Valadium in Stunning Belmont Score

Valadium in Stunning Belmont Score
Gay Grecque Gives
Way Nearing Wire
Victress Surges Up With
Irresistible Rush to Annex
Housemaid Handicap Honors
BELMONT PARK. Elmont, L. I., N. Y.,
May 18.— Harry LaMontagne's Valadium,
the extreme outsider of the field, stunned
a crowd of 25.008 today by surging up on
the outside to win the featured Housemaid
Handicap by almost a length from Mrs.
George S. Zauderers Gay Grecque, who
nosed out Gerald F. Strickland's One Miss
in the final stride of the six furlongs. Hal
Price Headleys Recover was another six
lengths out of the money after setting the
pace to the stretch, while Meyer J. Kaplan's
favored Sunshine Nell finished fifth in the
field of six.
Bill Boland rode Valadium, who had been
eased up when she refused to extend herself in her last start, and the daughter of
Lovely Night paid $35.70, $11.10 and $5
across the board. Valadium wore blinkers
in her last bad race, and they were removed
today, but she had finished unplaced without blinkers in her five previous starts.
The time over a "good" track was a passable 1:12%.
Recover Opens Up Lead
Recover took a step at the start and
quickly opened a wide lead over One Miss,
who was another couple of lengths before
Sunshine Nell, while Gay Grecque was in
fourth place on the rail in the run to the
far turn. Valadium was last away from the
gate and had only Lily White, who was
bearing out, behind her in the early stages.
Between the turns, Recover continued to
lead by daylight, followed by One Miss and
Gay Grecque, with all of the riders behind
the pacemaker scuffling to keep position.
Valadium began to gain ground passing the
g
pole and was in high gear on
the outside rounding the final turn.
Recover was still a couple of lengths in
the van corning into the stretch, but faltered abruptly in the final furlong, while
One Miss and Gay Grecque charged at her,
appearing to have the race to themselves,
when Valadium stormed up on the outside
with an irresistible rush. As Valadium drew
away in the final strides, Gay Grecque
shoved her nose before that of One Miss,
while finishing on the rail.
C. Mahlon Kline and trainer Morris H.
Dixon, who had won the hurdle race with
Brechin at $30.40. completed a longshot
double when Kaster led throughout the
Bendix Purse to return $19.40. Augustine
Catalano rode Kaster, who reached the end
of this mile and a sixteenth two and a half
lengths before King Ranch odds-o- n
favorite, Risque Rouge, while Lazy F Ranch's
Put Out was a little more than two lengths
farther back. C. V. Whitney's Counterfeit
was another half-lengout of the money. '
Kaster. a son of Unbreakable from Felicia II., by Asterus, had finished a tiring;
third behind Jamie K. and Risque Rouge
in his only other start this year. He required 1:45% for the journey today and|
finished with something left, despite his|
topweight of 121 pounds. Risque Rouge|
dropped out of contention nearing the
quarter pole, then came on again at the
finish, while Put Out finished fairly well
after trailing to the stretch.
three-furlon-
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