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Dance Dance Nsing Nsing Victorious Victorious at at Odds Odds On; On; County County Delight Delight Returns Returns to to Top Top Form Form 20,003 Witness Aqueduct Opening Rokeby Runner Scores Over Quiet Step as Favored Arise Runs Last in Queens County By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 12.— ~ Rokeby Stables County Delight gave trainer Jim Ryan his third stakes victory in as s many days when he led most of the way in I the forty-seventh running of the Queens s County Handicap, opening day feature at t Aqueduct. The five-year-old son of Count t Fleet reached the end of the mile and a i sixteenth a length and a half before j Apheim Stables Quiet Step, who was almost I two lengths before William Ewings s Auditing. Alfred G. Vanderbilts First t Glance was another three and a half f lengths away, after vying for the lead with I County Delight in the early stages. Dave B Gorman rode County Delight, who paid a I liberal 1.30 and was timed a sparkling x 1:43%, just four- fifths slower than Jaco-mars I 12 -year-old track record. The track c had seemed on the slow side for the early . races. A crowd of 20,003 turned out for the first l of 27 programs at the Rockaway Boulevard I course, approximately 3,000 more than last t years opening throng, which was on a i Tuesday, with similarly fair weather. Arise Never in Contention Addison Stables Arise was the favorite l in the Queens County, but finished last in 1 the field of six and was never really in contention. Jockey Ovie Scurlock pulled l him up near the clubhouse turn after the ; race, as though suspecting lameness, but he cantered back apparently sound. Ryan had won the New York Turf I Writers Cup with Clive of India on Tuesday . and the Temple Gwathmey Chase with 1 The Mast yesterday, both owned by Esther duPont Weir. The Queens County was County Delights first victory of the year and netted 4,975. The five-year-old had, however, turned in an almost identical race from a time standpoint in finishing second Continued on Page Ten County Delight Returns to Top Form to Take Queens County Continued from Page One to Pensava at Delaware Park on June 4. Yesterday, trainer Ryan remarked that County Delight would not be sent to England because he had not been able to reproduce his 1951 form. It is doubtful if he has ever run a better race, though he has won the Gallant Fox, Manhattan, Merchants and Citizens and Dixie Handicaps and a total of 01,860. He was purchased for 2,000 as a yearling from Mrs. John D. Hertz, his breeder. First Glance was first out of the gate in the Queens County, but County Delight was in close pursuit from the start, followed by Auditing, Quiet Step, Arise and High Dive. The latter was bothered slightly by Quiet Step at the clubhouse turn. Speeding down the backstretch, County Delight moved up on the inside to take command, while Quiet Step surged up on the outside rounding the far turn. First Glance began to run out of wind above the stretch, while County Delight continued te-lead, but Quiet Step moved over to the rail and came up to challenge on the inside. Auditing was still daylight away and not appearing to be going anywhere. County Delight seemed about to score rather easily when he appeared to ease himself and Gorman roused him sharply in the final strides. The big fellow responded readily and drew clear. Beverly Browns Lancaster Lady went straight in the air and came down in the same place at the start of the Idle Miss Purse that preceded the feature, then cut the corner to the stretch and sailed past her field on the inside to triumph by three lengths over G. D. Wideners favored Fleet Rose. Mrs. Whitney Stones Blue Flash was a neck away and less than a length before Greentree Stables Knot Holt at the end of six furlongs in 1:13%. Ray York completed a double on Lancaster Lady, having won the opening dash on Cold Heart. A field horse, coupled with Sodale, Lancaster Lady paid 4.10.
