view raw text
GRAND RAPIDS MEETING FLOURISHING. Attendance and Racing Excellent Despito Rain Having Made the Going Quite Heavy. Grand Rapids, Mich., July 7. A real racing air prevailed at Comstock Park this afternoon despite unfavorable weather and track conditions. The attendance was almost of opening proportion and wagering was double that of some of the previous days. The hard storm which swept these parts last night left its traces at the track and the going was extremely difficult, resulting in several upsets, the favorites faring particularly bad. The threatening weather kept many away from the course, as, unused to the running methods they argued, harness race fashion, that the sport would be postponed because of the muddy track and possible rain. Todays card was a fairly good one, with four of the dashes at a mile or over. The starters were evenly matched, but some of the victors scored their successes in hollow style. The mile and a sixteenth handicap furnished the main upset when Moscowa, backed almost to the exclusion of the others, suffered Star Shooter to lead him home by a big margin. Lady Luxury, another Kentucky-owned one, ran away from the others in the opener. Hasty Cora had a close call from defeat in the second, but Eddie Dominick outgeneraled Graves on James G. Double for Keene-Cloher Combination. The Keene-Cloher combination accounted for a double during the afternoon when Pas de Chance and Yermak won respectively in the fifth and sixth races. Both were much the best and the diminutive Willis had nothing to do but let them run and win as he pleased. Lady Mildred, a locally owned one and favorite, managed to lead the others in the third. E. P. Dailey, of South Bend, Ind., was among todays visitors. He came to interest owners in a six-day meeting contemplated on the half mile track in South Bend some time in August. The prospects of a resumption of racing in Chi-, cage was a theme for the horsemen this morning. Full plans of the contemplated meeting are expected to be unfoldcM soon by representatives of Hawthorne, expected here in the next few days. Jockeys Bedell, Shilling and Longo were sharply cautioned by Judge Murphy for attempted rough riding and a whip duel they engaged in during the opening dash. The scarcity of riders here saved them from punishment. Jockey II. Shilling rode two winners during the afternoon.
