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General Staff Equals Delaware Track Mark Runs Six Furlongs in 1:10% to Defeat Gracious in Middletown By FRED GALIANI Staff Correspondent DELAWARE PARK, Stanton, Del., June 6. — Equaling the track record of 1:10% for six furlongs, Larry S. MacPhails General Staff reeled off a two-length victory in the featured Middletown Purse here today for his first score of the year. In second position came Matthew Cremens Be Gracious, a neck before Basil Halls Bee A. H. The four-year-old son of Mahmoud had little difficulty dispatching his rivals and won with great ease. Jockey Willie Passmore Tode a good race on General Staff, who paid .70 for his rapid journey. The colt was a close second choice to Blue Stone Farms War Phar, who finished sixth in the field of 10. General Staff had been far back in the Camden Handicap, won by Woodchuck in his I last outing, and third in a sprint at Garden State in his .only two other starts of the year. Last year he won 0,800 and raced in top flight sprint company. Todays effort, especially in view of the time, indicates he is ready for better races. The Middletown Purse furnished an ap-„ propriate spot for Willie Passmore to win as the blond jockey hails from the town honored in todays feature. While General Staff was well supported he was not the choice, adding to the list of favorites who fail with marked regularity at this track. Three of the first four races today were won by horses posting 0 mutuels as Isa-smoothie was the only favorite to report on time for the form followers in the estimated crowd of 9,500. Bee A. H. was away first in the field of 10 and the speedy mare opened up a half-length lead over General Staff going down the backstretch, although the latter was under a hold and ready to move at any time. Doll Foot was close up at this stage, before War Phar and Be Gracious, , with the rest of the field strung out behind them. Bee A. H. continued ripping off a fast pace, hitting the quarter in :22%. Rounding the turn and%nearing the half mile pole General Staff shot up to challenge for the lead and as they passed the market the tele timer registered a :45% fraction. Coming down the home lane, General Staff was rolling along, with Passmore sitting cold. He knew he had Bee A. H. put away, although the latter was still giving his best and was close up, and kept looking over his right shoulder for Be Gracious -challenge, who had moved up. Bee A. H. was past and Passmore, seeing that Be Gracious bid would necessarily fall shot, just kept hand riding his mount to the wire. Be Gracious got up in the last stride to beat Bee A. H. for second money.
