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1 ► The Mast Outtences Oedipus To Annex Temple Gwathmey Gives Esther Weir Stable * United Hunts Stake Double At Two-Day Belmont Meet BELMONT PARK, Elmont. L. I., N. Y., June 11. — Esther duPont Weirs The Mast won the 29th running of the Temple Gwathmey Steeplechase at Belmont Park today, outjumping Mrs. Ogden Phipps Oedipus at the final fence, then lasting through the stretch to score by almost a length. L. W. Jennings Navy Gun was a little more than a length behind at the end of about two miles and a quarter and seven lengths before James F. McHughs Jam. Pat Smithwick rode The Mast, who completed a stakes double at this two-day meeting for Mrs. Weir, trainer Jim Ryan and Smithwick. That combination also won yesterdays New York Turf Writers Cup with Clive of India. Considerably less of a surprise than that horse, The Mast paid to his followers in the crowd of 18,551. The Mast is a black, gelded son of An-napolis-Claddagh, by Alcazar, who had often showed a fine disregard for his fences, but won the Tom Roby Chase at Delaware last year and captured the Meadow Brook here on May 29. The big gelding jumped powerfully at most of the 15 fences today, gaining ground o»-nearly all of them, though a couple of times his leaps were so prodigious that he landed a little uncertainly. His efforts netted 1,500, bringing his seasons earnings to 0,400. All Starters Complete Course The Temple Gwathmey, richest of the local steeplechase events this spring, was a pleasing spectacle, with all of the nine starters completing the course and most of them still being in contention at the stretch turn. The race was also a tribute to Jack Coopers handicapping as the four horses on the board at the finish were the four topweights on the scale in his assignments. Oedipus, who was making his seasonal bow, was topweight with 163 pounds and was closing ground again at the finish, after appearing about to be soundly beaten at the final fence. The Mast carried 10 pounds less, while Navy Gun, who landed uncertainly at the 14th fence, where both Oedipus and The Mast outjumped him, was in with 149 and Jam carried 153. Oedipus led The Mast over the 14th fence, with Navy Gun right with them, but the two leaders drew away from their rival at the obstacle, while Jam moved into fourth place, going strongly. In the run toward the finish from the final bend, Oedipus and The Mast were on even terms, with Navy Gun and Jam not far behind. The Mast put in his best of a series of long jumps and appeared to gain more than a length at the last fence, but Oedipus came on again willingly on the flat and was gaining steadily at the end. Jam took the final fence on an angle and swerved as he landed, losing ground, while Navy Gun continued steadily to the finish. The Lewis E. Waring Purse, best of the flat races, proved to be a thriller with Woolford Farms True Pattern standing a long drive with unsuspected courage to score by a head over Vera S. Bragg s Trick Pilot, who was a scant nose before Walter S. Homes Raes Reward. It was only half a length farther back to Eugene Constan-tin. Jr.s Do Report. Conn McCreary rode True Pattern, hustling him to the lead at the start and holding him together manfully through the stretch, while Trick Pilot charged at him along the rail and Raes Reward stormed up on the outside, along with Do Report. True Pattern paid 0.60 and required 1:11% for the six furlongs. Mrs. C. McGhee Baxters Eperon, a French gelding who was making his second start in this country, proved much the best in the Louis E. Stoddard, Jr. Purse, first of the feature events. The six-year-old son of Formor took the lead passing the clubhouse the first time, literally forced to take command to avoid crowding by Dans Chance and Uncle Don, who flanked him, then skipped along in the van for the rest of the mile and three-quarters over hurdles, with his tail twirling like a propeller. Ray Woolfe, Jr. whipped him out to the finish three lengths before Allison Sterns Salemaker, who finished a neck before Happy Hill Farms Sonatine. That pair, who were coupled in the wagering, were odds-on choices. Eperon paid .70 and was timed in 3:15%, excellent time even though the track was at its best.
