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s » — - ■ Navy Gun and Smithwick Win Corinthian in Confident Style Jennings Fencer Beats Hot In Return to Competition; Flat Feature to War Poppy By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK.Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 22. — Lawrence W. Jennings Navy Gun, who moved into the front-rank of the steeplechasers lajst autumn, made a successful return to competition in the forty-seventh running of the Corinthian steeplechase today. The seven-year-old son of Battleship charged to the finish of the about two miles a bit more than two lengths before Rigan McKinneys pacemaking Hot, who led A. Edward Masters Titien n. by a neck. Brooknreade Stables Flaming Comet was a distant fourth with F. Ambrose Clarks Lone Fisherman completing the field. All five of the starters completed the course and all jumped well, though Hot hobbled slightly at his early fences. Smithwick Rides Smooth Race Favored by the throng of 21,599, Navy .Gun paid and was timed in 3:47% over a soft track. The track record shared by Fairmount and London Town is 3:40, but Hot set a moderate pace today and the track was not at its best. Pat Smithwick rode Navy Gun cannily and confidently. The race was worth ,300 to Jennings and considerable prestige to Navy Gun, who won the Temple Gwathmey and Manley Memorial Chases after finishing second in the Grand National in his last three starts last year. The best of the flat races was the NYAC-H. L. Lindquist Purse, named for the president of the winged foot organization who presented the winner with a silver trophy. Continued on Page Five — 4 i Favored Navy Gun Annexes Corinthian Jennings Fencer Beats Hot In Return to Competition; Flat Feature to War Poppy Continued from Page One Some 1,000 semi-retired athletes of the NYAC made merry in the turf and field club on their annual "day." Circle M Farms War Poppy won the Lindquist and trainer George Odom received the trophy on behalf of Mrs. Edward S. Moore, who was not present to see her Roman five-year-old score by a length over Putnam Stables favored Combat Boots. Abe Levin-sons High Bracket was another half length away and a length and a half before Jack Amiels Count Turf. War Poppy, who was scoring his second straight, stepped the mile and a sixteenth in 1:44% and paid .90. Hedley Woodhouse was in the irons. High Bracket and Combat Boots led almost as "a team from the start, followed by War Poppy. Jimmy Hardinbrook eased back with Combat Boots nearing the head of the stretch and moved to the outside, while War Poppy surged up outside of both of the leaders to take command with authority. Though bearing in slightly as he made his move, War Poppy went about his business, while Combat Boots, who lost ground at the quarter pole, outfinished High Bracket and was probably best. Hot Takes Early Lead Hot took the lead soon after the start in the Corinthian, in which Titien II. beat the tape, but was soon taken under slight restraint. Passing the stands the first time, . Hot led by several lengths, though jumping a little awkwardly, with Titien II., Flaming Comet, Navy Gun and Lone Fisherman closely grouped behind him. The order remained the same in the run down the backstretch, with Navy Gun making a brisk move rounding the far turn and coming to the eleventh fence on even terms with the pacemaker. Flaming Comet attempted to match Navy Guns move, but began to bear out as he tired coming to the final fence, while Titien II. also began to close well. Navy Gun came over the final fence daylight before Hot and Titien n., who were racing as a team. Smithwick had to sit down to a driving finish as Navy Gun began to tire on the flat, but was not seriously threatened, while Hot held on gamely to save second money from Titien II., who showed considerable improvement over his recent seasonal bow. Mrs. Gerard S. Smiths Nilufer, a Mah-moud filly who was acquired from C. V. Whitney and had showed nothing in her recent debut came out with blinkers and speed added to her equipment today for the third race. With Dave Gorman again in the saddle, she literally towroped her field, scoring by four and a half lengths over Maine Chance Farms odds -on choice, Belle Jet, who was almost as far before Esther duPont Weirs Souffle. It was another five lengths back to Mrs. Alfred Roberts Sterling Maid. Nilufer was the outsider of the field, paying 7.10 and getting the job done in 1:12. Belle Jet, Souffle, Pleasure and Sweet Colleen of this field had beaten Nilufer from three to 11 lengths.
