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►— __ — Backbone Skipping Valley Forge Cap Talent Show and Mystic II. Will Head Saturdays Field As Garden State Meet Opens By BOB McCXKLKY Staff Correspondent GARDEN STATE PARK, Camden. N J., April 30. — What was supposition yesterday became reality today with the withdrawal of Boncrist Farms Backbone from the prospective starting field for Saturdays 5,000 Valley Forge Handicap at Garden State Park. The four-year-old W o r d e n colt, who would have shouldered 122 pounds had his connections elected to send him in the one mile and 70 yards feature event of the 1959 inaugural racing program in New Jersey, has not been hemself since finishing last in the Laurel Maturity. Trainer Lloyd Murray reports he has let up on him since that race and had no further plans as of the moment. With the defection of Backbone, Mrs. Ada L. Rices Talent Show and C. Mahlon Klines Mystic II. both definite starters at this stage, are expected to vie for favortism with the opening-day throng. Talent Show displayed excellent form in winning the Laurel Maturity in his last start while Mystic II. has a victory in the Westchester and a second in the Excelsior to his credit in his last two starts. Leonard to Ride Talent Show Talent Show, who will have the saddle services of Jack Leonard, contract rider for the Rice band, and Mystic II., who is to be ridden by Mike Sorrentino, will share starting highweight honors of 118 pounds. Another riding assignmr: * was reported this morning when the Brookmeade Stable announced that Dave Erb would be on hand to handle Oligarchy in the Valley Forge. The five-year-old Alibhai horse will carry 116 pounds. The remainder of the field is expected to be composed of Alfred G. Vanderbilts Village Idiot, 111; Elmendorfs Day Court and Roslyn Farms Inswept, both at 110; John S. Kellys Deack Duncan and Victory Stables Sonny Dan, 108 apiece, and Sam Tufanos Wise Margin, 106. Talent Show and Oligarachy were on the track this morning with the former breezing 4 furlongs in :49 and the latter getting 5 panels in 1:0325 in similar fashion. Meanwhile, the stable area population continues to grow as horses arrive by Van. train and plane from other racing centers. Among the latest to check in were the charges of J. Woods Garth, who came from Laurel with eight head, Warner E. Jones, who supervised the bedding down of a quartet of thoroughbreds who race for George Bills Jr., and Richard "Whitey" Nixon, who unloaded seven. At last count. 750 of the 1,200 available stalls have acquired tenants.
