Westward Ho Charges to Narrow Score in 4,500 Kent Stakes at Delaware: Pacemaker Craigwood Drops Nose Decision, as Favored Alibhai Lashes Runs Third, Daily Racing Form, 1955-06-06

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Westward Ho Charges to Narrow Score In 4,500 Kent Stakes at Delaware Pacemaker Craigwood Drops* Nose Decision, as Favored Alibhai Lashes Runs Third By PALMER HEAGERTY Staff Correspondent DELAWARE PARK, Stanton, Del., June 4. — Reacting favorably to a change of tactics, Breckinridge Longs Westward Ho this afternoon charged from seventh position in a field of eight sophomores to account for the eighteenth Kent Stakes by a scant nose over James F. Edwards Craigwood. In third position, just a half length farther back, was William Ewings Alibhai Lashes, the favorite with the good week-end throng of approximately 25,000 which enjoyed interesting sport under cloudy conditions. The victory, which was worth 5,250 of the 4,500 gross purse — richest running of the event — was especially pleasing to trainer Frank Bonsai, who elected to saddle Westward Ho as his lone reliance and reserve Montpeliers Saratoga for next weeks richer Leonard Richards. With this sparkling effort under the strong handling of Nick Shuk, there remains a possibility that Westward Ho will accompany Saratoga postward in jiext weeks race. The Continued on Page Forty-Seven Westward Ho Charges To Narrow Kent Score Nips Pacesetting Craigwood at Wire to Gain Nose .Decision Continued from Page One Kent marked the first attempt on the part of Westward Ho to travel more than six furlongs and the results were gratifying as he traversed the mile and a sixteenth in 1.4.3%. The straight mutuel on the Lochinvar-Loraine homebred was 5.80. Craigwood, another who was making his first appearance at more than sprint distances, was the pacemaker in the Kent, sprinting clear in the run to the first turn, followed by Alibhai Lashes and Roslyn Farms Go Lightly in the. order named. Backers of Westward Ho, as well as many other observers, were more than a bit surprised to see Shuk allowing Westward Ho to drop farther and farther out of contention until he was next-to-last. Westward Ho remained in seventh position along the backstretch and entering the turn, at which time Shuk eased him to the outside and commenced what appeared to be a mild rally. Rounding the final turn, Alibhai Lashes, who had been merely coasting along in the runner-up spot, charged to Craigwood with determination but the leader was not yet readytoccall it quits. ■ Craigwood, under Logan Batcheller, turned into the stretch with a head advantage over Alibhai Lashes and refused to give ground, as the Ewing racer proved incapable of driving his head to the fore. Westward Ho, however, was still to be reckoned with and that became, more and more evident as he charged along the outside, reached the top pair inside the sixteenth pole and gained a narrow victory. Alibhai Lashes shortened stride in the final yards and was beaten a half length ,for the place, as Barclay Stables Blazing Count was a length and a half behind in fourth position.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1955060601/drf1955060601_1_6
Local Identifier: drf1955060601_1_6
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800