Proper Reality slipped inside the dueling stablemates Seeking the Gold and Dancing Spree in the final furlong and bobbed his nose down at the wire first to win the $589,000 Metropolitan Handicap yesterday at Belmont Park.

Proper Reality's victory by a nose was not as suprising as the sight of Seeking the Gold being challenged for the length of the stretch by Dancing Spree, an apparently outclassed stablemate. The unexpected intramural duel may have sapped the two Ogden Phipps-owned colts, who were the 4-to-5 favorites, and helped pave the way for Proper Reality's victory.

Proper Reality, who carried 117 pounds, 9 fewer than Seeking the Gold, paid $10.80 for $2 to win after running the mile under Jerry Bailey in 1:34.13. Seeking the Gold, who carried 126 pounds, including Pat Day, was a nose in front of Dancing Spree, whose 113-pound impost included Angel Cordero Jr. Its Acedemic was fourth, and was followed to the wire by Triteamtri, Finder's Choice, Forever Silver and On the Line.

Proper Reality, a 4-year-old son of In Reality and the Nodouble mare Proper Princess, is owned by Mrs. James A. Winn and trained by Robert Holthus. He was rebounding from three consecutive defeats yesterday but winning for the ninth time in 14 career starts and has earned more than $1.3 million. Last time out, he finished second to Blushing John in the Pimlico Special. To Run in Hawthorne

Holthus said that Proper Reality would make his next start June 24 in the Hawthorne Gold Cup, a race in which Cryptoclearance also is expected to run.

Results were happier yesterday for the Phipps family and their trainer, Shug McGaughey, at Garden State Park in Cherry Hill, N.J. Fifteen minutes after the Metropolitan, Awe Inspiring scored an easy victory over Halo Hansom and Faultless Ensign in the $500,000 Jersey Derby. Awe Inspiring is owned by Ogden Phipps's son, Ogden Mills (Dinny) Phipps, and trained by McGaughey. Awe Inspiring is expected to make his next start in the Belmont Stakes June 10.

McGaughey stayed at Belmont yesterday for the Metropolitan and watched Seeking the Gold continue his uncanny streak of finishing second in major races. Over the last 13 months, Seeking the Gold has been the runner-up in the Gotham Stakes, Wood Memorial, Haskell Handicap, Travers Stakes, Breeders' Cup Classic and now the Metropolitan. The difference between first and second place in those six races amounts to more than $2 million. 'We Just Got Beat'

McGaughey played down the possibility that Cordero's agressive ride on Dancing Spree yesterday might have compromised Seeking the Gold's chances.

''We just got beat,'' he said. ''We spotted a good horse nine pounds and the entry just got nosed out.''

But Day, who has a long-standing feud with Cordero, seemed to think it made a difference.

''He fought hard to get past his entrymate,'' Day said of Seeking the Gold. ''and then didn't have enough left to withstand the winner.''

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/30/sports/proper-reality-noses-into-winner-s-circle.html