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Nine Oppose Battlefield at Belmont Widener Colt Looms Strong Choice in Garden City Purse Has Northern Star, Nullify, 4 Lord Putnam and Away Away To Beat in Sprint Offering BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 21. — The ,000 Hampden Handicap is the nominal feature of tomorrows Belmont Park program, but it is overshadowed by the Garden City Purse, which carries ,000 less in prize money, but has* drawn the entries of such sophomore stars as George D. Wideners Battlefield, Phantom Farms Nullify, Woodvale Farms Away Away, Walter A. Edgars Jack the Great, Green-tree Stables Northern Star and Putnam Stables Lord Putnam, among others in the field of 10. * . • The Garden City is a six-furlong dash and under the allowance conditions. Battlefield, Lord Putnam and Northern Star must carry 126 pounds because of stake victories achieved last year. Joseph Tuccis Bob Considine would also carry 126, but will get in with five pounds less and apprentice Jack Colaneri. Jack the Great and Away Away carry 117. Larry Mac-Phails General Staff and Hal Price Head-leys Recline have 113 each. Nullify will carry 112 with the apprentice allowance for Sidney Cole, while his stablemate, Father Tiber, gets in with 108, -with the same apprentice named overnight. Second in Both Starts This Year Battlefield has been second in his only two starts this year. Early in April, he was soundly beaten by Uncle Miltie in, an exceptionally fast race that was the undoing of the winner and Nullify finished third. Bert Mullholland took the 1950 juvenile champion back to Erdenheim Farm after that race and he didnt appear again until last Wednesdays Swift Stakes. In that seven furlongs, Battlefield finished second to Jumbo in an impressive effort. It was the fastest edition of the Swift since the stake was inaugurated at Sheepshead Bay in 1885 and the fact that Belmont Park is faster this year than at any time in its history, detracts only slightly from the performance of the two leaders, who drew far away from their rivals in the stretch. Northern Star and Lord Putnam have shown little thus far this year. Each has started three times and has yet to finish in the money. Nullify, who is perfectly placed in the weights to gain his second set of brackets of the year, finished fourth in the Swift, passing beaten horses at the end. His only other victory this year was in an overnight race at Jamaica in which he beat Platoon, which is hardly an outstanding feat. The son of Revoked finishes most of his races well, but not well enough, a habit he has carried over from 1950 when he finished in the money in seven or eight stakes, but was able to win only one, and that when Win or Lose was disqualified more than 24 hours after the race for carrying insufficient weight. Jack the Great is an invader from Maryland, who won two races, then finished third in his most recent start. Bob Considine has not started since the Flamingo at Hialeah, in which he finished seventh. General Staff has showed little since the Laurel meeting, while Recline and Father Tiber appear outclassed. Away Away has a trace of class, won the Babylon Handicap at Aqueduct last year and an overnight event in which Recline was fourth here last week. Those were the only victories of his career. The son of Whirlaway is a stretch runner who appears to want more than tomorrows six furlongs, to show to best advantage. All of the Garden City candidates, with the exception of Recline, are eligible to Saturdays 5,000 Withers Mile. No rider has been named for Battlefield, though Eddie Arcaro has been engaged to ride him in all of his races this year. It may be that Arcaros statement after the Preakness to the effect that Bold was much the best of the current sophomores may have altered that situation. G. H. "Pete" Bostwicks Stunts heads the Hampden Handicap, a classified event at a flat mile, with a moderate 122 pounds. The veteran son of Hypnotist n. will probably be favored, having won his only start at Jamaica In impressive style. Stunts chief rivals tomorrow appear to be Marise Farms Uncle Edgar, 119, winner of his last start here at seven furlongs; Elm Crest Farms Navy Chief, 115, who had a rough trip in the Toboggan Handicap for his first start since the Widener at Hialeah and Hudson Valley Stables consistent Mucho Mas, 113. Nine have been named for this event and Deep Blue, Lone Eagle and Admiral Drake also deserve some consideration.
