Evening star., 1946-06-02
k|eberg' 'sHorse
Heads Natchez
Seventh to Win Turf's
; Top Races; Favored
Lord Boswell Fifth
Continued From First Page.)

Assault nearly fell to his knees. as
he did in the Preakness, and Jockey
Warren Mehrtens of Brooklyn had
to pick him up. AS a result, the
Texas-foaled and bred colt was next
to last at the start, ahead of only
War Watch. At the half mile, it was
Hampden by half a length. Natchez
by three lengths, a fast-moving War
Watch by three lengths and Assault,
Lord Boswell, Mahout and Cable, in
that order.
Gains Lead Entering Stretch.
After a mile, Assault still was
running fourth, half a length ahead
Of Lord Boswell, with Hampden still
leading under the riding OF Eddie
Arcaro, but at a mile and quarter
Mehrtens, who rode as masterfully
today as he rode poorly in the
Preakness, made his move.
Without ever using his bat, Mehr-
tens got all the speed he asked for
and as the field hit the stretch As
sault went into length-and-a-half
lead over Natchez, who had passed
Hampden. Cable closed swiftly in
the last half mile, coming from last
to nab show money.
Assaults hackers received $4.80 for
81 win ticket, $40 for place and
$2.70 for show. Natchez, ridden by
clever Conn McCreary. paid $50 to
place and $4.10 to show. Gable paid
$3.50 to show.
Lord Boswell, who won seven of
his II races as 2-year-old as
against Assaults two victories in
nine starts in 1945, was a terrible
disappointment. Under a ride by
Jockey Eric Guerin, recently REIN
stated after being suspended, Lord
Boswell clung to Assault for a mile
and it looked as if they might make
their bids together. But when Guerin
asked Boswell for more speed, he
didn't have it-or at least, wasn't
giving any today.
Time Good Under Conditions.
Assaults time OF 2::3O4s was not
outstanding, but it was good under
the conditions. The track was fast,
but when the Belmont field came
out for the sixth race on the card
a fresh, chill wind struck up and
the Texas colt was bucking that
down the stpetch. The record for
the Belmont Stakes was set in 1943
by Count Fleet, who ran over a fast
track in 2:28b.
Natchez ran good race, never
losing the No. 2 position, but never
taking away the lead from Hampden
or Assault. For a f1eeting second or
two, Gable was called in front at
the start, but this colt, whose daddy
was War Admiral, promptly drop
ped back to last and waited, under
the guidance Of Teddy Atkinson,
before making his bid.
Arcaro, astride Hampden, obvi-
ously hoped that the Foxcatcher
Farms colt could stick out the dis
tance, but mile and a half was a
little too long for him. Mrs. JET
fords' Mahout, stablemate of
Natchez and conqueror of Lord Bos-
well in handicap here on May Is,
never was a contender and finished
sixth. A second son of War Admiral,
Mrs. Alfred Roberts War Watch,
was last. Two entries, Manor Lad
and the Canadian colt, Windfields,
were scratched.
Among the crowd were Mayor
William ODwyer of New York,
marking rare visit by a New York
city head to the Long Island course,
and Admiral Marc Mitscher, who
was in Assaults corner with Owner
Kleberg and who wound up in the
victory ring after the race was run.
Among the movie set were Don
Ameche, who makes pictures be-
tween races, and Fred Astaire.
There also were approximately
$4,000 other people who must now
be convinced that Lord Boswell
isn't the horse that is Assault.