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Meditation Nips Flatbush In Thriller at Ascot Park McDonald Colorbearer Gets Up In Closing Strides to Triumph By RONALD KRANCER Staff Correspondent ASCOT PARK, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, May 25. — The sixth race in which the horses were running "Indian file" along the backstretch wound up in a tremendous three-horse blanket finish with H. L. McDonalds Meditation getting up in the clos-1 ing strides to win by a head from Soundings. Another nose back was .the fast closing Flatbush. The winner was nicely ridden by Tommy Maeda and paid 2.40 while being time in 1:21% for the six and one-half furlongs over the fast track. It was a lovely afternoon for the sport and a fine crowd was in attendance. Form did not however go along with the weather as none of the publics choices had been responsible for any of the first six events. Meditation broke in third position and as the horses raced into the backstretch his position had not changed. Occupy Lady was in front by three lengths with Soundings second, another four lengths~in front of the ultimate winner. Mistambo, Fancy Continued on Page Forty-Seven Meditation Nips Flatbush In Thriller at Ascot Park McDonald Colorbearer Gets Up In Closing Strides to Score Continued from Page One : Dream, Flatbush, and Chillibones completed the field. The running order had not changed as the horses raced into the far turn, except that Meditation had moved to four lengths of the pacesetter. Entering the stretch Occupy Lady continued to lead, her margin now being two lengths over Soundings," with the eventual winner still third another two lengths back. Maeda went to work on the horse through the stretch and with a tremendous burst of speed from his position while in the middle of the track was up in the closing strides. Soundings, meanwhile, had taken over leadership when the pacesetter weakened with about a sixteenth of a mile to race. Fltbush also passed Occupy Lady with a fine closing rally from the outside. Meditation, a son of Bless Me — Roguish Girl, was winning his third race of the meeting and was making his eleventh start of the year. For the second consecutive afternoon a handsome Daily Double pay-off was returned to a handful of fans. This afternoons pay-off was 98, combining the winners War Fighter and Leaping Moose. War Fighter worked her way up on the outside and, after hooking the pace setter, Betty Smart, inside the furlong marker, drew clear to win the first race by one length. My Pastime, another outsider, was second, with Betty Smart getting third money. War Fighter was capably ridden by Donald Hoover and paid 7.20, being timed in :52% for the dash. Leaping Moose, a thirteen-year-old son of Bull Moose, gained the lead soon after the start in the second and then drew clear under Westfalls urging to win by two lengths over Brigandi. The favored Nifty was third, another nose back at the end of the four and one-half furlongs. Leaping Moose was winning for the first time thi sseason and paid a tidy 1.20 and was clocked in :53. At one time Leaping Moose was one of the most highly regarded horses to run her at Ascot, and until this season had held the record for the shortest-priced winner in the history of the course. The Ascot Speed Purse at four and one-half furlongs will headline the mid-week program. The field has attracted the following speedsters: Midwest Stable entry of Ella Villa and Keeping Posted, Sistime, Lundi, Ding Ding, Free Valley, Mr. Joe Puck and Dainger Ring. Dainger Ring appears to have a slight edge in this race, but will have to carry 120 pounds which will include jockey Edward Plesa. In his last race, the Dainger Lewis gelding gained the lead a few strides after the start and drew out to defeat Good Egg by almost two lengths in :52%. Previously he had defeated Lets Buz by four lengths in :52. Sistime, a good-looking Cassis filly, has won over the track when she bested Efcee by three parts of a length after racing in the first flight from the outset. Next time she ran it was against Mor-Snoozey and Beech Hill at seven furlongs and that was a little too far for the filly. Mr. Joe Puck at one time was a stakes performer in Florida, but in the past few years has gone back somewhat. Free Valley is another in this field that holds a strong card. Some Fun, one of the leading candidates for The Gold Cup, was involved in a minor mishaps this* niorhing during workout. As the horse was leaving the track another horse ran into him. Although he appeared a bit sore as he walked off the track, it is hoped* that he will be able to fill his engagement in the Cup. Jimmy Francis, Covington, Ky., Tracing official, arrived here today and plans to start working at ThistleDown Wednesday morning. He serves as clerk of scales at that tracand r fwl , " ~ tr t-.n
