Meeting at Ascot Park Resumes This Afternoon: Track Crew Works to Make First Turn Safe for Rest of Session, Daily Racing Form, 1954-05-12

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Meeting at Ascot Park Resumes This Afternoon Track Crew Works to Make First Turn Safe for Rest of Session By RONALD KRANCER Staff Correspondent ASCOT PARK, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, May 11. Racing resumes here at Ascot Park on Wednesday after a two-day lapse which was brought about by poor track conditions. For the past 24 hours track superintendent Leonard TJtterback has had his crew working on the first turn and it is hoped that it will be in a safe condition by Wednesday. This area had been hit by almost continuous rain this spring and thus far there has not been a fast track at the meeting. There had been several spills and most of them took place just before the horses raced into the first turn. Several horses also fell following races as they were pulled up approaching that turn. Last week, Ike Bassett, central manager Continued on Page Forty-Three Meeting at Ascot Park Resumes This Afternoon Track Crew Works to Make First Turn Safe for Rest of Session Continued from Page One of the Jockeys Guild, was called on the scene and after taking a vote of the riders it was decided that the track was unsafe and that there would be ho racing for several days. However, just prior to the scheduled first race that afternoon Bassett received statements from the three stewards here at Ascot Park that in their opinion the track was safe to race oyer. Bassett called the riders back and requested that they ride out their mounts. This was done in protest, however. The next move was to card all Saturdays races at four and one-half furlongs with the exception of the feature race which had been widely advertised in this area. Bassett wanted the association to run nothing but four and one-half furlongs events until the track was fast. This was not welcomed by track officials or the horsemen, so it was then on Monday morning that the temporary cessation came about. The Ascot Park Jockey Club requested the Ohio State Racing Commission to allow them to run nine races-daily for the remainder of the meeting in order to make up for the two lost days. This was immediately approved by the racing board. Racing secretary Raleigh Leigh has carded an excellent nine-race program for Wednesday with two sprints featuring the agenda. The co-features will be presented as the seventh and eighth contests. The seventh race will send a field of eight speedsters over the four and one-half furlongs route. Heading the field is the McKenney and Hickey veteran, Free Valley, who set the still-standing track record for the distance four years ago, and his one victory at the meeting indicates he is near the peak of his form. G. Bills, Jr.s Not Joe will be making his first start of the meeting and is regarded as one of the chief contenders. Other contention will come from A. L. Coopers Cherry Stone, and Mr. and Mrs, J. Hurleys Beloved Miss. The field is completed by W. A. Sklenickas Sundobullea, Jolly Pet, who races in the interests of Mrs.. A. Roberts and A. Morley; Prince Rival, owned by E. C. Jeffers and K. Scott, and the Cedar Farms Trouble Free. The Ascot Big Four Purse, an annual event here at the Akron course, is the eighth race and has attracted a field of seven sprinters matching strides for a purse of ,500. Those accepting Raleigh Leighs conditions are Bragas, Cal-Den, Boling Bay, Lee Mor, Vincibelle, Whisper Foot and Amulika. It would appear as though the main contention in this offering will come from Boling Bay and Lee Mor. The latter has looked exceptionally well in races here thus far. Boling Bay was a second on Saturday to Mor-Snoozey. The latter is regarded as one of the better animals stabled here this spring.


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800