view raw text
k ijv On the Trot I By MORRIE KURLANSKY 1 Patrol Judges Doing Excellent Work Valentine, Stone Maywood Officials Schooling Race on Wednesday Night MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., May 23. — Public and horsemen alike are high in their praise for the conscientious and ca- pable pable officiating officiating at at pable pable officiating officiating at at this meeting, and two men have a good deal to do with the smooth and efficient conduct of the races at this half - mile track. They are Messrs R. J. Valentine and C. D. Stone, patrol judges stationed at the clubhouse and far turn, respectively. For the first time since Maywood Maywood Park Park opened opened Maywood Maywood Park Park opened opened in 1946, all patrol judges are in communication with each other by head phones and also with the presiding steward high up in the stand. There are actually four patrol judges placed in strategic points around the track, the first one covering the start to the top of the first turn from i where the next judge, in this case, Valen- tine, takes over until the middle of the backstretch. Here Stone picks up the field until it has reached the middle of the last turn. From there the horses are under the watchful eye of the fourth patrol judge until they enter the homestretch, where the judges in the stand take over. What the patrol judges primarily look out for is the strict observance by the s drivers of the racing rules, e.g. that there is no jostling, striking, hooking wheels, or crossing over in front of the field in a reckless manner endangering other drivers, etc. The patrol judges must look out for crowding or the pulling up of a horse, or carrying out or what is called "sitting down in front of a horse." They also watch very carefully if the horses are on their proper gait, meaning that a trotter does not pace during any part of • the race or a pacer trot. Very important is the observation of the patrol judges, when one or more horses break stride. As soon as one of the patrol judges notices an infraction of the racing rules he brings this immediately to the attention of the next patrol judge and the stewards in the stand, of course, listen in and are thus at once notified of the occurrence. In addition to this verbal communication the patrol judges make a written report of anything that might have happened at , their assigned station during the progress of the race. Both Valentine and Stone are harness horsemen of long standing. Before performing an official duty on the race track they have been breeders, owners and trainers of sulky horses. Valentine, who comes from Carrollton, 111., years ago owned and raced the good trotter Bonnie Potemkin 2: 09*4, and won races with that mare in seven different states. His fastest performer was Peter Todd, who went the mile in 2:05. Mr. Stone on the other hand was at the reins when Hunter Grattan paced the mile in 2:07, and his Cheeky Chief even entered the 2:05 list with a 2:04% effort. Tommy Mills, victim of a spectacular fall the other night, resumed driving only two days after his accident and promptly entered the winners circle with the Darnley filly. Filet Mignon, which in five starts this year was no worse than third. Dan Peacock, trainer of the Norman C. Towne Stock Farm, Libertyville, 111., scored the first time out with the three-year-old Paul MacPherson gelding, Lew MacPherson, in the good time of 2:11%. The young pacer is a Towne -homebred since his dam, Fancy Babe, was acquired when in foal to the cover of the Ohio stallion. Dan thinks he has a good prospect for this summers sophomore races on hand since Lew MacPherson not only trained very well, but behaved himself in . his first start like an oldtimer. Wednesday night at 7:30 p. m.. there will be scheduled a schooling race for two-year-old pacers with a purse of 00. Effective immediately, no two-year-old trotter or pacer will be allowed to start in overnight events without first starting in a schooling race and being okd by the judges and the racing secretary. This is a measure, recently strongly advocated in this space, which will go a long way both with horsemen and most of all the wagering public. Horsemen now have a chance to try out their young stock in an actual race, which will give them at least the opportunity to meet expenses, while the fans can enjoy watching the kindergarten races without worrying about a lost bet. - Dee Stover has a four-year-old filly in his barn by the name of Rebel Queen. Not exactly a world-beater, although her daddy was Kings Counsel, quite a race horse himself, but Rebel Queen more or less pays her way for some 40 owners. Yes, thats right. Rebel Queens owners are listed under the name of Winnebago Equestrian Investment Corporation, -— -— ■— »" — "»-" • — that Rebel Queen will improve so that it will be worth the expense of hiring a bus to come to the races whenever she starts. Dee isnt too happy about the arrangement, since every time Rebel Queen gets into the money he has to make 40 sepa -
