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Grattan Truax Competes In Wilmington at Aurora . Set Pacing Record of 2:04Vs In Winning Derby Memorial Day AURORA DOWNS, Aurora, HI., June 5. — Grattan Truax, holder of the new pacing track record of 2:04, set in the Aurora Downs Pacing Derby Memorial Day, gets a chance to prove it was no fluke when he starts in the Wilmington Stake Pace at Aurora Downs tomorrow night. The six-year-old Donald Truax, bay horse owned by Emmitt Hpffee, Fairfield, 111., was so sharp Memorial night that he won both trips of the Derby, covering the second mile in 2:06. Grattan Truax established the new mile pacing track record with comparative ease. After getting away in the two hole at the quarter, Tommy Mills settled his horse back while Mr. Dale took command, followed by Hand Book. At the three-quarter pole Grattan Truax moved within one-half length of Mr. Dale and as the field turned for home Mills gained a length lead on the field. Grattan Truax picked up speed in the final sixteenth and won going away by two lengths. The 2:04% mile was all the more impressive since it was performed against a large field of 13 horses. The former track record holder, Guest Star, finished a weak eleventh in the record-shattering mile. Guest Star racked up his mark of 2:04% in 1948 and still holds the one and a sixteenth miles record of 2:12.1, established in 1946.- " On the basis of his performance in the Derby, Grattan Truax is likely to go post-ward as odds-on favorite, for none of the top-ranking pacers are eligible for the Wilmington Pace. The field for this early closing event consists of Beaver Hal, Bay Orince, Chief Mite, Red McKlyo, Jimmy Peter, Larry Grattan, Concert Master, Wilson Abbe, Bellevue and Adah Tass. Chief Mite was the only horse of .-this group to start in the Derby and he finished sixth the first mile, and second to Grattan Truax in the final trip. Since Chief Mite appears to be the logical contender, its interesting to note the draw in positions. Grattan Truax gained fifth for the sixth race and fourth for the ninth. Chief Mite is on the outside, eighth in the initial trip and fifth, right along side Grattan Truax, for the pay-off mile. The horse with as much ability as the entire field is Bay Prince, Edgar Leonards six-year-old Brown Prince horse. However, since its his first start of the season it would be difficult to put him in the same class as Grattan Truax and Chief Mite. Bay Prince finished off the 1950 campaign at Aurora Downs with a victory in 2:06.3, whipping the same Grattan Truax and Red McKlyo. If Leonard has Bay Prince sharp this early in the season, he can easily make matters rough for Grattan Truax, Chief Mite and the rest of the field.
