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, Pontius Pilate Wins Belmonts Appleton Clark Fencer Beats Spleen With Ease; Singing Step Annexes Omission Handicap BY BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 24. — Only four horses started and three finished in the 30th running of the Charles L. Appleton Memorial Steeplechase at Belmont Park this cold, .rainy and generally disagreeable afternoon. F. Ambrose Clarks Pontius Pilate did the expected in winning easily by six and a half lengths from Justin Funkhousers Spleen. It was another 20 lengths back to Rokeby Stables Genancoke. Happy Hill Farms Marcheast fell at the fifth fence, with jockey Earl Phelps suffering shoulder injuries of undetermined extent. Pontius Pilate was ridden by Elwood Carter and paid after negotiating about two miles in 3:50% over a slow track. A crowd of 17,087 turned out to view the moderate program with the wind .and the rain in its collective hair. For the first time this year the wagering on* a single race fell below 00,000, with 9,986 being invested in the first race. Oedipus Scratched From Stake I Oedipus was scratched from the Apple-ton this morning, doubtless after G. H. "Pete" Bostwick* .had time to digest the weights, which would have compelled him to concede eight pounds to Pontius Pilate, while Extra Points was withdrawn this afternoon. Marcheast eliminated himself at the fence after the water jump when in landSti pi EtC 6 Pontius Pilate and Spleen raced as a team most of the long journey, with Pontius Pilate on the outside and towering over his comparatively diminutive rival. They came to the final fence almost on a line, but Carter gave Pontius Pilate his head and drew away without urging. Spleen was never troubled by Genancoke, who was Continued on Page Forty-Five mumfwm winy Belmonts Appleton Clark Fencer Beats Spleen With Ease; Singing Step Annexes Omission Handicap Continued from Pane One in third place from the start and never suggested that he was going to get any closer. After the race, Carter said that Pontius Pilate grabbed himself rounding the final turn and suffered a slightly cut quarter. The injury is not believed to be serious, and he is expected to be able to keep his next engagement, the Corinthian Steeplechase, on June 7. Pontius Pilate added ,075 to his earnings, giving him a seasons total of 2,325. He won the "International Steeplechase last week for his only other start this year. Llangollen Farms Singing Step turned in a game effort to win the Omission Handicap, best of the flat races, by a neck from John C. Hauers Aris Mona. Hudson Valley Stables Mighty Quest, who set the present track record of 1:09% last week, was another two lengths away in third place at the end of the six furlongs, while Robert McGowan Smiths Sagittarius finished a length and a half out of the money after setting the pace to the far turn. Eddie Arcaro completed a consecutive double on Singing Step, who paid 0.80 and was timed a sparkling 1:10% over a track that was still good, though dampened by a fairly steady drizzle. Aris Mona Loses by Neck Singing Step took command after a quarter mile in the Omission and was day-, light in front rounding the turn, but Nick Wall brought the lightly weighted Aris Mona up to challenge as the roan stallion drifted out in the stretch. Aris Mona shoved her head in front at the sixteenth pole, but Singing Step came on again and was going away at the end. Mighty Quest made a threatening bid between Singing Step and Aris Mona at the head of .the home lane, but didnt have it in the drive, while Saittarius tired early. Royal Governor turned in another dull effort and probably was only able to avoid taeing last because Bit o Fate lugged in badly most of the way. Before the Escadru Purse, trainer George Odom said .that Mrs. Wallace Gilroys Timely Reward was being given his last chance to demonstrate that he was a stakes colt in this race. He had turned in a disappointing race in the Kentucky Derby and finished a rather remote fourth in the Preakness in his two previous races. Timely Reward finished fifth after being close to the early pace to the head of the stretch. A. F. Walls Golden Trend led most of the way to beat D. J. Schneiders Elixir by almost three lengths, while Lazy F Ranchs Out Point was a neck farther back in third place, while Phantom Farms Tiber was a well-beaten fourth. Dave Gorman rode Golden Trend, a son of Eight Thirty, who paid 3.60 and stepped the mile and a sixteenth in 1:43%.
