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New England By Jo Hirsch Decathlon Scares Supporters Colt Displayed Racing Heart Opposes Pollys Jet in Tyro NARRAGANSETT PARK, Pawtucket, R.-I., June 27. As was the case in Wednesdays Providence Stakes, what had been re garded as a romp for a 3-10 choice in Saturdays Narrag a n s e 1 1 Nursery turned out to be a life-and-death affair, the chief difference being that River Divide Farms undefeated two-year-old Decathlon was able to come through for his legion of supporters while Montpeliers Saratoga sent his backers "to the bridge." Decathlon had a load of bad luck in the Nursery and the fact that he was still able to win, registering his fourth triumph of the season without a loss, adds considerably to his stature. Once again, as he did in his first pair of starts, the son of Olympia from the Bull Dog mare Dog Blessed failed to break with his field. He appeared to stand flatfooted when Impressed shot from the barrier to lead the five-horse field down the back-stretch. His three other competitors were also spotted yardage of varying amounts before Gene Martin got the colt away: In leaving the gate, Martin lost his whip but threw his reins forward and Decathlon Was quick to get the idea. He was even quicker to get the lead. With a furious rush, which" cost him heavily in stamina through the final furlong, incidentally, he blazed his way along the rail and was first at the approach to the far turn, a half length to the good of Impressed with Our Pleasure a pair of lengths farther back. Curving for home Decathlon led by a length and seemed in full command of the situation. He showed the "way to Impressedby a -half length at the eighth pole when the latter began to give way as Norman Mercier set Greenbriers Our Pleasure down for a fierce drive at the leader. Flailing through the homestretch on the inside, his legs swinging wildly in the peculiar side-wheeling motion that is probably the result both of an early injury to his foot and to his conformation, Decathlon was a beaten horse at the sixteenth pole. Our Pleas-; lire raced down the middle of the strip to breast, then edge in front of the leader. It was here, in the final sixteenth of a mile, that Decathlon showed his class, by coming on again to nose, in front of Our Pleasure approaching the wire. The winner made the margin a head when Our Pleasure seemed to duck in at the wire but was a microscopic leader at that point and probably would have won the race in any account. Now Decathlon heads for Monmouth Park and a momentous meeting with Pollys Jet in the 5,000 added Tyro Stakes oh July 4. In this battle of the undefeated he will not be able to give his swift .foe the advantage of an unchallenged start, for the Barclay colt is simply too much horse for that kind of thing. Truth to tell. Decathlon may always have a tough time of it against top competition because as one official put it, "He runs a race-and-a-half," his awkward motion anything but conserving to his energies. However, if there are several of his idiosyncrasies that can be questioned, his courage, demonstrated on- numerous occasions, is not one of these and it is this "heart" that has proved the, difference in countless races. Thus the Tyro becomes an intriguing event and will be closely watched by New England horsemen as a measuring gauge against the quality of the two-year-old racing in this area. Around the Track: President Max White and the full committee of the HBPAs New England division will convene at Lincoln Downs Wednesday evening to troop through the stable area . Continued on Page forty-Six New England . By JOE niKSCII Continued from Page Six with managing director B. A. Dario. The group will inspect the new barn built to replace the one destroyed by the disastrous fire this spring:, plus other backside improvements. White invites all Yankee horsemen to join the tour. . . . Trainer A. J. Zolman reports that Paul Putriments good Sun Again sprinter My Banker is training well and should see action next in Rockingham Parks Independence Day Purse on Monday. . . . Jack Carrara will go to Monmouth Park to saddle Charfran Stables Cascanuez in the 0,000 added Longfellow over the grass on Wednesday. The same stables Brown Booter won that event last season. Cascanuez has been training in New York. . . . Grover Noel and Bobby Ussery were probably the two busiest people on the grounds Saturday, Noel saddling five on the week-end card and Ussery riding in nine races. . . . Eddie Neloy sent Rewarding Lady to Don McCoy, while Nervous Nell was vanned in from New York, consigned to H. W. Williams. Eddie Anspach noted that Mrs. Irving Gushens Star Rover came out of his engagement in Saturdays Lamplighter at Monmouth .in good order and will be flown to Chicago tonight for a scheduled start in the Warren Wright at Arlington Park on Saturday. Eddie will follow on Thursday and the Flushing IX colt will "blow out" on Friday. .. . . Robert J. Dienst, master of River Divide, flew into Providence to root for Decathlon in the Nursery Stakes. . . . Frank Solimena canceled his mounts on Saturday to make a hurried trip to the bedside of his mother, seriously ill in Brooklyn. . . . W. P. Buyck, of St. Matthews, S. C, who races a string here with W. C. Prickett, is a visitor. . . . B. A. Dario has shifted the date of his 60 -horse auction from August 15 to August 22 on the advice of Humphrey Finney, who suggested that the original date was too close to the Saratoga sales.
