Sickles Image Best in Twilight Tear; Massachusetts Goes to One Hitter: Lights Up Second To Greentree Colt; Slight Choice With Crowd Of 20,000 at Suffolk Gets Excellent Ride by Atkinson, Daily Racing Form, 1951-06-14

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Sickles Sickle s Image Image Best Best in in Twilight Twilight Tear; Tear; Massachusetts Massachusetts Goes Goes to to One One Hitter Hitter lights Up Second To Greentree Colt Slight Choice With Crowd Of 20,000 at Suffolk Gets Excellent Ride by Atkinson By CHARLES HATTON SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., June 13. — The Greentree Stables gallant little One Hitter, running at the top of his. form, charged to the front in the last furlong of the seventh edition of the famed Massachusetts Handicap this foggy afternoon, and Ted Atkinson had him in hand as he beat George Wideners challenging Lights Up by a half length, in time only two-fifths off the track record. A length away from the invaders from New York, the New England campaigner Outland carried the Bar Sue Stable colors into third place in a field of 10 as Oil Capitol finished fourth, another length back. The large mid-week crowd of 20,000 installed One Hitter a slight choice over Lights Up, though they showed equal favorites on the board, and he returned a mutuel of while adding 2,000 to the Greentree coffers. The son of Shut Out and Bold Anna left no doubt of his supe- riority at the weights and hung out 2:02 over a strip that was fast as Suffolk ever becomes. Unable to Concede. Eight Pounds Lights Up was attempting to spot One Hitter eight pounds and was running at him down near the finish but was not quite good enough. Outland was the only one of the first three who was in the thick of contention all the way and was in with a feathery 101 pounds. The Massachusetts looked like any other New England feature to the furlong pole, with All At Once, Brick and Outland contending for the lead to that point, where the name horses made their move. It was One Hitters first success in three starts this season. Following the Massachusetts, the TV star Dagmar presented trainer George Poole, who saddled One Hitter, with the handsome handicap trophy. Other dignitaries presented other trophies during the elaborate Massachusetts Day program, among them Byron Redman, chairman of the New Hampshire Racing Commission, Mayor Edward White, Jr., of Revere, Miss Vermont, Miss Rhode Island and Miss Connecticut. The attendance was estimated a trifle larger than that for the same day last year, when some 19,000 attended. The weather was clear during the morning hours, but was overcast during most of the racing. Ted Atkinson, who won an earlier Mass Cap on War Relic, gave One Hitter the benefit of a well-judged ride in this mile and one-quarter. He pegged the pace of Continued on Page Forty Massachusetts Handicap Captured by One Hitter Slight Choice With Crowd of 20,000 Leads Lights Up Home Continued from Page One All At Once several lengths back around the first turn and down the backstretch, and when Outland assumed a brief lead coming to the eighth pole made his move on the outside. One Hitter disposed of Outland without the slightest difficulty, opened up a clear advantage under a vigorous hand ride coming to the sixteenth pole and in the last yards Atkinson was taking him up as hes tood off the belated rush of Lights Up. The Widener colt was well placed at all times, running easily under a waiting ride about midway the field through the first six furlongs, then began to thrust forward on the outside curving for home. He responded willingly when Hettinger called on him the last part of it and was gaining on One Hitter at the end, but it appeared that was because Atkinson realized his bid would fall- short of the mark and stopped riding. Outland helped Brick prompt All At Once on the lead to the last turn, where Brick stopped. Spinale had Outland forcing AH At Once hard curving for home and the Nizley four-year-old was next to crack, leaving the Bar-Sue horse in front briefly as they straightened for the run home. He held on well enough under his light impost through the stretch but simply was no match for the first two when the test came down past the stands. Oil Capitol was prefectly placed and made up a little ground the last quarter but lacked the dash which made him so formidable earlier in his career. Lambent was the only one of the field with any visible excuse, stumbling as he came out of the gate. The match race between apprentice Borgemenke and Burr hardly settled the question of superiority but it showed both to be clever youngsters, and as horse race it was something spectacular to see. Burr won the toss of the coin determining who should have the choice of mounts, My Ruthie or Moose Pone, and handicappers though it a sporting gecture when he selected My Ruthie, Who runs a bit the cheaper of the two fillies. Each had up 110 pounds, and My Ruthie drew the inside in the gate. They broke a£ the five furlongs pole, coming out of thes tails head and head and Man o War and John P. Grier could not have been a better show. They matched stride for stride all down the backstretch and around the turn, neither yielding an inch under a hard handride. Atop the home lane Moose Pone gained a slight advantage of a bit more than a neck, th5ugh racing on the outside around the bend. But Burr kept after My Ruthie and they were level against coming to the 70 yards marker. In the last strides Moose Pone regained the lead, finally winning by about two lengths. They ran in :23%, :46%, and :59%. Excellent time lor horses of this calibre.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1951061401/drf1951061401_1_3
Local Identifier: drf1951061401_1_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800