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Nine Entered to Compete in 0,000 Jersey Handicap as Garden State Closes Alerted, Whirling Bat, Iliad, * King Clover and Steadfast Vie Over Mile and Quarter By WILLIAM PHILLIPS Staff Correspondent GARDEN STATE PARK, Camden, N. J., May 29. — The Jersey Handicap, a 0,000-added race for three-year-olds at the traditional one mile and a quarter Derby distance, will bring out tomorrow nine prominent sophomores who will attempt to add their name to the impressing roster of Jersey winners that has included such as Lucky Draw, Citation, Palestinian and, last year, Ferd. President Eugene Mori anticipates a crowd in excess of 30,000 to witness the event and bring to a conclusion the 25-day spring meeting the most successful ever conducted by this course that pioneered modern racing in this state. Mild and pleasant weather is predicted for tomorrow afternoon, but heavy rains last night and this morning soaked thoroughly the racing strip which . can hardly be better than "slow" for the running of the Jersey. As in the case of all of the leading three-year-old fixtures this year, the Jersey appears wide-open. Unlike the events comprising the "Triple Crown," the weights for this fixture- are decided by handicap, with ► racing secretary M. C. "Ty" Shea imposing the weights which will require Hampton Stables Alerted to carry the high impost of 119 pounds. This does not mean that the public will necessarily select their favorite in the same manner, with it appearing a close decision between Alerted, Whirling Bat, and also possibly King Clover and Steadfast. The field follows in order of their weight assignments: Hampton Stables Alerted, 119; T. G. Mays Whirling Bat, 115; Brook-field Farms Biad, 114; Cary C. Boshamers King Clover, 112; Joseph Gavegnanos Joey Boy, 112; Hal Price Headleys Gray Matter, 111; Brookmeade Stables Steadfast, 110; Mrs. Edward Laskers Hull Down, 110; and Bernadotte Stables Sherry, 107. The only one in the field who has really shown a desire to go the entire distance is Whirling Bat, a son of the stretch-running Whirlaway and the good racing mare, Night Shadow, who was a superior mud runner. Whirling Bat made his last appearance while winning the Commonwealth Handicap at Suffolk Downs over a muddy track. He displayed his usual late courage to come from behind in that one mile and a sixteenth race and drew out by a winning margin of two and one-half lengths over older horses. He has run a good race, without excep-Continued on Page Thirty-Nine : ; : 1 , : I Nine in Jersey Handicap As Garden State Closes Alerted, Whirling Bat, Steadfast And King Cloyer to Match Strides Continued from Page One tion, at any time he was competing over an "off" track, which augurs well for tomorrow. Whirling Bat likewise has yet to show a poor effort at distances of a mile or over and includes among his achievements a victory in the Louisiana Derby at a mile and a furlong. Last year Whirling Bat failed to win a stake race, but he finished third to the disqualified Bold and Bob Considine in the Endurance Handicap at Bowie and won four overnight events. His record this year includes .four wins out of 24 starts, about half of them sprints. His best showing against some of the recognized leaders was in the Chesapeake Stakes when he Was closing fast, despite his usual habit of drifting wide, and finished a length and a half behind the winning Repetoire and Alerted. He profits from both a four-pound switch in weight over Alerted and the added distance. Alerted gained solid recognition when he defeated the Preakness winner, Bold, by a head in the Preakness Prep. He was unable to follow this up in the real thing, and he placed, third and some seven lengths be-hind Bold. Alerted is what may be termed a "steady going" horse, and one who is there to take over when the others decide to chuck it. He has won five races in his 13 outings this year, and he was coming stoutly at the end when defeated by but a head hy Repetoire in the Chesapeake. King Clover will have the backing of many patrons who witnessed his two impressive victories at this course. He won the first race of his career at Garden State Park over a "good" track, and since then has shown ability over wet surfaces up through his last triumph that was scored over a slow strip. King Clover finished second, but was disqualified and placed third, in the Kentucky Derby trial. He then was a distant 13th in the Kentucky Derby. Brookfield Farms Iliad rah an even race to be third in the Swift Stakes at Belmont in his last. The Rustom Sirdar colt tired and was badly beaten in the Chesapeake, his only attempt at a distance of ground, but he impressively .cjame from behind in a sprint here to win in a swift 1:10%. In another six furlongs event this spring he was beaten but a neck by Alerted at equal weights. Gray Matter is distinguished mainly by his surprise triumph over Timely Reward at Hialeah last winter in the one mile and a furlong Everglades Handicap. He has been racing against the best since then and, although not too impressive, he might be more at home with this field. Steadfast was considered for a time last year to be on a par with his stablemate Bold. He failed to carry on his reputation in the fall at Bowie, but he may not have have liked that deep racing strip, and his lone race this spring was very good. He finished third in this race at Jamaica, some nine lengths behind Hall of Fame and Platoon. Some still hold the opinion that he may join Bold as a leader of the division, and this race will serve to see if he is worthy of a starting berth in, the Belmont.
