view raw text
ar. . . - .-. : v a-, .a- - . .,- V - . .i. , . ! On the Trot I By MORBIE KURLANSKY 1 Second Highest Handle Recorded New Daily Double High Also Set Steve Tell Scores His Best Victory MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., June 8. With an outstanding nine-race program on tap last Saturday night, a big here to wager 32,397, the second highest handle of the current meeting, while a new high of 8,413 for the Daily Double pool was established. The sport throughout the evening was on an exceptionally high plane and eight of the nine races were timed in better ; you an idea of the competition. Two well-! matched fields came out for the feature ; events, an open trot and pace, respectively. While the dash for the diagonally-gaited performers resulted in the surprise victory : of Steve Tell, Billy Wasson, already ac- knowledged as the leading pacer here, chalked up another triumph to fortify his lofty position. In one of the most exciting races of the season, the four-year-old Steve Tell, incidentally the youngest horse in the Open trot, garnered the best victory in his racing career, which is already distinguished by triumphs in the Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes at Springfield. The son of Spencer Tell, after a very promising two-year-old season, was somewhat of a disappointment last year although winning three races out of 19 starts and earning more than ,000. Veteran trainer Glen Hawkins deserves a lot of credit for his expert handling of the young trotter, who in six starts this season hasnt been worse than third, winning two dashes, finishing second twice and third on two more occasions. Only slightly backed in Saturdays free-for-all event, Steve Tell was not prominent in his field, although always in close attendance of the leaders, his great moment coming in the last sixteenth when he gradually inched his way to the top to win by half a length in 2:06, a new mark for him. As for Steve Tells victims, Daisy Astra, credited with the fastest trotting mile 2:05 of the meeting, and Clever Tee, leading money-winner here, each raced as fine a race as their numerous followers expected them to and even though they bowed-to Steve Tell, it was probably due to the fact that Hawkins had kept his charge out of the battle for the lead during the first three-quarters. Francis Mc, driven by Clarence Curtis, was a contender to the very end, and only a break when in second position in the stretch robbed him of a very good chance to finish more forwardly placed than fourth. Because of Francis Mcs mistake, the Ohio invader, Nancy Song, was moved up to fourth place. The daughter of Gay Song, who trotted to a record in two minutes last fall at Hollywood Park, made her second start of the year and, while by no means disgraced by this defeat, was obviously not yet in top condition although flashing great speed during the first half of the race when she had the lead for a while. As far as the two other starters in the race were concerned, Nancy Lee Day was too ambitiously placed, to be a serious contender, while Taylor Ridge, this time racing without the half-hopples, a contraption of crossed straps on his front legs, was -offstrided before the start and did not settle down to a trot until hopelessly beaten. Hugh K. Funderburg and trainer Jim Kealey, however, got more than ample consolation in the nights co-feature, a ,000 open pace, when Billy Wasson, the amazing Congressional gelding, defeated a select field in 2:06 for his sixth triumph at this meeting. This ultra-consistent pacer he has started eight times this year, winning six races and being third twice not only possesses speed, but also an admirable disposition and the best of manners. Contrary to some of his previous races, Billy Wasson was kept far off the early pace, but when Kealey saw fit to make his bid, the seven-year-old responded to make a fast field look like it was standing still. Red McKlyo also came up with another excellent effort to finish second, while Mrs. A. D. Knapps recent costly purchase, Rimr rock, gave indications that he will be a factor in forthcoming fast-class races. It is astonishing how many consistent horses of either gait are competing here. Besides Clever Tee, Steve Tell, Daisy Astra, Marcia D. and Francis Mc among the top trotters, and Billy Wasson, Red McKlyo, Dale Wingay and Gay Order of the pacing elite, there are some others racing in lower classifications that are equally dependable whenever they race. Ten-year-old pacer, Tru Bob, for instance, a winner Saturday in 2:08, in nine starts this year has only once finished worse than third, while 11-year-old Laura -Jane Tryax in nine starts here won three times, finished second twice and third on two more occasions. Norway, a four-year-old son of Kings Counsel, now owned by A. J. Strauss of Menomonee Falls, Wis., has won three out of eight races this year and been second four times. In a conditioned pace Saturday, Norway, with Harry Burright in the sulky, garnered his latest victory in 2:06, a new mark for the gelding, and the three-year-old Ross Abbe, with Gene Riegle at the reins, was the runner-up in that race to hold the distinction of never having been worse than second in his first six starts of a racing career that began only a few weeks ago.
