view raw text
Slide Rule Opposes Occupation Today Head Five Seeking Black Gold Purse Boeing and Marsch Racers Are Ranking Contenders for Classic and American Derby i HOMEWOOD, 111., June 24.— Two of the foremost contenders for Arlington Classic ; honors, John Marschs Occupation and William ■ E. Boeings Slide Rule, are among five ! three-year-olds scheduled to meet in the ! Black Gold Purse, seven-furlong feature of tomorrows program at Washington Park. . The others in the Black Gold are Valdina I Farms Valdina Sol, who also may yet show r enough to earn him a place in the 0,000 I Classic field. Walmac Farms The Native and C. E. Davisons Pearl Harbor. Occupation, last year the countrys biggest money-winning juvenile and runner-up to Count Fleet for the freshman championship, will be making his second start of r the year, his first coming at Hawthorne, 1 where he won the Preston Foster Handicap at the expense of the older Best Seller and I two lesser opponents. The Marsch colt * turned in the fastest six-furlong performance of tir Lincoln Fields meeting, 1:11 ft, in winning that engagement by a half length, and his connections are looking for another top performance from him tomorrow. The further doings of Occupation will I come in for special attention as he sets out to show whether or not he can be counted I upon to be as effective over a distance as ► he has shown himself to be at sprinting. The Black Gold Purse is to be contested at only seven furlongs, but the manner in which Occupation disports himself at that comparatively short distance may shed some light on his prospects of traveling farther. Winner of Three 1943 Stakes Tn Slide Rule, he will be tackling a t worthy rival, for the Boeing colt has been i competing with the best horses of his age I all spring and in his meanderings has I been able to accumulate 1943 earnings of ■ 3,850. He has won three important events, the Experimental Free Handicap, - the Swift Stakes and the Peter Pan Handicap, and besides finished third to Count Fleet and Blue Swords in the Kentucky Derby and second to Count Fleet in the Withers. The others in tomorrows feature are not recommended as highly as Occupation and Slide Rule, but they have licenses to improve on their previous performances . and if they do make respectable showings tomorrow they will surround themselves I with new dignity in the three-year-old | division. There was a time during the winter when Valdina Sol was being favorably mentioned in connection with important spring features for three-year-olds and though his stock took a dip during the spring he may again rise to the early expectations held for him.
