Evening star., 1961-04-30
1858 Boo
Laurel Stake
Won by Entry
BY JOSEPH b. KELLY
Star Racing Editor


Civic Guard and Mozart, the
heavily favored foreign-bred
entry owned by John S. Kroese,
ran one-two in the SPLITS
Laurel Anniversary Stakes yes
terday. However, the small
crowd of 1888 booed the grass
event from start to finish be-
cause of the late withdrawal of
the injured Ashlar and the alb
sence Of place and show wager
ing on the four-horse field.
Chasing the entry to the
wire was the Sale Stables
Harmonizing, who had finished
second in the Washington, D.
c., International last fall. Har-
monizing made a weak bid in
the stretch when Civic Guard
carried his stablemate slightly
wide but bowed by a length.
Robert S. Lytle's French
bred Radjah II finished fourth
and last, a length and three
quarters behind Harmonizing
Sets Course Record
The Irish-bred Civic Guard
took two seconds off the course
record in capturing the first
running Of the Anniversary,
being timed in 1:48h.
The Kroese entry returned
$500, but the crowd, sharply
reduced by the competition of
Garden States opening in New
Jersey, indicated the race had
little appeal by betting only an
overall $61,254.
For the first time in recent
years, Laurel'S betting handle
dipped below the 81 million
mark. Only 1891, ,628 was wag-
cred on the nine races. 1t was
the second smallest Saturday
total in Maryland this year on
a nine-race card. Bowie'S OPEN
ing January 81, run in the wake
of a snowstorm, was the poor
est of 1861 with $7ll,072
wagered.
The Anniversary Stakes be-
gan as a six-horse field, but
Alfred Vanderbilt'S Idolater,
who had never left his barn in
New York, was scratched early
yesterday. Later in the morn
ing, the Shoestring Stables
Ashlar was galloped lightly but
after returning to his barn be-
came lame. apparently suffer-
ing from a pulled leg muscle.
CatcallS Aplenty
AShlar, the winner of last
weeks Laurel Handicap, had
been expected to give the
Kroese entry its most serious
opposition. But the crowd ap-
parently thought it had been
hoodwinked because the early
announcement of Ashlar's with
drawal drew a strong round of
boos. The catcalls started again
when the field Of four, repre-
senting three betting interests
moved onto the track from the
paddock.
When the small field broke,
Jockey Nick Shuk shot Civic
Guard to the front immediate
ly. The Irish-bred 4-year-old
drew away to a commanding
lead as Mozart, with Bobby
Corle in the saddle, took over
the second spot. The entry
dominated the race throughout
The only concern for the IA
vorite players occurred when
Civic Guard ducked out ar
eighth of a mile from the wire
carrying Mozart with him.
But the pair was too far ir
front and Harmonizing had nc
chance to catch the two horses
who fought it out for first
money of $17,663.
Civic Guard Ducks Away
After the race, Shuk said
Civic Guard had ducked away
from the white-painted hurdle
wings which were piled in the
infield.
The KroeSe entry is expected
to make its next start in the
Riggs Handicap at Pimlico next
Saturday, opening day.
The favorite players who hac
not collected from the second
through the sixth race, clicked
in the seventh, an allowance
dash for 3-year-olds, when DR.
Edward P. McDaniel's Mr.. Ber,
ME overhauled Polyquill in the
stretch and drew away to 6
length triumph.
Nears Track Record
Mr.. Bernie ran the 7 furlongi
in 1.252k. a second off the tract