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Churchill Churchill Handicap Handicap to to Fleeting Fleeting Star; Star; Better Better Self Self Accounts Accounts For For Gallant Gallant Fox Fox Fashions Own Pace At Jamaica Route Young Bill Boland Handles King Ranch Horse Smoothly To Lead Chicle II. to Wire By BOB HORWOOD JAMAICA, L. I., N. Y., April 29.— King Ranchs Better Self, finding an "off" track to his liking, led from soon after the start of the 0,000 added Gallant Fox Handicap to the end of the mile and three-sixteenths, shaking off repeated challenges to score by a little more than a length over Palatine-Stables Chicle n., who led A. G. Vander-bilts Loser Weeper by another head, while King Ranchs Flying Missel, who was generally regarded as the mainstay of the entry, with Eddie Arcaro in the saddle, finished fourth, only a neck out of the money. Bill Boland, who will ride Middle-ground in the Derby, turned in a smooth performance on Better Self, who paid .50 and stepped the distance in 1:57, over a track that had been muddy for the earlier races, but had been harrowed and dried until it was officially "good" for the Gallant Fox. First Winning Favorite of Day A crowd of 34,678 assembled to watch the richest stake of the Jamaica meeting and first of the long series of major handicaps of the New York season. A light sprinkle early in the afternoon sent most of the lawn patrons scurying for shelter, but the congestion under the stands proved worse than-the feeble rain and the majority soon emerged. While far from springlike, the weather was supportable with the aid of topcoats and coffee. Better Self was the first wininng favorite of the afternoon, and he would not have been the choice, but for being coupled with Flying Missel. Eric Guerm broke .My .Request in front as the field for the Gallant Fox left the starting gate at the head of the stretch, but Boland quickly hustled Better Self into command, and was leading My Request by a half length as they swept under the finish line the first time. Chicle II. was a close third, bunched with Royal Governor, Red Camelia and Arise, while Sky Miracle was eased back along the rail and Delegate was not far away. There was a wide gap back to Going Away, Flying Missel, First Nighter, Loser Weeper and Blue Thanks. Better Self continued to lead My Request bya half length in the run down the far side, with Chicle n. moving daylight before Royal Governor and Arise, while Delegate began to move up along the rail and Loser Weeper began to gain rapidly on the outside. As Better Self moved along at a steady pace on the lead. My Request began to shorten stride at the far turn and Chicle II. moved up to challenge but was forced to lose some ground oh the outside. Continued on Page Four — , Better Self Outruns Gallant Fox Rivals Young Bill Boland Handles King Ranch Horse Smoothly To Lead Chicle II. to Wire Continued from Page One Royal Governor also came on strongly, while Arise began to tire and Atkinson went to the whip on Delegate, getting only a feeble- response. Better Self came Into the stretch almost three lengths In the van, with Chicle TI. driving hard behind him and Loser Weeper moving fast on the outside. At the eighth pole it was evident that Better Self would not be caught. The big " . son of Bimelech — Bee Mac, who was scor- ing his most important victory since his juvenile campaign, was running smoothly, while Chicle H. was driving desperately behind him and Loser Weeper, though finishing fastest of all, .; was too far out of it when he made his bid. Flying Missel also finished fast -along the rail after being blocked at the top of the hqme lane. Better Self added 2,800 to the coffers of Robert J. Kleberg, Jr., master of the vast King Ranch and gave young Bill Boland his first stakes winner. The boy was too tickled to be articulate after the race. Arcaro said that he had no place to go at the head of the stretch and stayed on the rail, hoping for an opening which came too late. John Gilbert, who rode Chicle II., said that he had no real excuse, though he had been forced to lose some ground on the final curve. Atkinson Comments on Delegate Ted Atkinson said that the going and the distance both operated against Delegate, who is generally regarded as a superior sprinter, but a good "off" track horse. He finished seventh, with Royal Governor, who tired after a strong bid at the three-sixteenths pole fifth and Arise, who also tired badly, in sixth place. Blue Thanks ran over beaten horses at the end to be eighth before My Request, Sky Miracle, Red Camelia, First Nighter and Going Away. The Gallant Fox was a cleanly run race, on the whole, with none of the contenders having any valid excuse, with the possible exception of Flying Missel. Greentree Stables Card Sharp, a half-brother to Capot, by Count Fleet, who has run for as little as ,000 recently and finished unplaced, came from behind to graduate in the fourth race for maiden three-year-olds. Belair Studs Hyvania. a half-brother to Black Tarquin, finished a little more than a length behind at the end of six furlongs in 1:13%. Harry LaMon-tagnes Royal Mint was a weary third, after setting the pace to the head of the stretch, while King Ranchs Destino finished fourth at odds-on. The latter was the highest-priced yearling of the 1948 sales, bringing 2,000, which might have been some solace to breeder Henry Lustig, who formerly owned the Longchamps chain of restaurants and had lost a decision to Uncle Sam. Ted Atkinson completed a double on Card Sharp, who paid 1.
