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: . » Fillies and Mares Meet in Top Belmont Park Events Today Level Best Purse Attracts * Dark Favorite; Valadium to Make 7957 Bow in Boojiana BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 24. — Fillies and mares occupy the center of Belmont Parks vast stage tomorrow. Racing secretary John B. Campbell, who is having trouble filling races these days because of the coughing epidemic which has spread to include older horses as well as the usual juvenile victims, has arranged two features. These are the Boojiana Purse for sophomore fillies at six furlongs, and. the Level Best for older mares at one mile. Boojiana and Level Best were two of the best fillies to race in New York in the past decade. Boojiana won the Matron Stakes of 1943, while Level Best won the Coaching Club American Oaks two years earlier, among other notable triumphs. — Nine have been entered in the Level Best, which will be the sixth event, headed by William Ewings Dark Favorite with 120 pounds. Dark Favorite finished fifth in the Colonial Handicap at Garden State Park last out, but won her previous race at Jamaica and is a consistent sort. She will have the able services of Eric Guerin. Two Sets of Couplings •There are two sets of couplings in the Level Best. W. J. Lenihans September and Mrs. Tilyou Christophers pats will be saddled by Harris Brown, while Kay Jen,-sen will send out Apheim Stables Early Heath and Henry S. Horkheimers Lotus Blossom. The others in the Level Best are Ada L. Rices Danada Gift, C. V., Whitneys Jazz Baby, Constance Morabitos My Celeste and JEdward M. OBriens Miss Degree. September will be ridden by Ted Atkinson and this rather sluggish mare seems to respond to "the Slashers" slashing. At any rate, her only victory this year was accomplished with Atkinson applying his stick relentlessly from start to finish of a dash at Jamaica. Spats was a stake winner of some note a few seasons back, but her only victory this year was achieved at Havana. Early Heath has a world of early speed and gets in with a feathery 111 pounds. Her chief claim to fame is that she slammed into Hill Prince ajrthe start of last years Jerome Handicap, causing the colt to fall so far out of contention that his winning run became the most sensational of the 1950 season. Lotus Blossom , fared poorly in her last out here. Danada Gift had been idle for several months when she appeared here last week and, though unplaced, the Hairan mare turned in a race suggesting that she may be formidable. Miss Degree finished far back in the Colonial, but can be expected to fight with Early Heath for the early lead. Jazz Baby has been on the sidelines since running unplaced in the Ladies Handicap here last fall. Seven three-year-old fillies have been named for the* Boojiana, which will be the fifth offering. The "name filly" in this dash is Harry LaMontagnes Valadium, who will be making her seasonal debut. Though unable to win a stake last year, the Lovely Night filly beat stakes winners in her last two starts in 1950. Eddie Arcaro will be in the saddle tomorrow. Isidor Biebers My Bessy, a graduate of the claiming ranks, has the best recent form of the seven in the Boojiana, having won her last three starts. She will be ridden by Bennie Green. "
