Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-04-03

Port|aw, Kitty Kidd
Head LOT Menacinq
Champs Streak
Virginia Hunt Country's
Interest in Big Race
Tomorrow Is High
BY LARRY LAWRENCE.

AAEtAtA LA w AkkANSIs
Will Mrs. Crompton Smiths amaz-
ing Mowgli under the hand of the
veteran rider Cronpton Smith, boost
his string of victories to four straight
by taking the Rokeby Bowl tomor-
row. This is the question agitating
the Virginia hunt country. Interest
in this feature of the Piedmont and
neighboring hunts point-to-point
races Is at such high pitch that a
record crowd Is expected to gather
at Rokeby, the estate of 1t. and
Mrs. Paul Mellon near Upperville,
Va. Action will start at 2:30.
An outstanding field is out to
beat the champ, to prove that the
big-hearted son of Dear Herod and
his rider are not an unbeatable
combination.
The competition recognizes the
fact that Mowgh is a truly great
horse. Man o. War of the cross
country game, grand combination
Of endurance, speed and jumping
ability, but the greatest can be
beaten.
The question Is which Of Mowgli's
top rivals has the best chance of
bringing his winning streak to an
end
P0rtlaw Is Likely Candidate.
Tom Motifs Portlaw, with Tommy
Mott, jr., up, is a likely candidate.
In the important Belmont Memorial
last year, 1t was Portlaw second to
Goldun and half length ahead of
Mowgli. Last Saturday it was Port
law who raced Mrs. Smiths gelding
to the wire in the Pink Coat Open.
In every point-to-point this year
Portlaw has been a factor and he
now is due.
The only horse to take the measure
OF the champ this year is Mrs. E.
Douglas Primes Kitty Kidd. The
tough ex-brood mare showed marked
promise In the Redland Bowl and
Arnold Scruton brought her to the
wire with plenty to spare, but Smith
was not riding Mowgli that day. In
the heart-breaking Middleburg, Kit
ty Kidd found the going too strenu-
GUS and pulled up. Last week she
finished fourth in the Pink Coat
Open.
Another decided threat to the
Mowgli supremacy is Lillian Cham
bers' spectacular Cautious Tom.
Under the able riding of his tall
ented mistress. the son of Tom
I1ger-Precaution showed his class
by finishing only two lengths back
OF Mowgli in the Warrenton Bowl.
Miss Chambers has prepped her
strong entry for the Rokeby.
Another strong contender is
Portnos, owned by Laura Sprague
OF Chicago and Middleburg. The
stalwart and speedy son of The
Porter-Bright Legion won the Mid
dleburg Bowl in 1910 and finished
within five lengths of Mowgli in
that grueling emile classic this year.
Other Strong Entries.
There are several other entries
that will bear watching tomorrow.
Gerry Webb, jr's Big Charley is a
much-improved horse and under
tne able riding OF his owner should
be well to the fore on the Rokeby
course. E. Boyd Keyes' Locomotive
Is a powerful animal with plenty of
foot, as was shown in last weeks
Potomac Hunts women's race un-
der Judy Johnson's expert riding.
High Pinnacle, DR.. Edmund Hor-
gan's f1ashy gelding, should be we'll
up with Marshall Harris in the sad
die. Ruth OKeefes Sun Alv and
Beatty Browns Dunlad are strong
contestants.
In the women's race, to be ridden
side saddle or astride, with a mini
mum weight of AS pounds, the en-
tries will include such impressive
horses as Mrs. Robert G. Winmill's
Keeline, Mrs. Robert Chambers
Copper Queen. Mrs. Frank McSher-
rvs Regiment, Mrs. Primes King
Luke and Mrs. w. Hulburt's Yonder
Broom.