view raw text
Fourteen Metropolitan Acceptances Piet and Ferd Each Carry 123 Pounds Cochise, Three Rings and Lights Up Bracketed at 122 For Belmont Mile Fixture By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N.Y„ May 18.— Fourten of the better handicap horses have been entered overnight for the fifty-eighth running of the Metropolitan Mile tomorow. This 0,000 fixture has been one of the most popular of the handicaps disputed on Long Island since Sysonby and Race King dead-heated in it on the opening day at Belmont Park in 1905. The stake was inaugurated at Morris Park in 1901 with Tristan the winner, and such memorable horses as Voter, Ethelbert, Ban-astar and Irish Lad won. the Metropolitan in its original setting. Here at Belmont, the sensational inaugural was followed by the triumphs of such equine immortals as King James, Whisk Broom H., Stromboli, The Finn, Mad Hatter, Grey Lag, Sting, Sara-zen, Jack High, Questionnaire, Equipoise, and more recently, Eight Thirty, Devil Diver three straight, Gallorette and Stymie. Last years Metropolitan went to Brookmeade Stables Greek Ship, who was assigned topweight this season, but will be an absentee. The Heliopolis colt worked a mile and a furlong this morning, suggesting that he is being reserved for longer races. Big Five in Race Tomorrows field is headed by Peter A. Markeys Piet and Mrs. Andy Schuttingers Ferd, with 123 pounds each. They are followed in the weights by Brandywine Staples Cochise, Mrs. Evelyn L. Hopkins Three Rings and George D. Wideners Lights Up. with" 122 each. On paper, the winner appears to be one of this quintet, but this is a handicap and there are plenty of potential surprises in the field. Weighted just below the "big five" are Greentree Stables One Hitter, 119; Tom Grays Oil Capitol and C. V. Whitneys Mount Marcy, 117 each, and James Cox Brays Casemate, 115. The lightweights in the field are Woolford Farms Delegate, 110; Hal Price Headleys Lithe, 107; Harry LaMontagnes Steel Blue, King Ranchs On the Mark and Joe W. Browns Thelma Ber-ger with 104 pounds apiece. Piet comes from victories in the Apache and Jamaica Handicaps for his only starts this year. The hard-hitting son of Grand Slam finished second to Greek Ship in last years Metropolitan after having a little trouble in the stretch and won four stakes, including the. Whitney at a mile and a quarter. No rider has been named as yet, but he needs a left-handed whipper which makes Jimmy Nichols eligible. Injured Jaw in Toboggan Ferd injured his jaw on the starting gate in the Toboggan on Monday, which accounts for his poor race in that dash. In his previous start he had set a track record for a mile and a sixteenth at Garden State Park. Basil James is slated to ride. Cochise tired badly at the end of the mile and three-sixteenths of the Gallant Fox at Jamaica last Saturday. Tomorrows distance is much more to the liking of the gray veteran, who won the Grey Lag in his previous start. Ovie Scurlock will ride Cochise tomorrow. Three Rings was scratched from the Gallant Fox because the track was moist. He will be scratched again tomorrow if the threatened weather materializes. In his previous start at Jamaica, he finished no better than fourth in an allowance race. Arnold Kirkland is slated to ride the front-running Blue Larkspur geldings Lights Up, who won the Peter Pan Handicap here last year and finished second to Middlegrouhd in the Belmont Stakes, won an allowance race at the first asking at Jamaica a couple of weeks ago. The Wide-ner colt will have the services of Eric Guerin, who is riding in his best form. One Hitter, who rose to fame last year by twice beating Noor, will be making his .seasonal debut. "Junior," as he is known Continued on Page Eight Piet and Ferd Head List Of Entries for Metropolitan • Continued from Page Three around the Greentree barn, has been training well, but the undersize son of Shut Out is at his best in small fields, being easily crowded out of contention. Warren Mehrtens has been assigned the. mount. Oil Capitol came in from Kentucky for this race, The son of Mahmoud recently returned to action in an allowance race at Churchill Downs and finished third, beaten less than a length for all the money by a stablemate, Inseparable. Oil Capitols best race last year was a victory in the Equipoise Mile at Arlington Park. The veteran Nick Wall will be in the saddle. Casemate comes from a bang-up race in the Toboggan, in which he finished third behind Hyphasis and Tea-Maker, beaten a length and a nose. The son of Case Ace raced in the slower going on the inside rail all the way in that dash on the straight course and finished strongly, but this will be the first time that he is asked to go as far as a mile. Dave Gorman will ride. Mount Marcys last race was a dull effort in the Ben Ali Handicap in Kentucky. On his best form, the Mahmoud stallion would have a royal chance. Nichols Combest is to ride. Delegate appears the best placed of all in this field in the weights on his good form and his last race, a fourth in the Toboggan, was spod. However, the veteran has been showing signs of wear and tear and occasionally does a "Coolidge." Bill Boland has been named overnight for both Delegate and On the Mark. He will have to ride the latter if he starts.
