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Suburban Belmonts Week Feature 0,000 Handicap On Saturday Card Tom Fool, One Hitter and One Count Probables; Small Fields in Features Today BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 23. — The attention of eastern racing fans swings back to Belmont Park next week, after the annual diversion of Pimlico and the Preakness. The highlight of the impending week, of course, is the sixty-seventh running of the 0,000 Suburban Handicap on Saturday. This fixture has long been acknowledged the most significant of the nations handicap events and the only one that sometimes approaches the great weight-for-age fixtures in significance, despite the fact that it still carries only half the added money attaching to many newer races. While the Suburban has offen been won by lightweights of doubtful class, it has also on many occasions added considerable lustre to the reputations of acknowledged champions, such as Salvator, Henry of Navarre, Ben Brush, Imp, Hermes, Beldame and Ballot, who won renewals at Sheepshead Bay. The Suburban did not shift to Belmont Park until after the Hughes blackout of racing and Whisk Broom H.s victory under 139 in a disputed 2:00 in 1913 set marks, both for weight carried and for speed, that have yet to be equaled. Since then, only Grey Lag, 1935; Equipoise, 132; Devil Diver, 132, and Armed and Assault, 130 pounds each, have won under as much as the latter poundage. Should Greentree Stables Tom Fool win the Metropolitan under 130 pounds today, it seems almost certain that he will be asked to carry at least as much in next Saturdays mile and a quarter. If he is beaten on what will hardly be better than a "good" track today, Jack Campbell may take the footing into consideration when assigning his Suburban imposts, which are due on Monday. Second String in Bow Greentree has another string to its bow for the week-end fixture, last years Suburban winner, One Hitter, having returned to the races yesterday after a long absence and turned in a highly promising effort under 126 pounds in a swiftly run six-furlong sprint, making up somewhat more than eight lengths when asked to run in the stretch. Two other Suburban probables, Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords One Count and Mr. Jeffords Kiss Me Kate, worked good miles over a sloppy track here this morning. One Count was clocked in 1:41%, getting the last quarter in :26, the final furlong in :12%. Kiss Me Kate required 1:42% for her mile and finished in identical time. Mrs. Esther duPont Weirs Royal Vale, C. V. Whitneys Cold Command and Brook-field Farms Intent, who are expected to be the other highweights in the Suburban, all compete in todays Metropolitan. One other stake is to be disputed on the flat next week, while there are also two minor fixtures for the jumping brigade. The 0,000 Roseben Handicap on Wednesday engages sprinters at six furlongs on the Widener straightaway, while the Belmont Maiden Hurdle will be offered on Monday, and the Belmont Spring Maiden Chase is on Thursday. Mrs. Samuel Pistorios Tuscany, who won the Toboggan on this course on opening day, and Mrs. Jan Burkes Squared Away, who was disqualified last Saturday after winning a sprint at Garden State by eight lengths from a field that included Tuscany, are eligible to the Roseben. Two former winners of this dash are also expected to appear in Harborvale Stables Dark Peter and Woolford Farms Delegate. Mondays features are the ,500 Harmonica Handicap for fillies and mares at one mile and the ,000 National Maiden Hurdle. Both drew small fields. Six have been named for the Harmonica, which is named for Arnold Hangers Suburban winner of 1948, including a trio that will be saddled by Max Hirsch. They are King Ranchs Islay Mist and Mac Bea, 111 and 110 pounds, respectively, and Mrs. John W. Hanes Devilkin, topweight with 122. The trio will be opposed by Harry LaMontagnes unpredictable Valadium, 118; Ogden Phipps temperamental Flirtatious, 108, and Hangers Rica Rosie, 107. Valadium comes from a startling victory here over Gay Grecque who won before and after that race. Islay Mist and Devilkin finished fourth and fifth in a mile event won by Aesthete on May 12, with the first-named coming back with a bad race behind Arcave. Devilkin was making her seasonal debut and may have needed the race. She was one of the better fillies last year. Flirtatious is capable of winning almost any races in which she goes, but appears to sulk, while Rica Rosie has not started since the Florida season, but is training well.
