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Roman Roman Bath Bath Meets Meets Nine Nine in in Fleming; Fleming; Coaching Coaching Club Club Oaks Oaks Draws Draws Sixteen Sixteen Kiss Me Kate, How In Long Filly Stake Belmonts Important Fixture . Also Has Nothirdchance and Valadium in Large Line-Up By BOB HORWOOD ludpuodsduoo ffvS BEIMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., June 1. — Sixteen sophomore fillies were entered this morning for the 35th edition of the Coaching Club American Oaks, one of Belmonts younger stakes, but one which since its inception in 1917 has been regarded as the championship stake for the division. / Despite the large field tomorrow, this years edition of the mile and three furlongs Oaks shapes up as primarily a two-horse race, with a few others receiving mild support in the wagering department. Walter M. Jeffords* Kiss Me Kate, a lightly raced daughter of Count Fleet from Irish Nora, is expected to be the favorite on the strength of her smashing victory in the first division of the Acorn Stakes, in which she galloped home a dozen lengths before Llangollen Farms Wisteria, stepping the mile in 1:36% on a sloppy track. In her previous start, Kiss Me Kate had won a test at Pimlico on another sloppy track and by the same margin, beating the moderate Bakers Wood. She had raced unsuccessfully three times at Hialeah earlier in the year. Warren Mehrtens will again ride the Jeffords filly, who, besides Wisteria, had Apheim Stables Jacodema, Starmount Stables Signal, Mrs. Esther duPont Weirs Merry Xmas, Foxcaster Farms Rose Fern and George D. Wideners Discreet of tomorrows field behind her in the Acron. Won Kentucky Oaks at Downs Kiss Me Kates chief rival tomorrow is expected to be Herman Delmans How. This daughter of Princequillo was ranked with Aunt Jinny as the best of the juvenile fillies last year, though she started her career at Saratoga carrying a ,000 claiming tag and was beaten by Pictus when running for 2,000 iifher next start. This year, How finished fast in the Ash- ~* Continued on Page Forty Kiss Me Kate, How Vie in CCA. Oaks Belmonts Stake Also Has Nothirdchance, Valadium Among Line-Up of Sixteen Continued from Page One land Stakes at Keeneland, then scored a convincing triumph in the Kentucky Oaks, despite having run a high fever and lost considerable weight shortly before that Churchill stake. How could finish no better than fifth in the escond and slower division of the Acorn, far behind Isidore Biebers Nothirdchance, the winner, who is also in the Oaks. Of tomorrows field, Belair Studs - Vulcania and A. G. Yander-bilts Sweet Talk also finished in front, of How in that division of the Acorn, which was run in 1:38, while King Ranchs Jest was far behind her. How lost a shoe early in the running of that division of the Acorn and such a mishap occurring on a sloppy, slippery track is more than enough to account for her disappointing effort. There is also the possibility that her race in the Kentucky Oaks, coming so soon after an illness, may have taken something out of her. How has done everything asked of her to trainer Horatio Luros complete satisfaction since the Acorn and is given a royal chance of making amends tomorrow. Eddie Arcaro, who has never won the C. C. Ai Oaks, will be in the saddle. Won Twice on Off Tracks * None of those who finished behind Kiss Me Kate in the faster Acorn is accorded much chance of turning the tables, unless it develops that the Jeffords filly is strictly an "off" track performer. This is possible, since her only two winning races were on a sloppy track. An exception might be made for Signal, who appears to be a genuine stayer Who will like tomorrows extended distance and who was forced to race very wide at the head of the stretch last week. Despite her victory in the Acorn, Nothirdchance will again be an outsider as she had to do her best to beat Vulcania, who appears to be improving rapidly and is pointing for this race, which Jim Fitz-simmons has already won for William Woodwards Belair Stud with Hypnotic and Vagrancy, as well as with Edelweiss for Wheatley Stable. Harry LaMontagnes Valadium shapes up as the "dark lady" of the Oaks. This, daughter of Lovely Night has started only once this year, winning a six-furlong dash here last wek in 1:11% after being virtually left at the post. Valadium won her last two starts in 1950 and gave the impression of -being a potential champion, but it is questionable if she will be up to going a mile and three furlongs with only one sprint under her girdle. Nichols Combest will be in the saddle. The others in this years Oaks are Ogden Phipps Turmeric, a maiden, who will be coupled with Vulcania; Hal Price Headleys Flags Flying, another maiden, who has sometimes finished her races well, and Greentree Stables Toto, who finished second to the surprising Fleecy Cloud last out, closing with a tremendous rush. Counterpart of Epsom- Oaks The Coaching Club American Oaks was initiated by the Coaching Club, whose members felt that New York racing sadly lacked a counterpart of the Epsom Oaks. James Butlers Wistful won the inaugural at a mile and a furlong in 1917; while Calumet Farms filly of the same name won at the present distance in 1949. The second edition of the Oaks was increased to a mile and a quarter, with G. D. Wideners Rose dOr the winner. From 1919 through 1941, the Oaks was at its present distance, with such memorable fillies as Cleopatra, Flambette, Princess D ore en, Florence Nightingale, Edith Cavell, Nimba, Bateau, Tambour, Top Flight, Black Helen, High Fleet and Level Best on the roster of winners". The distance was increased to a mile and a half, to conform exactly to the Epsom Oaks conditions in 1942 and 1943, with Vagrancy and Too Timely the winners. Calumet Farms brilliant Twilight Tear was the 1944 winner, when the stake was reduced to its present mile and three furlongs, while Vanderbilt won last years Oaks with the hard-hitting Next Move.
