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—————— PETER J. ODONNELL — General manager of the Lincoln Fields Racing Association whose 30-day annual meeting opens this afternoon at Washington Park. Metropolitan Goes to Loser Weeper Lightly Weighted Vanderbilt Colt Defeats Vulcan s Forge * Length and Half Separates Leaders in Belmonts Mile Fixture as 38,735 Look On BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 14.— Alfred G. Vanderbilts Loser Weeper, the lightweight of the field, under 105, led most of the way in the fifty-sixth running of the Metropolitan Handicap today to beat I. J. Collins top-weighted Vulcans Forge by a length and a half under a heady ride by Hedley Woodhouse. King Ranchs But Why Not finished a neck away and a length before Mrs. F. Ambrose Clarks Tea-Maker. Loser Weeper returned a liberal 7.70 and stepped the mile in 1:36% on a fast track. A throng of 38,735 viewed the afternoons sport in delightful spring weather. The favorite players among them had only one winner in the first six events, however. Vanderbilt was in the winners circle to greet Loser Weeper, his first Metropolitan winner since Good Harvest scored under Sammy Renick in 1936. Renick also was in the winners circle to interview Vanderbilt for the television audience. Vanderbilt evaded the television, however, in favor of trainer Bill Winfrey. William Helis Rippey was made favorite for the Metropolitan for the second successive year, and again failed his followers, though in slightly different style. Last year he blew a wide early lead. Today he was rated off the pace, made a threatening bid at the head of the stretch, and faltered, finishing sixth Loser Weeper added 1,400 to his earnings. This was the first stake victory for the homebred son of Discovery — Outdone. Three Rings Early Leader Three Rings went to the front at the start of the Metropolitan, followed closely by Tea-Maker, Loser Weeper and Blue Border, who was on the outside and moved to the lead for a few strides. Woodhouse kept pushing on Loser Weeper and took command half-way down the backstretch, opening up a lead of a little more than a length, over Three Rings, Blue Border and Rippey, who was in fairly close quarters on the rail. Tea-Maker, But Why Not, Faultless, Manyunk, Riverlane and Vulcans Forge followed. Loser Weeper continued to lead by daylight in the run around the turns, while Rippey moved up strongly along the rail as Blue Border began to tire. Tea-Maker was a close fourth nearing the three-eighths pole, and Three Rings was dropping back, along with But Why Not, who seemed in difficulties. Loser Weeper came into the stretch a couple of lengths to the fore, and Wood-house looked back quickly, then cut the Vanderbilt colt a couple of times with his whip. As the winner drew away from those who had been chasing him, Vulcans Forge surged up on the outside from seventh place, picking, up horses with every stride, but his bid was much too late. But Why Not, who had begun to run strongly again at the head of the home lane, hung slightly in the final strides and was narrowly beaten for second honors. Tea-Maker tired, but held on gamely, while Faultless beat the staggering Rippey, Three Rings and Blue Border. Riverlane and Manyunk, who completed the field, were never really in the race.
