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, On the Trot I By MORRIE KURLANSKY J Marcia D. in Tonights Feature Pacers in Supporting Attraction Many Winners in Other Six Races MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., May 28 — An attractive program has been carded for Saturday night with the Chicago Press Photographers Stake Trot, another in the , series series of of ,000 ,000 double- series series of of ,000 ,000 double- douoie-dash events, the center j piece. Marcia D., with Paul Compton in the sulky, comes off an impressive twin victory last week end and will have greatly benefitted from her seasonal debut to be able to shoot for Daisy Astras 2 : 05 % meeting mark if not for Lord Stewards track record record of of 2 2 : : 04% 04% should snouia record record of of 2 2 : : 04% 04% should snouia good weather and track conditions prevail. The ten-year-old Illinois-owned-and-bred black mare drew the fourth post position in the field of six fast trotters, and will be opposed by Johnny Brown Jack Hankins , Dixie Tass Floyd Milton, Little Steve Gene Burright , Cliff Win Wilbur Long and Wayville Dee Stover. The supporting feature, is a mile dash for three-year-old pacers, which brings out eight sophomores who have won at least one race at this meeting. The Shep-ard Farms Assured, a winner of five out of six races at this meeting, heads the lineup and, as in his last race, the Victory gelding drew the rail position, which gives him a definite advantage as he is a very alert starter. Trainer Sherry has the chestnut pacer equipped with a headpole since his last outing, when he bore out on the turns. Little Brown Jug hopeful, Maestro Pick, owned by David Gulley, Harrisburg, HI., won his last two races and his record of 2:08% is two-fifths faster than Assureds. Ohio-owned Elzie Hanover, with Roy Biegle in the sulky, won a three-year-bid pace on May 12 in 2:11 and was second to Norway in 2:08%, beaten three lengths. O. H. Boners stakes winner, John Sitzman, won the first time out this year in 2:11%, but was decisively beaten by Assured on May 14. Jerry Baiers homebred, Adam Dale, started four times here, won twice and was second and third in his other two races here. The Indiana-owned filly, Minnie Jean, has the fastest record of the eight starters. She paced the mile in 2:07% on April 26 when driven by Jim Berry, but will have •the services of Billy Shuter Saturday. George E. Wilsons Boss Abbe, another Victory offspring, won three out of four since making a victorious debut on April 22, and was second in 2:09% to the older Lew Mac-Pherson a few weeks ago. Rounding- out the field is Starr Haven, owned by E. L. Garrison of Peoria. With Bob Parkinson in the sulky, the chestnut filly won her last two races against older opponents in 2:09% and 2:11%, repsectively. Many more winners the last time out will reappear in the: other six races, none of which will have a purse of less than ,000, to make it the most profitable racing night this year for horsemen competing here. _ Battle Prince, six-year-old stallion by Brown Prince— Frisco Grattan, bred and owned by Anderson and Minardo of Lafayette, Ind., became the temporary leader of the pacing division here when he set a new meetings record of 2:04*4 in the first heat of the featured A. G. Ward Pace, a ,000 early-closing event for 14-class pacers. Making his second start with trainer Dee Stover at the reins, the black pacer came up with an outstanding performance, probably the best he has ever shown on a half-mile track, to conquer veteran sidewheeler, Red McKlyo, and Billy Wasson with a devastating burst of speed in the homestretch. The midweek feature was one of the best races seen here since opening night. Although 11 pacers lined up behind the starting gate, accidents, easily possible with such an unwieldy field,, marred the two dashes, and the best horses emerged victorious. That the 2:05 mark was finally surpassed was largely due to Mary Jane Clark, who cut out a first quarter in 30 seconds and a half in 1:01 before she conceded the lead to Billy Wasson, who opened by two lengths on the backstretch to reach the three-quarters in 1:32%. Traveling at this furious clip it would have taken some kind of a super horse to sustain this rate of speed through the last quarter. Therefore, when Billy Wasson weakened slightly in . the stretch to be overtaken by Battle Prince and nipped at the wire by Red McKlyo, the effort of Hugh K. Funder-burgs ,000 acquisition was nevertheless praiseworthy. Battle Princes victory came as no great surprise for the son of Brown Prince on many occasions in previous seasons had proved that he is possessed of extreme speed, especially in the late stages of a race. As a four-year-old, Battle Prince, when driven by Clay Hasch, entered the coveted 2:00 list, winning an event in that time at Lexington. Last year, Battle Prince was able to start only three times, being beset by lameness. In the second heat, Battle Prince, boxed in on the rail until the last turn, again finished fastest of all to be beaten but a neck by Billy Wasson in a swift 2:05%, and was awarded the trophy emblematic of victory on acount of his better placing. Billy Wasson, as already mentioned, redeemed himself in the second dash and held the fast-closing Battle Prince safely for a 2:05£ clocking, a fifth of a second faster than his previous best time this season. It was his fifth victory in seven starts and his 1954 earnings are already 00 higher than his purchase price. Red McKlyo again raced in excellent style, too, even if unable to resist Battle Prince and Billy Wasson in either heat.
