view raw text
|.,.0..UM.MIM.J.J.. .l... ..I... J.MJ JOCKEY JOHNNY LONGDEN— Arrived at Belmont Park where he will ride In Reserve in todays renewal of the Acorn. Fifteen Vie in 2,000 Acorn Stakes High Voltage May Be Most Fancied by Belmont Patrons Wheatleys Gray Homebred * To Meet Sometime Thing, Minnie Moocher, Sorceress By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 3. — The 25th running of the Acorn Stakes, first major Eastern event for three-year-old fillies is on the Wednesday agenda at beautiful Belmont. A field of 15 has been named for the mile event, which will gross 2,000 if they all go .postward, and net the winner a tidy 3,150. Despite a recent disappointing return to action, last years juvenile filly champion, High Voltage, .will probably be a tepid choice, partly because of the presence of Eddie Arcaro in the saddle. In her only start this year, Wheatley Stables gray daughter of Am-biorix could finish no better than fourth behind Gandharva, Sorceress and Two Stars in a six-furlong dash a week ago. Sorceress, who races for Reginald N. Webster and was a smart filly herself last year, beat High Voltage two and a half lengths and was also making her seasonal bow. Bill Boland will ride the chestnut daughter of Slide Rule. Pair to Attract Support There will also be strong support for Alfred G. Vanderbilts Sometime Thing and a following of sorts for C. V. Whitneys Minnie Moocher. Sometime Thing was *beaten by the older Lovely Wave at one mile last Thursday, after taking a commanding lead in the stretch, while before that she failed to concede 11 pounds to Minnie Moocher. However, she had beaten the Whitney filly at level weights in the six - furlong Prioress Stakes. Minnie Moocher came on again at the finish of that dash, after appearing ready to stop at the eighth pole. Eric Guerin, of course, will ride Sometime Thing, while Hedley Woodhouse, her regular pilot, will pilot Minnie Moocher. The latter has what may, for her, be ah advantage in breaking from the outside stall in the gate. All of the" fillies in the Acorn are required to carry 121 pounds. The others in this semi-classic test are Claiborne Farms Courtesy, Foxcatcher Farms Fanford, A. K. Andersons Flat Side, Arnold Hangers Rico Reto, Louis L. Haggin EEs Hen Party, Cain Hoy Stables Java Belle, Mrs. Louis Lazares Audrey Lee, Alberta Ranches In Reserve, George D. Wideners Toute a lHeure, R. H. Ellis Lady Balladier and Howell E. Jacksons Villa. Six of this group have been racing creditably in other areas. Hen Party comes from beating the Derby candidate, Alibilt, at seven furlongs at Keeneland on April 22, while the first three to finish behind the daughter of Rico Monte had won their last starts. She will be ridden by Ted Atkinson and may be the "dark lady" of this fixture. * Courtesy and Java Belle aiso have been racing at Keeneland. In her last, Courtesy was a fast-finishing second to Insouciant in the six-furlong Ashland Stakes, while before that she finished between Bless Pat and Java Belle, the trio finishing necks apart. Doug Dodson will ride Courtesy, who has drawn the inside stall in the gate, „ while Hank Moreno will be on Java Belle. In Reserve is an invader from California, by way of Maryland, and will be accompanied by Johnny Longden, who has fared poorly in his other trips to New York in recent years. In her last start, In Reserve was a well-beaten third to Fleet Path and .Early Warning at Laurel, but before that had won the Santa Ynez Stakes and an overnight event at Santa Anita. Lady Balladier is coming up from Garden State, where "she finished second to Heavenly Days last week. Jack Skelly, who has done remarkably well in Long Island stakes, will be in the saddle. Fanford comes from the same barn as Parlo, champion three-year-old filly of last year, and won her last here at Belmont Park in clever style. Jack Westrope will be aboard. Villa also won her last at this track, while Tout a lHeure was a remote second, Villa scoring by seven. Clarence Picou will, again ride the Ambiorix filly. The others will be extreme outsiders, but as recently as 1953 James Cox Brady won the Acorn with an almost completely neglected filly named Secret Meeting. Last years Acorn resulted in a dead-heat between Mrs. John D. Hertz Happy Mood and King Ranchs Riverina. Since Col. E. R. Bradleys Baba Kenney won the Acorn inaugural in 1931, it has gone to such memorable fillies as Top Flight, Twilight Tear, Gallorette, But Why Not and Kiss Me Kate, and a half dozen others that bettered their racing records when sent to the stud.