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Valadium in Stunning Belmont Score Gay Grecque Gives ► Way Nearing Wire Victress Surges Up With Irresistible Rush to Annex Housemaid Handicap Honors BELMONT PARK. Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 18. — Harry LaMontagnes Valadium, the extreme outsider of the field, stunned a crowd of 25.008 today by surging up on the outside to win the featured Housemaid Handicap by almost a length from Mrs. George S. Zauderers Gay Grecque, who nosed out Gerald F. Stricklands One Miss in the final stride of the six furlongs. Hal Price Headleys Recover was another six lengths out of the money after setting the pace to the stretch, while Meyer J. Kaplans favored Sunshine Nell finished fifth in the field of six. Bill Boland rode Valadium, who had been eased up when she refused to extend herself in her last start, and the daughter of Lovely Night paid 5.70, 1.10 and across the board. Valadium wore blinkers in her last bad race, and they were removed today, but she had finished unplaced without blinkers in her five previous starts. The time over a "good" track was a passable 1:12%. Recover Opens Up Lead Recover took a step at the start and quickly opened a wide lead over One Miss, who was another couple of lengths before Sunshine Nell, while Gay Grecque was in fourth place on the rail in the run to the far turn. Valadium was last away from the gate and had only Lily White, who was bearing out, behind her in the early stages. Between the turns, Recover continued to lead by daylight, followed by One Miss and Gay Grecque, with all of the riders behind the pacemaker scuffling to keep position. Valadium began to gain ground passing the three-furlong pole and was in high gear on the outside rounding the final turn. Recover was still a couple of lengths in the van corning into the stretch, but faltered abruptly in the final furlong, while One Miss and Gay Grecque charged at her, appearing to have the race to themselves, when Valadium stormed up on the outside with an irresistible rush. As Valadium drew away in the final strides, Gay Grecque shoved her nose before that of One Miss, while finishing on the rail. C. Mahlon Kline and trainer Morris H. Dixon, who had won the hurdle race with 1 Brechin at 0.40. completed a longshot double when Kaster led throughout the Bendix Purse to return 9.40. Augustine Catalano rode Kaster, who reached the end of this mile and a sixteenth two and a half lengths before King Ranch odds-on favorite, ! Risque Rouge, while Lazy F Ranchs Put Out was a little more than two lengths farther back. C. V. Whitneys Counterfeit ; was another half-length out of the money. Kaster. a son of Unbreakable from Felicia II., by Asterus, had finished a tiring third behind Jamie K. and Risque Rouge ; 1 in his only other start this year. He required 1:45% for the journey today and | finished with something left, despite his | topweight of 121 pounds. Risque Rouge | dropped out of contention nearing the quarter pole, then came on again at the [ finish, while Put Out finished fairly well after trailing to the stretch.
