view raw text
JOCKEY SIDNEY COLE— Gave Flaunt a splendid ride in the Queens County. Flaunt Accounts For Queens County Startles 27,528 Attending AqueductsOpening Program Cole Guides Skjeveland Colt? To Wire Half Length Before Indian Land; Eatontown Wins By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 20.— Arnold Skjevelands Flaunt startled an opening day throng of 27,528 at Aqueduct this afternoon when he stood a long drive gamely to win the forty-eighth running of the Queens County Handicap by a half length from Alfred G. Vanderbilts Indian Land, who was also somewhat neglected in the wagering. Jack Amiels Count Turf finished fast along the inside to be another two and a half lengths away in third place, a neck before Mrs. Ben F. Whitakers favored Hitex. Ogden Phipps Ancestor finished fifth after setting most of the pace. Sidney Cole turned -in a well-judged ride on Flaunt, keeping him reasonably close to the torrid pace, then sending him up with a brilliant move between horses in the upper stretch. The four-year-old son of Challenge Me — Milchic, by Chicle, paid 5.80 after getting the mile and a sixteenth in 1:44% over a fast track. Flaunts only previous stakes victory was in the Lamplighter Handicap at Monmouth Park at the same distance 11 months ago. His owner, Arnold Skjeveland, is a sailmaker from Stewart Mano, L. I. It was ideal boating weather, a scorching sun baking the shirtsleeved throng. Aqueducts president, Cyrus Jullien and Sir George Shen-nan, of Liveipool, England, presented the trophy in the winners circle. Ancestor in Command Hitex and Swoop beat Ancestor slightly in the furious run to the first turn after the field left the gate directly in front of the stands in the Queens County, but Nick Wall kept* sending Ancestor and he drew away to a lead of slightly more than a length as they swung into the back-stretch. Hitex forced the pace as Ancestor reeled off the first six furlongs in 111%, with Swoop several lengths behind in third place, followed by Flaunt and Gay Grecque, who raced as a team. Indian Land was daylight farther back, while Count Turf was far back in the run down the far side and High Scud brought up the rear. •Hitex moved to Ancestor on the outside rounding the curve to the stretch, but the pacemaker fought on stubbornly until they straightened away for the long run. to the wire. At that point, Hitex took command, but was immediately challenged by Flaunt, who moved up between horses with a powerful run, while Indian Land tried to match his bid on the extreme outside. Count Turf was also working his way into contention along the rail. The favorite began to shorten stride as he passed the furlong pole and Flaunt surged into the lead, tlien was strongly ridden to stave off the determined challenge of Indian Land. Count Turf finished well for his share, while Hitex ran out of wind. Ancestor tired badly, but was still daylight before Swoop at the finish. The Queens County was Sidney Coles first New York stakes victory, though he had won a fixture with Combat Boots at Narragansett a couple of years ago. Mrs. Alfred Roberts Eatontown, who has run his best races in New Jersey, Delaware and Florida, made a successful Long Island invasion to lead from start to finish in the Kingston. Handicap. With Bennie ! Green hustling him along, the Easton gelding came out of the number 1 stall running and quickly opened a daylight lead, then had enough left at the end of the long stretch to score by a half length over Har-borvale Stables Dark Peter. Alfred G: Vanderbilts First Glance finished with a belated rush to be third, a length and a half behind the favorite and almost two lengths before F. Ambrose Clarks Tea-Maker, who was topweight here with 123 pounds. Eatontown paid 5.10 and stepped the six furlongs in 1:11, just three-fifths slower than the track record. Jet Master forced Eatontowns pace in the early stages of the Kingston, followed at a respectful distance by Tea-Maker, i Sagittarius and Dark Peter, while First Glance brought up the rear. Eatontown widened his lead between the turns and came into the stretch more than three lengths in the van. As they straightened away for the run home, Dark Peter surged up on the outside with a powerful rush, but ; he never gave his numerous supporters any real hope that he was going to catch the • flying pacemaker. First Glance, who had only Hall of Fame behind him at the top i of the home lane, finished fastest of all in what was his first start since April. Old Tea-Maker gave it his usual college try at ; the eighth pole, but wilted in the sweltering heat.
