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. , -— i | 1 EDWARD I. KELLY— Saddles the Brook-field Farms Itobe and Isendu in Mondays renewal of the Toboggan Cap. Belmont Launches Meeting Monday Topweighted Cohoes Has 13 Rivals in Toboggan Handicap * Run Historic Sprint on Main Track; Nadir, Warhead, Tick Tock, Bumpy Road Challenge By DON FAIR Staff Correspondent BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 9. — The 0,200 Toboggan Handicap, traditional opening day feature at Belmont, will have its sixty-fifth renewal Monday as New York thoroughbred racing moves to this spacious and mellowing Nassau County Course. This edition of the 6 furlongs Toboggan will be decided over the Belmont main course and Mrs. Charles Shipman Payson and Ambassador John Hay Whitneys Greentree Stable homebred, Cohoes, is the highweight at 125 pounds in the field of 14. For the next eight weeks, several of the nations most important races will be decided, with more than one million dollars in added money, topped by the finale of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes. This season the Belmont will carry a 25,000 endowment from the New York Racing Association and the rich three-year-old classic will be run midway in the meeting, Saturday, June 13, at the exacting iy2 miles route. Most significant change in Belmonts reconstruction program is the disposal of the Widener chute. This part of the huge racing grounds has been a controversial subject for some*- time and Empire State thoroughbred patrons for the most part were pleased when the six and one-half furlongs straightaway was discontinued and the ground seeded and blended into Belmonts picturesque centerfield. Opportunities for Three-Year-Olds The 91st running of the Belmont is always the seasons highlight here but many other major fixtures will be renewed during the 1959 meeting. Three-year-olds will have ample opportunity for their age group is eligible to five other events, the 5,000 Withers Mile and the 0,000 Sysonby Handicap being the major attractions. Three-year-old fillies will have their big test of the year in the 5,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on Saturday, June 20. Oftimes referred to as the "Fillies Belmont," the searching 1 % miles of the Oaks, requires the greatest bf stamina from the young distaffs and the roster of its winners proves the value of this fine feature. Leading up to the Coaching Club American Oaks is the one mile, 0,000 Acorn Stakes, which comes up for decision next Saturday. The handicap division will have its greatest chance at a single meeting this year with Belmont offering three races worth a quarter of a million dollars for the group which races under assigned weights. Starting with the 0,000 Carter at 7 furlongs Wednesday, May 20, the series continues with the one mile Metropolitan, now 00,-0*00 added, Saturday, May 30, and finishing off with the 00,000 Suburban July 4, at 1% miles. The last two named races form the first portions of the "handicap triple," which is concluded by the 00,000 Brooklyn at Jamaica on August 1. Only -two horses, Whisk Broom n. in 1913 and Tom Fool forty years later, have been able to win these three handicaps in a single season. The two-year-olds have not been forgotten on the long list of stakes at Belmont— 23 on the flat and five over jumps — but for the first season since 1926 the young thoroughbreds will not be competing on the Widener straightaway. There are four stakes for the young thoroughbreds at Belmont mostly late in the meeting and carrying moderate purse values. The big events for the two-year-olds will come in the fall when the new Aqueduct opens and renews a pair of fixtures made famous at Belmont Park — the Futurity and the Champagne. The jumpers will return to New York with the opening of Belmont and they will remain until June 4 during which time five stakes will be decided over the hedges. The hurdlers have the Belmont National Maiden, worth 0,000 added, May 19, and the Annapolis, June 4 at the same value, while the steeplechasers will vie for the 5,000 International May 14, the 2,500 Spring Maiden May 21 and the 7,500* Meadow Brook May 28. Getting back to the Toboggan, Cohoes, a recent Jamaica winner and one of the aces in the Greentree barn, looms dangerous in spite of his bulky impost. The five-year-old son of Mahmoud and Belle of Troy, a Troy a good stakes performer last year, will be ridden by Johnny Ruane, who will be in quest of his initial Toboggan success. Cohoes Coming Off Win Arthur B. Hancocks Claiborne Farm star, Nadir, will make his New York seasonal debut in Mondays dash and he is pegged at 123 pounds, while Howell E. Jacksons Tick Tock, Mrs. Irving Gushens Bumpy Road, and Harry N. Isaacs Brook-field Farms Paumonok Handicap victor, Isendu each will shoulder 122 pound burdens. Isendu will have a useful Toboggan running mate in Itobe, assigned 115 pounds. Others expected to go to the post in the Belmont inaugural feature are Mrs. Gene Markeys Calumet Farm homebred, Kentucky Pride, 118; Christopher T. Chenerys Meadow Stable homebred, Yemen, 115; Georgiana Fosters Viscount, 112; Maurice Newtons speedy Egotistical, 110; and George D. Wideners Pundit, 109 pounds. Trainer Harold Goodwin will saddle a pair for the Toboggan, Myron N. Goodwins Jim-mer, 115, and Natalie R. Lynchs Nans Mink, 108 pounds. With 14 Toboggan starters, the winning owner will net 9,330. Jockey Eddie Arcaro, who won three previous Toboggans, will try for his fourth aboard Warhead, and Hedley Woodhouse is after his second with Pundit. Bobby TJssery is engaged for Tick Tock, Harlan Dalton rides Viscount, Steve Brooks is flying in to handle Kentucky Pride, Willie Hartack will be up on Bumpy Road, and Eldon Nelson is named on Jimmer. Manuel Ycaza will be at the reins on Nadir, Glen Smith is to guide Nans Mink, Mike Sorrentino will be on Itobe, while Dave Erb is to pilot the latters stable companion, Isendu.
