Evening star., 1951-06-17
Returns $3.50;
Count Turf Ends
In Seventh Place
Bottle Morn Third;
Count Fleet Offspring
Win z Events in Day
By ChorIes N. Egon
Sports Editor of The Star

may be some lingering doubt
about the three-year-old cham
pion of 1851, but there should, be
no question about the years top
sire. It's Count Fleet all the way.
Count Turf, the Kentucky Der
by winner. flattened out badly
today in the SD Belmont Stakes
after holding a half-length lead
at the mile. But, another son of
Count Fleet, winner of the 1943
triple crown, took up the slack.
His name is Counterpart and,
before a crowd of 41,253, this son
of Count Fleet won Americas S
oldest stakes by four lengths. And
Just prior to the post parade, a
flash announced that Kiss Me
Kate, daughter of Count Fleet,
had won the highly-regarded
Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park.
Fathers Day Day Early.
Fathers Day" came just "a
hours early for Count Fleet.
Counterpart had to dispose of
a mild challenge from favored
Battlefield in the stretch, but the
rugged chestnut colt and his rider,
Dave German, were more than
equal to the challenge. In fact,
Counterpart was pulling away
in the last 100 yards on this beau
tiful afternoon on a track that
was rated fast despite nearly a
week of rain.
1t was the second Belmont
Stakes victory for his owner, Cor
Inelius v. Whitney, former Under
secretary of Commerce. whose
Phalanx won this third gem of
the triple crown back in 1947.
However. it was the sixth time the
same light blue colors have ap-
lpeared in the winners circle. for
the owners famous father, Harry
Payne Whitney. won the classic
four times between 1904 and 1918.
Richest Belmont of All.
Today,s Belmont was the rich
est of all as Whitney gets a check
for $50 900 for his victory. Oddly
enough, 1t was his Phalanx. also
trained by Sylvester veitch. who
was high until today with his $78,-
900 four years ago. This $50 Bel
mont crossed $118,110, and the
difference between this figure and
Whitney's take went to George D
Widener, president of Belmont
Park; Harry F. Guggenheim. for
mer Ambassador to Cuba, and
Sam E. Wilson, jr., Texas oil man
They are the owners, respectively
of Battlefield, Battle Morn ane
Royal Mustang. second, third and
fourth in that order.
Battlefield. whose rider, Eddie
Arcaro, switched his course anc
ducked to the inside in the stretch
wound up a length and a half ir
front of Battle Morn. Royal Mus
tang was nine full lengths back
of Battle Morn, with Sonic fifth
Steadfast sixth and Count Tur1
seventh. The Derby winner was
10 lengths behind the winner al
the finish.
Nullify was eighth and Name
luke, coupled with the winner a.
the Whitney entry. was last in the
field of nine. Mameluke ran a!
il sore and was eased up early by
his rider, Raymond Adair. Coun.
terpoint was almost ready to re.
ceive the winners laurels from 1t
Gen. Willis D. Crittenberger, com.
manding general of the Firs
Army, when his stablemate limpec
past the finish line.
Fifth Fastest Time.
Counterpoint's time for tn,
Igruelling mile and a half was
good 2:29, fifth fastest since tn,
Belmont has been run at this dis
tance. Count Fleet, winner of tn
triple crown in 1943, shares tn
record of 2:28Hs with the grea
Citation. War Admiral, the 1913
victor. and battle-ground, las
years winner, both were clocke
in 2::283s. Bolingbroke, a sturd
router of World War II vintag,
holds the track record of 2::27a
Counterpart closed on the odd
board at 5 to / after opening a
the same figure. He paid $12.3(
$3.50 and $3.70. Battlefield, tn
9-to-5 choice, paid $3.50 an
I$2.7O, while Battle Morn, who wer
off at 6 to /, returned $4.20 t
show.
Has Rags-to Riches Angle.
} Even though Whitney is a multi
millionaire from racing's No.
Ifamily-his grandfather. Williar
C. Whitney, a member of Grove
Cleveland's Cabinet, helped max
Saratoga what it is-the Belmor
was not without a rags-to-riche
angle. For German, Counter
points jockey, is making a come
back similar to that of little Con
! McCreary, who won the Derb
: with Count Turf.
German retired more than
9Iyear ago because he was having
tough time making weight. H
comeback attempt was only so-s
: until he brought Counterpart
home first at nearly Is to in til
Peter Pan Handicap a week ag
Now Dawes sitting pretty, it seem
& for it's going to be hard to bes
8 him out of the 10 per cent tn:
goes with victory in such lus
= 3-year-old races as the Arlingtc
Classic, American Derby and Law
renee Realization.
y The race brought Pimlico
z revenge on Churchill Downs f
q what happened to it's Preakne
zzwhen none of the first eight Der
q If1nishers took part. For Counte
e points best previous race, exec
q for last weeks Peter Pan, was r,
i (See BELMONT, Page B-5.)