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Speedy Mary H. Goes In Fairmount Offering Weant Runner Making Her First Start of Season in Sprint Test By C. E. LINDEMAN Staff Correspondent FAIRMOUNT PARK, Collinsville, HI., May 11. The Decatur, at six furlongs for a purse of ,700, will act as the featured event for the midweek nights card on Wednesday. This event drew a small but well balanced field of seven, all of which have in the past made rather good marks. Heading the seven-horse field will be the fleet four-year-old filly Mary H. from the stable of W. C. Weant, and although she has not started as yet this season she is rated in fine fettle for the race off her recent morning trials. This daughter of War Jeep was considered one of the top fillies here during the 1953 season. Mary H. started nine times last year and was returned the winner on three occasions and was in the money on her two other starts. Her last winning race was over the Fairmount course and she equaled the five and one-half furlongs track record to defeat such sprinters as Babys Delight and All Tilly going the distance in 1:05. This filly is blessed with top early foot and in this type of field she may take the track in the first few yards and never look back. With the filly allowance she gets in the Decatur with the light weight of 105 lbs. Val Vez, who carried the silks of Mrs. Tom M. Pruett to an impressive victory opening night over a muddy racing strip, is the one who should offer the top competition to Mary H. in the main attraction, Val Vez was an even money choice in his winning race and although he was able to come from far back in the muddy going he will have to really turn it on if he is to take the top honors from Mary H. in the sixth event tonight. Val Vez will pack 103 pounds having the advantage of the apprentice allowance. Making up the remainder of the field for the Decatur Purse will be the other fast sprinters, Pride of Judea, owned by J. Gay-lord, Who Knows, J. W. Nooines Mister Plucky, Red Rudolph and Wise Maid. A recent check of the stable area shows that the following stables were added over the week end: Trainer Bill Billington with Flagler for W. D. Sheffield and Sleepy Fury for Ira Billington; J. Clay with Dorothy P. and Thyn Rhyne for G. E. Taylor and Als Choice owned by Mrs. Ella Nixon; trainer Lee Bond brought in his own Bun Reward and Flag Captain for Minnie Koonce; W. F. Mannagh .bedded down Brown Vic arid Samai, and trainer-owner Sherman Schmitt checked in with the two horses Cardinal Hill and Lovely Mate. One of the promising apprentices at this meeting is Jerry Eugene Fisher. He rode his first winner on. a recognized track at Raton, New Mexico, last July 4. Since that time he has had the leg up on 36 winners. Fisher hails from Dodge City, Kans. and being light should have a successful meeting here this summer. Fisher is also known as a topnotch quarter horse rider having won 24 races at the New Mexico tracks on the quick horses. His contract is held by J. J. Helfrich and his engagements are made by Whitey Williams. Haltermen showed very little action here thus far as only two claims have been registered for a three day period. Brill Lam was claimed by A. J. Della-Pietro for ,200 while Brown Pirate went to the barn of Bill Terry, Jr. for ,000. Jockey Anthony Tavares packed his tack and departed for the New England meetings where he has Tidden for the past six years with success. Tavares was leading apprentice rider at the Ak-Sar-Ben meeting some years back.
