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Top Spring Proves Best In Rockingham Feature Beats Knights Reward Length; Daily Double Returns ,496 ROCKINGHAM PARK, Salem, N. H., Aug. 18. J. H. Carrs Top Spring attained his peak form today as he established a rapid pace and dominated through the mile and a sixteenth Fremont Purse to win by a length over J. P. Ayers Knights Reward. Two and a half lengths farther back, Mrs. P. Wyermans Villager took the show award by a neck from R. Slaughters Marthas Wave. The favored Mostest, from the barn of T. P. Morgan, would up fifth in the eight-horse field. Ideal weather prevailed for todays program, 9,116 were in attendance and the form players among the crowd had a rough time with no choices succeeding through the first seven events. Mrs. I. K. Bren-neckes Cleetsie, a first-time starter at odds of 14 to 1 and coupled with Sid Bernsteins John J. Jr. in the second race, made it possible for a ,496 Daily Double pay-off. A new track record for a mile was established in the sixth race when Fred Wyses recently-acquired Andromeda sped the distance in 1:36 to post her second win of the season. The three-year-old daughter of Bernborough Mirth, bred by J. S. Phipps, was claimed by her present owner for ,000 and was making her second start in the Texans colors. Tony DeSpirito hustled Top Spring into a clear advantage in the Fremont before taking a light hold of the Olympic Zenith gelding. Down the backstretch, the gray five-year-old remained a long neck in front of Knights Reward with the others strung out in Indian file behind the rapid pace. A quitter in his recent sprint, Top Spring had no ideas of giving up the lead as he skirted the inner rail and increased his advantage into the stretch with Knights Reward breathing down his neck. Once straightened away for the drive, the ultimate winner opened daylight over his challenger and maintained that margin to the end. His 1:43 was only four -fifths off the track mark set recently by Sailed Away. Held at second choice in the wagering, Top Spring paid .40 to give DeSpirito his first victory of the afternoon.
