view raw text
♦ Shipboard Makes Auspicious Return in Corinthian Chase Montpelier Fencer Beats * Running Mate Beaupre by Three Lengths at Belmont By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 12. — Last years Belmont Grand Na-tonal winner, Montpeliers Shipboard, made an auspicious return to the races today when he captured the fiftieth running of the Corinthian Steeplechase by three lengths over his runningmate, Manton B. Metcalf. Jr.s. Beaupre. It was another three lengths back to Mrs. Ogden Phipps Neji at the end of about two miles," while Lawrence R. Troianos Curly Joe was a length and a half out of the money. James F. McHughs Jam and Mrs. C. E. Adams Errolford completed the field in the absence of Mrs. Phipps Ancestor, who was scratched this morning. There were no spills, but Jam and Errolford bobbled repeatedly and Shipboard stumbled at the same ninth fence at which he fell in last years Temple Gwathmey. his last start of 1954. Albert Foot rode Shipboard with his customary aplomb. Patrons Favor Winning Entry The Ray Woolfe-trained entry was favored by the crowd of 19,899. returning .20, .80 and .60 across the board, after Shipboard got the distance in a creditable 1:41%, just two seconds slower than Odeipus track record, on a hard track. Mrs. Marion duPont Scott, owner and breeder of Shipboard, netted ,225 of the gross purse of ,975. Shipboard was equal topweight with Neji at 155 pounds, which is the heaviest package he has yet been asked to carry. The Battleship gelding won six of his nine starts last year and was second in another, but fell once and lost Foot on another occasion. Errolford went to the front the start of the Corinthian, but repeated mistakes soon dropped him back to last place. Jam, though also taking his fences carelessly, held on somewhat better, forcing the pace of Beaupre until the field turned into the backstretch, where Curly Joe moved past him, while Shipboard began to close Continued on Page Forty -Two R. G. WOOLFE— Sent out Shipboard and Beaupre to run one-two in the Corinthian Steeplechase Handicap at Belmont Park. ! I j , 1 j , . j Shipboard Wins Belmonts Corinthian Steeplechase Whips Beaupre by Three Lengths In First Outing Since October Continued from Page One ground without apparent effort. His mistake at the next-to-last fence in the back-stretch delayed Shipboards progress a little, but he completely out jumped Beaupre on the next three obstacles, gaining a length or more at each fence. The Battleship five-year-old took command at the final turn and steadily widened his lead under mild urging, while Scotty Schulhof-fer went to the whip on Beaupre to no avail. All this while, Neji had been far back, with only Errolford behind him and appeared to be laboring between the final turns, but the big chestnut finally began to run in the stretch, closing with a belated rush that augurs well for his chances in the longer International Chase on May 21. However, Shipboard has already won . at three miles and appears to be carrying a* bit more flesh than last year. Mrs. Jack Skirvins Golden Ana, the logical favorite in the opener, and Allie J. Fralingers Just Bill, a paddock choice in the second, combined for a 3.60 Daily Double. Ray Mikkonen rode Golden Aria, a repeater, who led all the way in the seven-furlong opener to score by almost two lengths over Mrs. Herman B. Delmans Nest Ce Pas, who *iad a rather unlucky trip. Golden Aria paid .70 and required 1-25*5 for the journey. Just Bill, who had turned in a fair race for his debut, though finishing eighth, drew out at the end of the second race under Jack Westropes whip to triumph by a length and a half over Woodley Lane Farms pacemaking Air Don who led Brandywine Stables Bail Out by a neck. Belair Studs Bay Tarquin fin-inshed with a rush after being knocked back at the start to be only a half length out of the money. Just Bill paid .70 and stepped the four and a half furlongs in C. T. Chenerys Hildnx, a three-year-old half brother to Hill Prince, graduated from the maiden ranks in the fourth event, opening a wide early lead and holding on long enough to score by a half length over Flying L Stables Old Mill, who led Circle M Farms Going Big by a length and a half. Bill Boland rode Hildrix, who paid 5.40 and required 1:12 for the six furlongs. Another of Hill Princes relatives, his full brother, Prince Hill, has also won at this meeting. Hildrix was the fifth winner for trainer J. H. "Casey" Hayes at Belmont this spring.
