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New England By Joe Hirsch Stars on Massachusetts Nomination Roster Could Lure Four Who Made Up Campbell Field Jovial and Rock Pilot Stage Spirited Duel SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., May 2.— New England patrons are likely to be watching one of the top stake races of the 1955 season when starter Buddy Wingfield gets them underway for the twenty-first running of the Massachusetts Handicap on May 19. Just about every "big horse" in the East has been nominated for the 0,000 added mile and a quarter event that, through the years, has acquired as much prestige and perhaps more than any race along the Yankee circuit. Great thoroughbreds have won the Massachusetts in the past; it Will take better than an empty stall to do the job this year, too. Consider this possible list of invaders: Social Outcast, High Gun, Helioscope, Fisherman, Joe Jones, Mark-Ye-Well, Capeador, Jet Action, Cyclotron, Paper Tiger, Fleet Bird, and Black Metal. The best of the locals will be there too: Wise Margin, Ezio, Larry .Ellis, and Parnassus. The Massachusetts could bring together the entire field of the stirring Campbell Memorial at Bowie plus the outstanding three-year-old of 1954. and a host of other topnotch horses whose list of individual accomplishments in stakes competitiori*~*bffers intriguing possibilities. Nor can the home folks be completely overlooked. Wise Margin has been mighty sharp in recent outings and, except for a bad piece of racing luck, could have made a much closer thing of the Lincoln Special. Larry Ellis has shown, a distinct fondness for the local strip in other years, including a brilliant second to Royal Vale in the 1953 Massachusetts and has been coming along in fine style for his owner-trainer, Jake Lingle. One of the most promising features of the race is its place on the eastern stakes calendar. While the 0,000 one-mile Metropolitan at Belmont on May 14 could attract some of the speedsters in this group and the 0,000 Camden Handicap . at a mile and an eighth at Garden State plus Pimlicos Dixie on the turf on May 21 might catch a few of the others, the Massachusetts offers the biggest pot for three-and -upwards in the East this month and stands an excellent chance of corralling the majority of the nominees. Gordon Morrows weights are due on May 10 and will be eagerly awaited by horsemen who are anxious to, see how this veteran official, rates the cream of the countrys handicap ranks. Almost a Two-Horse Contest Saturdays Faneuil Hall proved pretty much of a two-horse race, Harvey Fruehaufs Jovial and the B and H Stables Rock Pilot easily the best of the field of seven that contested this 0,000 handicap for sophomores. Gunrod, third across the wire, was a distinct five lengths behind Rock Pilot while the others were varying distances farther back. As for the duel between the victorious Jovial and the speedy runner-up it could have easily gone one way as the other. Earlier in the afternoon Vernon Bush, who rode Rock Pilot, told of a strip of firm ground, close -to the rail, that provided immensely better footing than the goo of the rest of the track. Indeed, shortly after the conversation, Bush took Star Comet along this path to score in the fourth race. Now, in the feature, Bush was faced with the task of bringing Rock Pilot, the 3-5 choice, to this same bit of ground. But the -veteran Frank Solimena aboard Jovial had the, same idea and enjoyed the advantage of an inside position. He grasped at this opportunity, hustled Jovial to- the front, and kept the Shut Out colt there into the turn for home, so that he was quite firmly in possession of the key strip in moving to the wire. Bush, unable to dislodge Jovial from his position, was forced to take Rock Pilot to the middle of the track and made his big move at the leader near the eighth pole. For an instant it seemed as though Rock Pilot was equal to the task, but the heavy footing had taken its toll and Jovial continued on evenly for the tally. There was, incidentally, a bit of attendant drama to this one. Bush, an experienced rider, had "been aboard Boston Doge in that colts races in New England last year. Prior to going out for the Faneuil Hall, he and others, had witnessed the running of the Swift Stakes on television in the jockeys room and had seen the black son of The Doge go down to the first defeat of his career. Like Rock Pilot, Boston Doge was odds on and again like the Faneuil Hall, the Swift favorite was whipped by a horse who-was hustled along the rail forcing the choice to go to the heavy middle of the track. "Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: It might have bSen. . . ." B and H Stable Goes to Balmoral Around the Track: B and H Stable, the string owned by Burns and Holder of Markham, 111., will ship to Balmoral in Chicago Tuesday for a Midwestern xcam-paign during the summer. Rock Pilot has been nominated for the 0,000 Chicagoan at a mile on June 18 and has been staked in other events at Arlington and Washington Parks . . . Eddie Legere received a two-year-old filly named Acria this morning from Edward Lasker at Belmont Park. The miss is by Mr. Trouble from Athenia . . . Rollie Shepp sent Andre, his good six-year-old Pavot stallion, to River Divides Farm in Ohio, to be fired and turned out. Claimed for ,000 by his present interests three years ago, he has earned over 00,000 in purses since . . . Frank Dougherty sold out, Leo Gazoorian purchasing the last of the lot, , Singand JDance . . ,. The ,sun brought out the horses, this mornings work tab heaviest of the meeting.
