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Constitution Lures Sophomore Sextet Meeting of Royal Battle and Blessbull Featured; Brisuet Surprise Entry in Line-Up By AVERY BROWN Staff Correspondent SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., May 28. — The nineteenth running of the 0,000 Constitution Handicap, which features Saturdays program at Suffolk Downs, has drawn a small but select field of six sophomores to contest the mile event. Wesley E. Browns Royal Battle is the top-weight under 121 pounds, which is five more than assigned to his closest rivals, Maurice Sims Blessbull and E. M. OBriens Brisuet. G. S. Colellas Switch On, 110; I. C. McMahons Joes Crest, 108, and Crowley and Neruds King for All, 105, complete the line-up. The anticipated meeting between Royal Battle and Blessbull took on added interest] with the appearance of Brisuet in the field.: The latter has just arrived from Garden State Park where on the fifteenth of this month, the Bossuet gelding stunned the New Jersey patrons with a triumph in a division of the Delaware Valley Stakes, paying 20.60 while defeating Due de Fer and Revolt. Royal Battle reached his peak as a two-year-old last fall with a convincing score in an overnight handicap at Lincoln Downs to wind up the season with a record of four victories, three seconds and one third in 15 outings to earn 4,425. Shipped to Tropical Park, the Time Passes colt encountered poor luck when he fell in an allowance event won by the fleet Swift Sword. In two subsequent Florida races, the Brown star was third on each occasion to worthy opponents? Began Invasion at Lincoln Downs Shipping to Lincoln Downs earlier in the spring, Royal Battle began his current New England, invasion with a score in the Sk Patricks Day Handicap. In his next start, the chestnut colt set the pace for a mile of the New Haven Handicap at the Rhode Island track before weakening and, wound up fifth, beaten three and a half lengths. That was the last time Royal Battle was beaten. His next appearance was in an overnight allowance at six furlongs which he easily proved best. That score was followed by his impressive triumph in the Faneuil Hall Handicap here. In that race, Royal Battle came from off the pace and carried his i24-pound impost to a two-length advantage over Blessbull and other capable sophomores. Tony DeSpirito has been engaged to handle the Brown colt. Blessbull has a very impressive record thus far in his career. After a pair of mediocre, starts last summer, the Bless Me gelding defeated a band of maidens at Narragansett Park by seven lengths and came back five days later to miss winning the Newport Stakes by a neck behind By Jeepers. Following that race, Blessbull was placed in temporary retirement because of suspicious ankles and was not raced until the first week of the current meeting at which time he won an overnight allowance dash in 1:12%. His next start was in the Faneuil Hall in which he carried 110 pounds while finishing two lengths back of Royal Battle. Since that time, the Sims star has been victorious twice. First winning a mile and 70 yards allowance event over a sloppy track by 15 lengths and on Massachusetts Handicap day, Blessbull turned in a six-furlong victory in 1:10, Norman Mercier will again pilot Blessbull, who appears to be getting the worst of the weights with a nine pound shift in favor of Royal Battle. Won Twice on Off Track Prior to Brisuets surprise victory at Garden State, the brown gelding had lasted in a six-furlong allowance event at the New Jersey oval run over a sloppy track. Another victory registered this season by Brisuet was" in the mud at Jamaica on April 8. No rider has been named for the invader. Switch On is always considered a threat in races such as the Constitution. Last season the Condiment colt won the Mayflower Stakes and was second in a division of the Columbus Day Handicap at Rockingham Park. In two other stakes engagements, the Colella colt was third in the Narragansett Nursery Stakes and the Newport Stakes. Thus far this season Switch On has been able to pick up only one victory whilef inishing close up on threeothei occasions. King for All is a noted stretch runnel and highly regarded by his connections, The son of Free for All — Kings Error has started three times at Suffolk Downs since shipping here from Florida, winning once, was third once and fourth in his other outing. Joes Crest will be making his 1954 bow at Suffolk Downs and must be considered the outsider in tomorrows small field. Ie 16 starts as a two-year-old, the McMahor colt won a pair of impressive victories and was always considered a threat while competing against the best juveniles in Nev; England." - •.■*. ~ • *•? rV
