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- Mart a Registers Nose Decision Over Renew in Thrilling Finish Drops Head on Wire in Lastt Stride to Wresjt Win From Rival in Vagrancy Handicap By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 28. Woodvale Farms Marta thrilled a crowd of 29,348 at Aqueduct today when she wrested a nose triumph from King Ranchs Renew in" the second running of the Vagrancy Handicap. Harry La Montagnes Valadium was slightly less than a length behind the embattled leaders at the end of this mile and a sixteenth and a length and a half before Clarence Hartwicks Sickles Image. Conn McCreary rode Marta, having to steer her out of a couple of tight jams, then ride one of his strongest finishes to outfinish Renew by inches. The Haltal mare paid .90 and required a sluggish 1:45 for the mile and a sixteenth over a fast track that seemed a trifle dead in the earlier races. Marta is a five-year-old daughter of Haltal Jessie Gladys, by Pharamoxid n., who was bred by Royce G. Martin, Ohio industrialist and master of Woodvale Farm. She earned 9,200 by her exertions today. Sickles Image First Out of Gate Sickles Image was firsrt out of the gate from her inside stall at the start of the Vagrancy, closely followed by Miss Degree, while Marta was in third place and quickly moved over to the rail. Rounding the clubhouse turn, Valadium started to come over on her, but Eric Guerin pulled his mount off when McCreary shouted at him. Bu-sanda and Thelma Berger were also close up at this stage, while Toto and Renew were several lengths away, racing as a team. Thelma Berger took the lead in the backstretch, with Miss Degree and Sickles Image heads away, while Busanda was another length back and beginning to shorten stride. Marta had been shuffled back to fifth place nearing the far turn, but soon got off the rail and began to close again. Toto and Renew were, still fighting a rear guard action. Rounding the far turn, Keith Stuart went to work on Thelma Berger, opening a daylight lead with a half mile to go, with Sickles Image in second place before Miss Degree, Marta and Valadium, who were closely grouped. Renew and Toto also began to close at this point, with Renew going up along the rail, while Toto had to go out to avoid Busanda, who was stopping badly. A little farther on, Miss Degree appeared to bother Sickles Image as she faltered. Thelma Berger ran out of wind at the head of the stretch, leaving Sickles Image JAMES E. DOOLEY President of the Narragansett Racing Association, which ushers in a 24-day meet this afternoon. I a head before Valadium for a couple of strides. Valadium took the lead for another stride or so at the eighth pole, where Renew fought her way through on the inside to take command. Marta had been close to the leaders all the while, and as Renew fought her way to the front inside the sixteenth pole, the Haltal filly surged up on the outside to challenge. Renew and Marta fought the last few jumps of the Vagrancy on even terms, with their heads nodding, one down while the other was up. The right nod went to Marta, who droped her head on the wire to triumph by the thickness of her lip. A bee sting on Renews nose would have given her a dead heat, it was that close. After the race McCreary said, "every time she changed stride, she tried to get out, and therefore required a lot of riding. I had to handle her like a two-year-old in the last sixteenth, and w just made it." Bill Boland said "Renew is a notional filly and had all the luck in the world saving all that ground."
