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D THOMAS TESTA Chairman of the Rhode Island Racing Commission and president of the National Association of State Racing Commissioners will call the fourday convention of the latter organ ¬ ization to order this morning in Boston Grecian QueenTakesBelmonfs Coaching Club American Oaks Prevails byNose Margin as Sabette Closes With Furious Rush Cerise Reine Is Fourth By BOB HORWOOD HORWOODStaff Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK Elmont L I N Y June 6 Mrs Ben F Whitakers Grecian Queen charged to a courageous victory in the thirtyseventh running of the Coaching Club American Oaks today while Mrs Ada L Rices oddson favorite Cerise Reine tired badly in the stretch and finished fourth Belair Studs Sabette closed with a furious rush in the last of the 11 furlongs her bid falling short by a long nose while it was another two and a half lengths back to C V Whitneys Ming Yellow who also finished very fast Cerise Reine was three lengths out of the money in fourth place placeGrecian Grecian Queen was second choice with the sweltering throng of 35005 paying 1040 and stepped the mile and three fur ¬ longs in 218 time somewhat slower than the average for the filly championship though the track was lightning fast fastHumphrey Humphrey Strawbridge Make Presentation PresentationGeorge George M Humphrey secretary of the Treasury and Robert E Strawbridge Jr president of the Coaching Club presented the trophy to Mrs Whitaker in the winners circle Jockey Eric Guerin following the fashion set by Ted Atkinson last Saturday kissed Grecian Queen on the neck The race was worth 45000 of the gross purse of 63600 The Oaks was preceded by the Coaching Club luncheon presided over by Robert E Strawbridge Jr president of that sporting group and vicepresident Whitney Stone Among the members attending were J JContinued Continued on Page Three Brandywine Handicap to Post Card CCA Oaks Goes To Grecian Queen QueenPrevails Prevails by Nose Margin as Sabette Closes With Furious Rush Cerise Reine Is Fourth FourthContinued Continued from Page One OneHenry Henry Alexandre F Ambrose Clark Austen Gray Walter M Jeffords Jr C Mahlon Kline W Goadby Loew John A Morris F Skiddy von Stade George D Widener and Anderson Fowler The guests included George M Humphrey Secretary of the Treasury F F Alexandre Oliver D Filley Jr William duPont Jr J Spencer Weed Brig Gen Alfred G Tupkerman Robert J Kleberg William Ewing Ashley T Cole William C Langley Jacques Allen and John C Clark ClarkGrecian Grecian Queen is a handsome dark bay daughter of Heliopolis Qbania by Ques ¬ tionnaire and was scoring her ninth victory in 21 starts Her triumph today brought Grecian Queens earnings to 153475 Her only other stakes triumph this year was in the Prioress at Jamaica while she finished sixth in the Acorn and a distant third be ¬ hind Cerise Reine and Script in the Dela ¬ ware Oaks OaksAfter After the race Eric Guerin said We get along well together Ive ridden her six times and shes got home six times I thought we were home at the head of the stretch She tired a little at the end but had that little something when Sabette challenged challengedDodsons Dodsons Comment CommentDoug Doug Dodson had an excuse for Cerise Reine saying the filly is not used to those long post parades and was shaking wet and nervous when she got to the post but had no excuses in the running runningThe The start of the Oaks was effected far up the Widener chute in the vicinity of Floral Park Grecian Queen and Ming Yellow were first out of the gate but Mac Bea carrying the King Ranch silks quickly opened a lead of a bit more than two lengths Cerise Reine moved into second place before they came on to the main track followed by Grecian Queen and Wings o Morn Blue Green Script Arista Sabette and Ming Yellow followed in the run down the backstretch backstretchNearing Nearing the far turn with a bit more than a half mile to go Mac Bea still led but was beginning to tire while Cerise Reine was going strongly in second place followed by Grecian Queen At that point Script moved up with a rush on the out ¬ side and Guerin was forced to send Grecian Queen up to avoid being caught in a trap At the time it seemed a necessary but pre ¬ mature move Once in high gear Grecian Queen kept right on running and surged up to challenge Cerise Reine at the threefur ¬ long pole poleThe The favorite held on willingly though obviously dominated by Grecian Queen as they sped around the curve to the stretch while Script began to falter At the same time Sabette began a long strong run from the rear ranks with Ming Yellow following at their heels heelsSabette Sabette Makes Bid on Outside OutsideGrecian Grecian Queen drew away from Cerise Reine in the stretch as Cerise Reine began to stagger while Sabette came oh with a furious rush on the extreme outside eating up the margin with every stride Though finishing fastest of all Sabette ran out of ground at the wire Ming Yellow also fin ¬ ished very fast but could not match Sa bettes speed though sailing by the ex ¬ hausted Cerise Reine as though that Dela ¬ ware Oaks winner was tied to the fence Script was a distant fifth followed by Arista Mac Bea Wings o Morn and Blue Green GreenSpring Spring Hill Farms Jamie K indicated that he will be a sharp colt in next Satur ¬ days Belmont Stakes when he closed with a rush in the Reginald W Rives Handicap that fell short by a scant nose at the end of that six furlongs Brookmeade Stables Safety won the race while Belair Studs Hyphasis was a half length back in third place but Jamie Ks race was most im ¬ pressive as the colt was coming from the mile and threesixteenths of the Preakness and has not indicated sprinting ability all year yearIra Ira Hanford rode Safety a fiveyearold gelding who was in with 112 pounds and paid 2050 after getting the distance in 110 just a second off Mighty Quests track record Eddie Arcaro kept Jamie K fairly close to the early pace though in last place to the threefurlong pole and roused him mildly in the stretch hitting him as they straightened for the run home then shaking the stick at him as he stormed past rivals with ground devouring strides The colt went out a mile in 138 being eased the last sixteenth Arcaro used his whip once after the finish to let the colt know that a bit more was required of him
