Evening star., 1934-05-06
MEL|TA, I'd, WINS
GOLD CUP EVENT
Boston Flying Horse Farm
Scores Fourth VIC
tory.
BY ROBERT b. PHILLIPS, JR.

tory.
BY ROBERT b. PHILLIPS, JR.
BY Staff Correspondent of The Star.
WARRENTON. Va, May 5.-For the
fourth time in five years, the Flying
Horse Farm of Boston. won the Vir-
ginia Gold Cup Steeplechase classic
here yesterday afternoon as its mas
sive timber topper Melita. I'd. galloped
to an easy victory before 10000 cheer
ing, sweltering spectators.
A short-priced favorite In the bet
ting, Melita never was seriously chal-
lenged by any Of the six-horse field
after Mrs. w. Austin Wadsworth's
Hotspur II came a cropper half way
through the gruelling 4-mile test.
Hotspur, hard pressed by the gentle
man jockey, Stuart Janney, jr, had
chung doggedly at Melita's heels as the
two outdistanced all pursuit dur
ing the early stages Of the race, but
when the giant chestnut fell, Jack
Skinner took snug hold on the ulti-
mate winner and rode a steady, con-
fldent course to victory.
Burling Cocks drove Carleton
Palmer's Rond du Roi mercilessly in
an effort to reach the leader after
Hotspur was eliminated. but the stout
est efforts of both rider and horse
could not offer a serious challenge.
Was Fourth Triumph.
1t was SINNERS fourth triumph in
the cup race as well as the Sumner
Pingree interests, owners of the Fly
ing Horse stable. He was atop Sois-
sons in 1880, Melita, 3D. in that initial
success of 1882, and The Prophet last
season. BY virtue of the first three
victories, the Flying Horse Farm last
year retired the gold cup trophy and
promptly posted another ST 900 cup
to supplant it. Unless new blood and
| cunning can be brought into the cup
| series soon, however it appeared to-
day the Pingree attempt to give away
a prize never will get very far.
Only three of the original starters
managed to finish the route this aft
ernoon, although the turf was firm
and the obstacles of the cup course
notably moderate in size. Mrs. Caro-
line Whites Jambo somersaulted to
earth at the fourth fence, Hotspur
was the next victim and Randolph
Duffey pulled up Friar's Hope owned
by Thomas B. Gay, before the finish
line was reached. Mrs. Howard c.
Fairs Massapequa, the youngest horse
in the race, handled by the youngest
rider in colors today, Julian Marshall,
came under the wire a belated but
creditable third.
Hunt Cup Race Best.
While it was the Gold Cup that
drew to the green slopes of the Bald
win Spilman estate the thousands who
came in everything from stream lined
motors to one-horse gigs, the best
racing of the afternoon cropped up
in the Warrenton Hunt Cup, second
airy event on the afternoons program.
Six went to the post for this trial
also, but the running narrowed to five
at the first fence, when Mrs. Thomas
Somerville's Billy Bozo. a green horse,
making his first start, slipped stirrup
leather and was pulled up. From
that moment on through two-thirds
OF the 3-mile contest the five sur
vivors fought it out at close quar-
ters, swapping the lead half dozen
times and performing the whole rule
angled for an advantage.
By the time they swung into the
third mile, Silver Pay, the other half
of the Somerville entry, was tiring.
T. w. Durant's Gil Bias and Charles
E. Perkins Laguna Secca began to
tangle talents in earnest, and another
Durant color bearer, Diony, eased into
third as Paul Melons Dangay con-
tinued to smack each and every fence
resounding rap. Gil Bias and La
guna Secca went into their fences
driving, and when they had the luck
to get over them, despite the terrific
pace, the duel resolved into a fiat
race. Gil Bias showed the foot in
that line, and came home length
and half to the fore.
Two Riders Shaken.
While two morning races which
opened the day lacked the full-bodied
excitement of the later contests, the
Agricultural Steeplechase for Fauquier
farmers and their horses provided
CORY doings for the addicts of dis
aster in hunt racing. Out of the
eight starters, six fell, two riders were
so badly shaken they had to be car
ried from the field, and loose horses
roamed all oyer the place menacing
the few runners still in the race
Pulley" Hughes easily captured the
laurelS in this division with a capa-
BILE chestnut Main Roe, which finished
at least quarter of mile in front
of the second horse and about S min
utes before the third. which had been
remounted after a spill.
The North Whales Steplechase, 21a
miles over brush, likewise proved
something of walkover for Noel Laing
on his own Fairy Love fater hard
luck cut down three of the five start
ers. Miss Dorothy Neyharts Iollan
struck himself and was pulled up.
George Sloan's Quincy fell heavily
and Howard Fairs The Mole turned
over at jump while showing a
strong effort to win. James McCor-
mick ran after the escaped Mole,
caught him with the aid of bystand-
ers and remounted to finish the course
and take third money. Randolph Duff
fey brought home Drapeau, from the
Alvin Untermeyer stables, in second
place.