view raw text
: . ■ Uncle Edgar Given Call in Don Bingo Steel Blue, Vigorous and Mucho Mas Are Fast Rivals In Route Event at Belmont BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 31.— The ,000 Don Bingo Purse, named for Bing Crosby and Lin Howards Suburban winner of 1943, heads -tomorrows Belmont Park program. This mile and a sixteenth, which will be the sixth race, has attracted a field of seven with Marise Farms Uncle Edgar a likely favorite to enter the winners circle for the third straight time. Eric Guerin will ride the Florida-bred at 116 pounds and Uncle Edgar has indicated in his last two races that he is not much, if at all, inferior to the leaders of this years rather threadbare handicap division. Putnam Stables Sky Miracle is top-weight in tomorrows allowance feature with 122 pounds, a burden he owes to achievements dating back to 1949. No rider has been named for Sky Miracle. Harry LaMontagnes Steel Blue, who gets in with 116, will vie with Uncle Edgar for favoritism tomorrow, much of his support being a tribute to Eddie Arcaro. Steel Blue won rather impressively at Jamaica in similar company, then failed badly when pitted against the leaders of the handicap division in the Gallant Fox and Metropolitan handicaps. The brother to Blue Swords was scratched from the Belmont National Maiden Hurdle earlier this week, a race in which he would probably have been favorite. Strong Support for Pair There will also be strong support for T. P. Morgans Vigorous and Hudson Valley Stables Mucho Mas. Vigorous is a sprinting cast-off from Calumet Farm who won his last start at Garden State Park in fast time on May 5 and also won his previous race at Jamaica. A gelded son of Bull Lea . — Diagnosis, by Sweep, Vigorous is bred to go a mile and a sixteenth or more and finishes his races stoutly. Ovie Scurlock will ride at 113. Mucho Mas has been running in claiming races with varied success, finishing second in two such races after winning one at Jamaica, then turning in a very dull effort. Sidney Cole has been assigned the mount. The others in the Don Bingo, are Sanford Stud Farms Schroon and Belray Stables Hombre. Schroon tired badly and was unplaced in his two starts this year, while Hombre, a winner in Argentina, showed nothing in his recent local debut. Eleven filles and mares, of whom seven are eligible for the 5,000 Top Flight Handicap on closing day, June 20, have been named for the ,000 Wendy Purse at seven furlongs that precedes the Don Bingo. The stake nominees in tnis extended dash are Foxcatcher Farms Gaffery, who will probably be the favorite; Woodvale Farms Marta, a likely second choice; Ada L. Rices Danada Gift, Apheim Stables Early Heath, Herbert G. Brooks Kings Daisy, Constance Morabitos My Celeste and Mrs. Tilyou Christophers Spats. They will be opposed by Mrs. John Payson Adams Breton Light, K. F. Chandors Miss Judex, William Nobles Abbie Co and Fox-catchers Goldjintown. Gaffery, who will be ridden by Ted Atkinson, turned in an excellent race in her only previous start this year to be second to Uncle Edgar at tomorrows dis-stance. The erstwhile stake star got to the lead in the stretch, then tired as -if short, but had no trouble beating Danada Gift. Conn McCreary, who fits her well, will ride Marta, who won her last here rather impressively from a field that included Abbie Co. Of the others, Kings Daisy showed traces of class while racing in New Jersey last year, but will be making her local debut, while Miss Judex is a first-time starter. The others, have had many chances cently without success. V ■■ ■ 1 * - y - / JOCKEY CONN McCREARY— Scored with three of -his mounts yesterday at the Belmont Park course.
