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J - • - - ■ • - Two Divisions of Longfellow Carded Give Armageddon/ Thasian Hero Call Seven Foreign-Bred Racers To See Action at Monmouth In Popular Handicap on Turf By WILLIAM C. PHILLIPS Staff Correspondent MONMOUTH PARK, Oceanport, N. J., June, 23.— The 5,000 added Longfellow Handicap, the only added money event to be contested over the infield grass course during the current meeting, attracted an excellent response of 19 entries for its first renewal here tomorrow. Due to its popularity, the one mile contest will be presented in two divisions, as the seventh and eighth races. C. M. mines JKaster heads a field of nine, including a stable entry, under an impost of 118 pounds in the first presentation, and Cain Hoy Stables Armageddon tops a field of 10 in the second half under a highweight of 122 pounds. Both divisions appear close events and one should be just as" interesting as the other. The Longfellow, which is strictly an American name, takes on an international flavor with three foreign-bred horses named to compete in the first half and four scheduled to compete in the second. The initiarrunning of the Longfellow last year was captured by Crocodile, an Irish-bred, and it is quite possible that the importations, who are bred for and raced over the grass in their native countries, will take the laurels again this season. Won by Six Lengths Last Out John L. McKnights Thasian Hero, a rags-to-riches "son of Attention, will probably be favored in the first division because of his local popularity and the ease with which he defeated several of tomorrows hopefuls by a six-length margin in a mile, preview of the Longfellow last week. He carries 112 pounds tomorrow, the same as he shouldered in his victory, and gives away only two pounds to Jaclyn Stables Bobs Alibi, who was his closest rival. Armageddon, a four-year-old Alsab colt who set a track record over the grass win-in theVentnor Handicap at Atlantic City last summer, looms the choice in his division. He stands head and shoulders over his opponents in achievements thus far, having won 35,800 in his sophomof e season through four triumphs. He has been out only one time this year, but displayed sharp form while just failing to last in a mile overnight test at Belmont 10 days ago. William J. Beatties Good Shot, rated closest to Kaster with 114 pounds in the first half of the Longfellow, is an invader from New England where he developed through slow stages to be a sharp handicap performer, winning the Governors Handicap last month. He is a four-year-old English-bred son of Big Game and he is reported to have been a winner on the other side .before making his American debut this spring. Other Irish-Breds in Field I Craigwood Stables Palatial Appetite and J. T. Donahues Stella Aurata are two other Irish-breds in this division. Although the first named has been absent from competition since last year, he is a stakes winner over the turf here in New Jersey and is reported training well, while the latter has been racing well recently in Delaware. Kaster, a novice in grass racing, has won three overnight events in five starts in New York this year as a four-year-old and the Unbreakable gelding appears to have the speed to warrant his highweight standing. The remaining two in this test are Brook-meade Stables Picador, an accomplished grass performer who has had only two disappointing races this year, and Joe Gave-gnanos Joey Boy, a hard-hitting horse who was second in the Omnibus. The "foreigners" in the other portion of the Longfellow are Twin Oaks Stables Pasatiempo Argentina; Green Dunes Farms Double Header n., England; Dor-mar Stables Tip n., Italy; and Jaclyn Stables Setubal, Argentina. They were all winners in their native country, with the exception of Double Header II., who comes here from a turf course victory at Suffolk Downs. Armageddon appears the logical victor over this group, although each of the above mentioned, and particularly Pasatiempo and Setubal, must be considered dangerous. Others looming a threat are Trio Stables sprinter Do Report and Mrs. E. H. Augustus capable grass runner Euclid.
