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Valley Forge Brings Out Joe Jones Jacobs Racer Shoulders 119, Giving Rivals 7 to 14 Pounds Skipper Bill, Gaidar, Ifabody! And Commodore M. Oppose Favorite at Garden State By AVERY BROWN GARDEN STATE PARK, Camden, N. J., May 11. — Joe Jones, due to a last minute decision of trainer Hirsch Jacobs, will be shipped here from his New York base and is scheduled as the top weight of 10 candidates for the fifteenth .running of the 9,-650 Valley Forge Handicap to be offered at Garden State Park Saturday. Mrs. Ethel D. Jacobs sturdy son of Stymie — j Moon Maiden is listed at 119 pounds, seven ! more than assigned to Darby Dan Farms Skipper Bill and a concession of 14 pounds to J. Spinellis Cable Jack, the lightweight ] of the field. In announcing his intention of running Joe Jones in the mile and seventy yards Valley Forge Handicap, Jacobs advised local officials that the six-year-old would I start providing the race track was suitable, j He indicated he was not anxious to run i the stakes-winning gelding over a track ! of the "pasteboard" category. The New York invader will be pitted against nine of the 10 better handicap horses on the grounds, namely: Skipper Bill, C. L. DuPuys Gaidar, Elkcam Stables Ifabody.-the latter pair to carry 111; Calumet Farms Commodore M. at 110; ! Eugene F. OConnells Marys Bubble, j Castle Rock Farms Mr. First and Jet Stables Weal or Woe, grouped at 108; Ruffalo Brothers Our Gob at 107 and the aforementioned Cable Jack. Beaten by Helioscope Last Year Joe Jones will be seeking to atone for last years defeat by Helioscope in the Valley Forge. In that edition of the feature, the Jacobs star was beaten a nose while carrying the same impost as he is assigned tomorrow and getting 11 pounds for the Helis champion. While the opposition is not as stern as he has been meeting earlier this season, Joe Jones will be meeting some classy sprinters over the abbreviated middle distance route. Joe Jones, after a poor season at Santa Anita in which he was able to account for only an overnight allowance test on the turf course, moved back to the top-rank handicap division with victories in the Southern Maryland and Bowie Handicap at the Prince George County track. In the Campbell Memorial the son. of Stymie was beaten four lengths by the ill-fated Sailor, while finishing second ahead of Fisherman. Carrying 119 pounds against Alfred G. Vanderbilts Find in the Excelsior at Jamaica, Joe Jones succumbed by a neck after stumbling at the start. In his sortie to New England, Jacobs homebred turned the tables on Find by receiving a sensational ride from Tony DeSpirito to take honors in the Lincoln Special. In that race the margin was a nose with Joe Jones carrying 120 against 118 for the Vanderbilt gelding. Last week end Joe Jones also toted 120 pounds while in the thick of contention before weakening and winding up fourth beaten about two lengths in the Grey Lag at Jamaica. While Jacobs failed to name a rider for tomorrows engagement, it is considered a certainty that Conn McCreary will accompany him from New York and be astride Joe Jones in the Valley Forge. Skipper Bill has not attempted any middle distance races since his success in the Ohio Championship Handicap at Beu-lah Park last fall. The six-year-old son of Errard has been postward twice since the opening of the current Garden State meeting, winning his first local outing, and in the more recent race closing stoutly to finish second to the fleet I Appeal last Saturday. Both races were over the six-furlong course. In last Saturdays race the Darby Dan stallion was equal highweight of the field with Royal Battle at 121 pounds, five less than carried by the winner. He served notice that coming from off the pace was. suitable and while unable to overtake the leader, proved very impressive with his late rally. Walter Blum, a topnotch. rider among the eastern saddle-smiths, will handle Skipper Bill tomorrow. Gaidar has yet to make an appearance over the local track but comes here after defeating a. representative field in the closing day handicap at Gulfstream Park. Prior to that event, the Rustom Sirdar gelding was second to Swaps- when the Californian established his worlds record at a mile and 70 yards. Actually, Gaidar bested the old mark of 1:4034 while beaten two and one-quarter lengths by Swaps. Earl Van Hook, who rode Gaidar in all his-Florida races, is coming here to ride tomorrow. Ifabody was well beaten by Joe Jones in two Bowie races this spring but since that time has picked up a scoxe in an overnight allowance at Bowie, was second to , Scimitar on opening day here and wound up fifth in a five-horse photo finish last Saturday in the Laurel Handicap at the Maryland track. Trainer Ray Metcalf has not named a rider as yet. Weal or Woe is the only 1956 stakes winner among the others in the Valley Forge. The son of Eight Thirty— Winning Bid annexed the Capitol Handicap, a six-furlong event at Laurel this spring. Sammy Boul-metis who has a habit of winning the majority of New Jersey stakes events, has been engaged to handle the Jet Stable .colorbearer. Other riding assignments include: Willie Hartack on Commodore M., Norman Cox on Mary Bubble, Charley Burr on Mr. First and Hank Moreno will be aboard Our Gob.
