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On the Trot In By MORKIE KURLANSKY I Rumley Remains Reticent, But Good Vet Very Proud of His Dale Wingay Campbell Returns to Sulky Sport MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., May 13. — C. F. Rumley is a pleasant gentleman of 75 springs who has lost nothing besides his teeth, but gained his teeth, but gained an enormous wealth of experience since he began training and driving harness horses way back in those days, often referred to as "the buggy and horse" era. The man, who puts on a father-and-son act occasionally at M a y w o o d Park, is [ somewhat more than reticent reticent when wnen it it comes comes reticent reticent when wnen it it comes comes to speaking about his accomplishments in the sulky sport. Chicagoland race-goers, however, know for eight years now that the "Old Man" is always a worthy opponent in whatever race he sports his gold and maroon colors. While C. F. had many a good horse in i his time, right now he is very proud of his Dale Wingay, a five-year-old pacer which he bought from Erwin Dygert of Aurora, 111., for ,025 as a yearling. Following an old practice, he gelded the son of The Abbot before he brought him to the races in 1950. This he might have re- F gretted pretty soon, although he will never admit it just as he clams up on p everything else about his career, which could arouse the slightest suspicion he q might be bragging. C. F. is a master of g understatement and, while out on the F track he is full of the will to win, he shuns publicity like the plague. ■ If he usually succeeds to go about his business unheralded and unnoticed, he might not manage as well this season for Dale Wingay currently is acclaimed the best pacer competing at Maywood Park. « Dale Wingay is undefeated in three starts this year and in every outing improved by F some two seconds until he set the present I meeting record of 2:05% last Saturday. In J this race, C. F. gave a perfect example of expert reinsmanship. Getting the lead by f forging between horses, which is something f a driver fifty years younger than C. F. j rarely attempts to do, C. F. rated his horse perfectly until they reached the homestretch. Gene Hayes, just a length or so ;.ack of the leader, then started his move and got a half length advantage a sixteenth from home. The race seemed to be | over, but C. F. did not give in. He roused Dale Wingay again and the game pacer responded willingly to defeat Gene Hayes by [ a head. It looked like a cat and mouse play | with C. F. and Dale Wingay prolonging the | excitement to an almost unbearable pitch. I When all was over, Dale Wingay had paced I the fastest mile of the meeting, the first half in 1:01%. Earlier last week, C. F. gave Maywood spectators another glimpse of the material he is made of. In one race the "Old Man" lay behind Dee Stover, when this trainers horse broke stride. C. F. was so close up with his Jerry Sampson that he could not avoid crashing into Dees sulky and the impact was so great that C. F. was thrown to the track. He sat there for a second maybe, shook his head and got up, climbed over the inner rail and walked across the infield to his barn on the back-stretch. Although thoroughly shaken up, nobody could prevent him from driving two more horses that same night. Next morning, before he went to the doctor for an examination, he rode some more horses as if nothing had happened. Only his wife knew that he had a pain in his back which would have been enough for anyone to take it easy for a few days. Not C. F„ however; no admitting, either. With six winners out of 23 starts, C. F. Rumley at present occupies second place in the Maywood Park drivers standings. Although he usually confines his campaign to 1 the Chicago harness tracks and an occasional foray to some Midwestern fairs during the summer, he might be forced to look for greener pastures if Dale Wingay keeps I his winning streak intact. He might send 1 Dale Wingay to New York, but he has not yet decided if he will go along with him, or " entrust him to some other trainer in the I East. Several times last year and again this ! spring, C. F. has had offers in five figures ; for Dale Wingay, but he declined tactfully , every time to sell his pacer, which proved to , be a bargain since he has won already close ; to 5,000 and has a mile record of 2:03, established at Springfield, 111., when a 1 three-year-old. Glenn "Snake-eyes" Campbell, onetime great in harness racing circles, returns to the sulky wars as assistant to Jake Mahoney this season. The veteran trainer will be remembered for his many triumphs behind the crack pacers, Jimmy Creed and April Star. Campbell also holds the distinction of winning the first race staged by the Western Harness Racing Association at Santa Anita in 1946. The trotter he piloted to that memorable victory was Midnight Volo. Its all in the game. Last Thursday night, t, . six favorites won their respective races at t, at Maywood Park and five of them were held ; at less than even money. Second favorites I won two more races and only one outsider scored, with the favorite being second in that race. On Monday night, this order was reversed with six horses winning at odds ! better than 14 to 1, the highest price being ! 7.20. The curious thing about it was that weather and track conditions were definitely normal and virtually all of the long-shot winners were credited with good or fair races prior to their victorious efforts. To use a rather hackneyed phrase, its the ; difference of opinion that makes horse rac-t - ing I I
