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Fran Jr. Never Headed Over Rockingham Route Shows Liking for Sloppy Footing; Co-Feature Taken by Royal Duke ROCKINGHAM PARK, Salem, N. H., June 29. S: and P. Venutis Fran Jr. gained a creditable triumph in the featured Bendix Crosley Purse today, showing the way through the slop for the entire mile and a sixteenth. The four-year-old gelded son of Dogaway just managed to withstand the challenging Pinpcchio by half a length to return 2.60. Dr. Moore closed well to gain the show slot, a length behind Pinoc-chio. Fran Jr., a consistent winner in 1953 with earnings of 9,160, finished third behind Some Pun and Puturesque, both unplaced today, in his last outing here. He ran "well in the mud on several occasions this season and displayed a real liking for the watery strip this afternooni covering the route in 1:46. Royal Duke, sporting the blue and white colors of the W L P Stable, captured the co-featured sixth event with a spirited stretch effort through the heavy going to nip River Divide Farms For Rent .a neck. A length and a half farther back was the favored Dominave, who gained the minor award in his first outing of the season. The victory was the third in succession for Royal Duke, a six-year-old son of The Sultan Sky Maiden, whose 1953 campaign was relatively undistinguished. He covered the six furlongs in a creditable 1:13 under a competent ride by James Boucher. Little -Whim set the early pace with Dominave in close attendance. The public choice went to the front at the half and appeared to be running in the same form with which he accumulated 1,225 last year. The Knave High gelding led the way around the turn as Bouchers mount, held off the pace, began to move hard. Royal Duke caught the tiring Dominave with less than an eighth remaining and withstood a challenge from For Rent for the score. Ripple Air and Murtex paired efforts for a Daily Double return of 04.80.
