time in mid-February and won five straight purses before meeting defeat. In his only start at this meeting Sabaean went to the outside fence on the stretch turn when leading by a good margin. He may race sans whip in the Crete. Sabaean is owned by Valley View Farm. Circus Clown, who failed to win in three starts last year, is the comeback horse of the contest. Trainer Tommy Root has the W. J. Walden gelding in good shape again, and the son of Tiger has won four races and over 5,000 in purse money since the first of the year. He, too, took part in the Johns Joy-Roman Bath race at -Churchill and was beaten a trifle over five lengths. Circus Clown boasts victories at Tropical Park, Hialeah, and Gulfstream Park during the winter. He will be ridden by that excellent rater of front runners, Johnny Adams. Sun David, disqualified after finishing first in last years Peabody Memorial, will be making his first start of the year, and Doug Dodson, one of the nations better reinsmen, will be in to do the saddle work. The Illinois-bred Enforcer will likewise be making his seasonal debut, while Prop has been successful only once in his 11 starts since February 22. Tony Skoronski will ride Enforcer. Enforcer is the only horse entered to have finished in the money in the 23 runnings of the Crete. He was second to Delegate two years ago. Lextown, last years winner, was nominated but his name was not submitted through the entry box. The time record for the Crete is held by Pansy Walker, who ran the distance in 1:11 as a three-year-old back in 1930. Delegate came within one-fifth second of the mark. Sabaean, the "run but" horse, has drawn the unfavorable outside post position, with Enforcer in the inner slot. Warm weather has been predicted for Saturday, some of the prophets predicting that the thermometer may reach 90. Aside from the Crete Handicap, the Saturday program includes the first race of the season over the turf course and the Martie Plynn Purse for three-year-olds. The latter will mark the first start here this season of Denemark Stables speedy Mais Boy and the Red Top Stables Stop Gap. The latter served as pacemaker in the Arkansas Derby, which was won by Ruhe. Mais Boy equaled the five furlongs worlds record at the Lincoln Fields meeting last year. Nine races have been carded for Saturdays program, with the first race scheduled for 2:00 p. m.
