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► ■ Pontius Pilate Is Appleton Favorite Clark Fencer Getting Eight Pounds From Oedipus Who He Defeated in International BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. X, N. Y., May 23. — F. Ambrose Clarks Pontius Pilate looms a solid favorite to continue his winning ways in the featured Charles L. Appleton Memorial Steeplechase here tomorrow. The Pilate gelding gets in this ,500 stake with a moderate 145 pounds, receiving eight from Mrs. Ogden Phipps Oedipus, who is top-weight with 153. Last week, Pontius Pilate decisively defeated Oedipus in the International Steeplechase Handicap, receiving only two pounds. Elwood Carter, who appears to be the best of the younger crop of chase riders, will be astride Pontius Pilate, . while the veteran Jim Smiley will again ride Oedipus. In the latters behalf, it should be recalled that Oedipus was off about 10 lengths behind Pontius Pilate at the start of the International, then rushed to the lead. Had he broken with the leaders, it is sure that he would have opened a lead with vastly less effort and possible that he would have had enough left to stave off Pontius Pilates closing rush. The two five-year-olds will be opposed by Rokeby Stables Genancoke, 146; Lazy F Ranchs Extra Points, 137; Happy Hill Farms Marcheast, 130, and Justin Funk-housers Spleen, with the same light impost. Speed Horses in Line-Up Oedipus task is not made any easier by the fact that Genancoke and Marcheast are also speed horses capable of carrying him along at a rapid pace. It is doubtful if Oedipus can be rated effectively Genancoke will be making his local debut, but was an easy winner in Maryland on May 7, then tired badly in the role of favorite in a race won by Lone Fisherman, With Extra Points third. Marcheast is a winner at this meeting at the direct expense of Spleen. The latters jockey claimed a foul, which was not allowed as Marcheast was obviously clear when he crossed in front of his rival: Tommy Field will ride Genancoke, Earl Phelps will be on Marcheast and Harry Harris will guide Extra Points, who has showed little this year. No rider has been named as yet for Spleen. The Appleton will be the fifth race and is preceded by the best of the flat races. This is the Omission Handicap, a classified event at six furlongs on the main course. Six have been named for the Omission, headed by Mrs. Esther duPont Weirs Royal Governor with 122 pounds. This perennial handicap star was soundly beaten here last week by R. McGowan Smiths Sagittarius, who gets in here with 119. Royal Governor probably needed that race, but he also needs a bit more than six furlongs to show to best advantage. The others in the Omission are Llangollen Farms Singing Step, 119; Hudson Valley Stables Mighty Quest, 117; William Zieglers Bit o Fate, 110, and John C. Hauers Aris Mona, 104. Established Track Record Singing Step raced fairly well in the Paumonok on opening day at Jamaica, then shaded the track record for five and a half furlongs at that track. His most recent race was in the Toboggan, in which he tired badly after three furlongs. Mighty Quest set the present six-furlong record here the same afternoon that Sagittarius scored, stepping the distance in 1:09% with only two pounds less than he is asked to carry tomorrow. Three-year-olds will meet at a mile and J a sixteenth in the Escadru Purse, which follows the Appleton as the sixth event. This test" gains some interest by the presence of a couple of outside possibilities for the Belmont Stakes in the" field of 11. They are Mrs. Wallace Gilroys Timely Reward, who was a distant fourth in the Preakness after a bad race in the Kentucky Derby, and Ogden • Phipps The Battler. Timely Reward showed that he can better these races when finishing a close second after being all but left at the post in the Flamingo and. has showed trainer George Odom that he can run in the morning. The Battler, a brother to Busher, Mr. Busher and Striking, won at this meeting, then turned in a bad race. Though he has given intimations of class at times, he resembles Striking more than the Bushers, both in performance and appearance.
