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English-Bred Seeking Sixth Stakes Score of 1953 Season Shoulders 130 in Delaware t Mile and Quarter Feature; One Count Principal Threat By PALMER HEAGERTY Staff Correspondent DELAWARE PARK, Stanton, Del., June 26.— Mrs. Esther duPont Weirs Royal Vale, seeking his sixth major stakes triumph of the current season, tomorrow accepts a 130-pound burden in the sixteenth running of the 5,000 added Sussex Handicap. The mile and one-quarter headliner also brings out Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords One Count, 1952 Horse of the Year, who is pegged at 127 pounds. The latter will raced coupled with Post Card, who handles 113 pounds. The other intended starters for the 0,100 winners share of, the purse are Jack Amiels Count Turf, 111, William Ziegler, Jr.s Bit o Fate, 107, and North Downs Farms Risque Rouge 106 pounds. Royal Vale, who at this time rates second only to Tom Fool in the current handicap division, has compiled an enviable record while winning the Miami Beach Turf, Bowie, Gallant Fox, Dixie and Massachusetts handicaps and garnering 68,800 in purses. His most recent outing was in the Massachusetts when he turned a mile and a quarter in 2:01% while downing Larry Ellis and Count Turf, among others. As in his best efforts, the English-bred Kingsway five-year-old will be ridden by Jack West-rope. Should he race as well as expected in the Sussex, Royal Vale will make an early departure for California and the 00,000 added Hollywood Gold Cup. with a possible lay-over in Chicago. He will not race, at that point, however, with a brief rest his only objective. Upon returning East, he will again tangle with Tom Fool, who beat him in two bitter stretch duels in the Metropolitan and Suburban Handicaps. . 1952 Horse of Year One Count and Post Card form a powerful coupling and figure to give Royal Vale his major competition. One Count has been a disappointment thus far in his four-year-old season after having won the Belmont, Travels, Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Empire Gold Cup last year. During the winter at Hialeah he raced poorly in the McLennan, then was shelved for a spell. He has raced only three other times, finishing third behind Royal Vale and Cold Command in the Gallant Fox, then winning an allowance race. His only other start saw him beaten off in the Suburban, following which he was shipped to this point to turn in repeated excellent training moves. Post Card has always been partial to this strip and earlier in the meeting won his second successive Brandywine Handicap with a mile and a sixteenth_Jn 1:43. In downing To Market and Senator Joe in that test, the son of Firethorn brought his yearly earnings to 2,425. Earlier in the year he had won the Laurel Handicap at Bowie. Post Card will again be handled by Sam Boulmetis, while One Count will enjoy the saddle services of Dave Gorman. Jack Amiels 1951 Kentucky Derby winner, Count Turf, has come along steadily in recent races but still is seeking his initial triumph of the year. He was third behind Royal Vale in the Masschusetts and in a subsequent outing finished in the same position behind Flaunt and Indian Land in the Queens County at Aqueduct. He seems favorably treated at the weights and could prove a factor. Risque Rouge, whose top effort of the year was in racing Jamie K. to a nose in 1:44% over a sloppy strip, was a recent acquisition by his present owner. Following j his sale, Risque Rouge went to Canada and Lin one start at that point equaled the mile and a sixteenth track record of 1:43% in winning the Audacious Purse. Bit o Fate has raced but three times this season. -He turned in a dull effort under a maiden rider in his debut while sprinting, then turned in a good effort at the same distance. He raced a mile and a furlong here last week and was second, beaten five and a half lengths, behind Stop and Look, who clipped a full second off the previous standard while being timed in 1:48, flat. Tomorrows supporting card is one of the most attractive ever presented at the Delaware course. The third race has been named the New Castle Prep, and is, of course, a tune-up affair for fillies and mares-who hope to compete in the 00,000-added New Castle Handicap on closing day. The four entrants for this ,500 affair are George Wideners No Score, Matt Cremehs Be Gracious, Joseph Kaplowitzs Slave Girl and Howell Jacksons June Time. All but Slave Girl are pointing for the New Castle. Another feature of the program is the return to competition of Mrs. Weirs veteran campaigner, Royal Governor. This Pilate gelding hasnt raced since 1951, but has impressed greatly in his trials since being returned to training* He will be opposed in the ,000 Stymie Purse by Banta, Fred R., Poopcha, Aceful, Steak Bone, The Veep and Potpourri.
