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On the Trot 1 By MORRIE KURLANSKY Maywood InvitationalSaturdayNight Chief Mite to Head Five Invaders Good Times Track Mark in Danger MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., June 24. — Chicagoland harness racing fans will be treated to a sporting delicacy coming Saturday night at May-wood Park. In return to the invitation two of Maywood Parks leading pacers Gene Hayes and Dale Wing-gay received last week end to compete at Northville Downs, Detroit, the Maywood Park management will put on a special invitation race for free-for-all pacers. As the field shapes up according to word from the owners and trainers of the invited horses the week end feature, which will be endowed with a purse of ,000, the highest of the" current Maywood Park meeting, will be one to arouse more than fleeting interest not only in the Chicago area but all over the Midwest. " Probable starters in the single dash -mile event will be the following: side-wneelers: Chief Mite, Bed Sails, My Volo, Scottish Chief or Mr. Dean, Miss Billie as the invaders, and Dale Wingay, Gene Hayes and H. D. Hanover as the Illinois representatives with Sheldon Pointer a probability in case one or the other of the invited pacers will be unable to keep his engagement. It goes without saying that with normal weather and track conditions prevailing Good Times track mark of 2:03 Vs set last year in the 0,000 added Chicago Pacing Derby over a surface definetely not at its best on a rainy night will be in danger of being replaced by a faster time commensurate with the immense speed, both early and late, intrinsic to this field. While Dale Wingray, Gene Hayes, H. D. Hanover and Sheldon Pointer, the local speed merchants, need no special introduction here, all having: won several races here this year and all having: paced the mile in faster than 2:05 on different occasions, the guests will bring with them impressive records achieved at Hazel J Park, Northville Downs, and Yonkers Raceway this year. The six-year-old black mare, Chief Mite, by Chief Abbedale — Abbie Mite, by Volo-mite, is no stranger here at Maywood Park. As a matter of fact in 1952 Chief Mite started her camapign at the River Road oval with two impressive victories with Roy Riegle in .the sulky. Altogether Chief Mite won nine races last year and earned close to ,000. As is so often the case with harness horses Chief Mite is thriving on iiuiuin; ui oiun auu xo gciiuuig ucwi yvii/n age. This season the mare who is being trained by Jerry Neikirk for owner W. E. Farmer, Findlay, Ohio, got an auspicious start at the five-furlong Hazel Park track and won at first asking paying 8.80 to win. After finishing fifth behind such horses as H. B. Chief, Waybill and the late Dr. Stanton. Chief Mite was second to Dominion Boy in 2:03 in the first heat of a 14 class stake at Hazel Park. v Chief Nites proudest triumph came in the second trip of this race on May 28. Laying in second position from the start to the head of the homestretch, she romped home in the new track record time of 2:01%, two and a quarter lengths in front of Ginnie Lee C, the runner-up. Last Saturday, Chief Mite again was the ~ heroine of the night, winning both heats of the ,000 Invitional Pace in 2:03 and 2:03% at Northville Downs, with Dale Wingay finishing third and fourth, respectively, and Gene Hayes out of the money in both heats. If Scottish Chief, the Saunders Mills star, is in the ultimate line-up, youthful Billy Rouse will tell you that this five- year-old pacer by Chief Abbedale — Josie Scot/is one of the roughest competitors any mans horse can meet in the free-for-all class. Billy Rouse, who is a likely starter with Virginia Hensons Sheldon Pointer, last year was the successful reinsman in the sulky behind Scottish Chief, when he was contract driver for the Toledo stable. Scottish Chief won 12 races in 1952 and earned over 8,000 that year. His half-mile record is 2:03%. Virgil Butt will be driving him. Mr. and Mrs. Louis M. Kehoes Detroit-owned eight-year-old gelding, My Volo, by Gay Song — Josewin, has an even tish Chief. A winner of 10 races in 1952 for earnings, of almost 5,000, this pacer, in charge of trainer Eddie Morgan, is possessed of tremendous early speed and can be depended on to make things lively in Saturday nights race. Miss Billie is an 11-year-old mare by Billy Direct — Argots Pride, and owned by Jay Weller, of Republic, Ohio. This rugged mare won this year in 2:03 at Hazel Park, beating, among others, Chief Strong, one of the stars of last years Aurora Downs meet- ins. Miss Billie is no stranger to May-wood Park, for she raced here two years ago. Mr. Dean is another of the Saunders Mills Stable horses, and his connections early this week had not yet decided whether to send him or Scottish Chief over from Detroit. This five-year-old stallion by Dean Hanover — Carmen, raced in high class company all through the 1952 season, garnering six races to earn 5,345 in 1952. His half-mile track record is 2:02%. As for Red Sails, the great pacer from Ohio, local fans undoubtedly will remember his racing feats at Maywood Park and Sportsmans Park in previous seasons. When he comes back, he does so as a member of the select two-minute-circle, for Red Sails paced the mile in 1:59% at Lexington, Ky., last fall to round out a campaign which netted him 7,903.79 for 12 victories, six second places and four thirds out of 27 starts. This year, Red Sails was tried in the" New York circuit and was a good winner at Yonkers Raceway.
