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On the Trot . By MOBRIE KURLANSKY. J Marcia D. Undefeated This Season May Meet Daisy Astra, Clever Tee One of Highest Handles Recorded MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., June 1. Two and two are four, and this simple arithmetic applies to that extraordinary . trottiner lad v. Marcia D., winning her second consecutive early-closing event, The Chicago Press Photographers I Stakes, to be undefeated in four heats this year. While that other good trotting mare, Daisy Astra, won her engagements on Friday night over a sloppy track, Marcia D. and her five ODDonents in t.hp wppIt- ! end feature were able to race over a fast surface, but if the admirers of the coal black mare expected her to break the track record, they were mistaken. Again it was proven that time, though a very important factor in handicapping any harness race, has to be taken with a grain of salt, for Marcia D. was clocked in a moderate 2:07, regarding the class of the field, and came back in a definitely slow 2:09. i The truth of the matter, however, is that Marcia D. showed such extreme late speed in the final quarter of each heat to rank her with the best trotters ever seen here. Marcia D. won both dashes with perfect ease. In the second dash it looked as if she were toying with her field, although her winning margin was but a neck. In the first dash, Little Steve opened up many lengths oh Marcia D., content after a brief spurt around the clubhouse turn, to remain, in second position. Many of Marcia D.s followers might have feared, that she would never catch the Belvidere trotter, who possesses great stamina. Paul Compton, reinsman of the ten -year-old daughter of Paul D., drove his race as if he were alone-on the track and when he "spoke" to his mare on the final turn, it became obvious that Little Steve was out there in front just on sufferance. In the second heat, Johnny Brown raced head to head with Marcia D. around the lower turn and the latter again conceded the lead when they got to the backstretch. Meanwhile, Little Steve again moved up and also was allowed to pass the mare. Nearing the three-quarter pole, Johnny Brown and Little Steve went full steam and for a few breath-taking seconds one had the impression that Marcia D., dropping momentarily back to fifth position for some unaccountable reason was beaten. But Paul Compton had just set up a target for the small but very feminine-looking -speedster. Taking the overland route, Marcia D. let loose with a burst of speed that had onlookers gasping. Turning for home it was but Johnny Brown ahead of her and, while he held on valiantly, stood no chance, the mare coming home in just a tick over 30 seconds for the final quarter to put her neck in front at the wire. While Marcia D.s numerous backers almost three-fifths of the total pool was bet on her to make her .the shortest-priced favorite of the meeting at 3 to 10 undoubtedly must have had some anxious moments in both heats, Compions strategy becomes quite clear in retrospect. Realizing that his mare was starting only for the second time this year, while all of the. other five trotters in the field had been sufficiently tightened in ten and or more outings this season, he was not interested in fast times, but solely to get his charge up to that racing pitch necessary in forthcoming engagements. On the other hand, he knew that he could beat Saturdays opponents under normal circumstances to be able to trustfully rely on those final three-eighths when he gave a free rein to the mare, but never once laid the whip on her. The trotting fans surely have a great race to look forward to when Marcia D. will meet the like of Daisy Astra and Clever Tee before this meeting ends. All three have several things in common they are fast, consistent, faultlessly gaited, and most of all each of the trio can race in any position and amendable to rating, whether on top of the field or in the rear. With the possibility of some top trotters from Detroit and other major racing centers invading Maywood Park during the last three weeks of this meeting, the free-for-all trotting races here take on new significance. One of the highest mutuel handles on a single race this season was registered on Saturdays supporting feature, a mile event for three -year-old pacers, when more than 3,000 was wagered. John Sitzmann, winner of the 6,000 Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes last year, when he defeated such good juvenile sidewheelers as Shooting Abbe, Atomic Rocket and Beware in a rousing three-heat battle at the famous Springfield mile track, emerged as the victor, scoring in 2:07, a new record for the son of Cold Cash, owned and bred by O. H. Boner of Tay- lorville, a groom in Russell Britenf ields public stable. Starting: from No. 4, John Sitzmann travelled the first half on the outside and, once in the lead entering the clubhouse turn, gradually drew out to win by one and a half lengths with speed in reserve. Ross Abbe, a Victory gelding owned by George E. Wilson from Western Springs, 111., and driven by Gene Riegle, was best of the rest to keep his record of never having been worse than second intact. Assured, a winner of five races out of six starts this season, for the first time was equipped with a headpole, the contraption being used to prevent his bearing out on the turns. Unfortunately, the chestnut gelding, also a son of Victory, made a break before the start and trailed throughout. 3 Bernie Frisco D. Busse 8-1
