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Eight Fast Sprinters in Hamtramck Forrest Enters Two f In Detroit Feature Cotton Joe-Traveler Entry Seen Choice Oyer Cats meow, Bright Steel and Windfields FAIR GROUNDS, Detroit, Mich., May 23. — The Hamtramck Purse, a six-furlong allowances event for four-year-olds and older, which attracted eight entries, is to headline tomorrows program at this racing grounds. Other than the Hamtramck, racing secretary Charles J. McLennan has arranged some excellent supporting numbers and top sport should be the result. One of the best of the secondary offerings is the fifth race, which will bring out eight of the better grade two-year-olds to clash at five furlongs. Henry Forrest will have an unusually strong hand for the feature in Cotton Joe and Traveler, a pair who has shown marked ability on all types of footing. Mrs. George C. Whites Bright Steel, Robert W. Athas homebred Syndicate, P. L. Gris-soms Almenow, Theodore D. Buhls locally owned Air Sailor, Hal Price Headleys quick Catsmeow, and E. P. Taylors Windfields complete the Hamtramck band. Cotton Joe, a four-year-old gelded son of Sweeping Light and Sumatra m., won six of his 24 engagements in 1948, finished second on four occasions and four times third, earning 2,165. During his 1949 ■ campaign, Cotton Joe literally ran away from a fair field at Oaklawn Park in a six-furlong race contested on a . muddy course, and in his last outing at Churchill Downs the Forrest gelding beat such fast company as Tidy Sum, Irish Sun and Lady Joan, among others. Won Ten Races Last Year While Cotton Joe has been a formidable member of the Forrest-trained stable, Traveler, a four-year-old gelded son of Golden Voyage and Jury Gal, also compiled a sparkling record last season. Victor in 10 of his 17 outings, Traveler also ran . third twice and picked up 1,400 for his owner. This year, Travelers best performance was at Hot Springs, where he was just one-fifth of a second off the three-quarters track record to defeat Normrich, Henny Penny, Quick Tiger and others of that class in 1:10%. In his initial start at the Fair Grounds last autumn, the Forrest star accounted for the Thanksgiving Handicap, turning back King Dorsett, Gee Whiz and Noble One. Perhaps one of the best sprinters in training this season, Headley Stables Cats-meow engaged top company and has shown speed enough to merit consideration in the Hamtramck. Catsmeow closed stoutly in his only local appearance, the Noquette Purse, in which he took fourth money back to Sir Sprite, Cotton Joe and Air Sailor, who is a starter in tomorrows main event Beaten but slightly more than two lengths. The Headley star is rated dangerous in the Hamtramck. Windfields raced disappointingly in his only local appearance under silks, but his 1948 record is such that he surely is capable of a better effort. Winner in five of his races last year, Windfields has shown versatility on muddy and dry going, and at distances ranging from six furlongs to one mile and one furlong. Bright Steel and Air Sailor are well known to Detroit racing followers through their sharp performances at the Fair Grounds last year. Bright Steel won several major, engagements here as did the Buhl representative and both the Hamtramck entrans are in good conditions. Bright Steel won at Churchill Downs in November over a muddy track while Air Sailor was beaten at Louisville before his transfer north this spring. Bright Steel finished second in his only outing here this year. Mrs. Moody Jolleys Black Disc, double winner during the current Fair Grounds meeting, is the "early choice for the secondary attraction. Black Disc is to race 1 coupled with Steady Beau and the Jolleys entry main opposition probably will come from Forrest Stables Cross Wise and M. C. Haddix Air Arm. Others scheduled to go postward in the juvenile dash are Ray : Count Miss, Excitable Mary, All Is On and : Compare.
