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. On f he Trot t By MORRIE KURLANSKY 1 Highest Handle of Season Recorded Daily Double Also Tops for Meeting Clever Tee Wins Another in Series MAYWOOD PARK, May wood, HI., June 15. The seasons highest mutuel handle was recorded last Saturday when 8,404 . fans fans watered wagered 37,820 37,820 fans fans watered wagered 37,820 37,820 on the nine -race program. The Daily Double pool of 8,550 also established a new high for this meeting, which will end this Saturday. With 46 racing nights in the books, a total of 0,063,345 went through the machines, which is an average of 18,768 per night, an increase increase of of approxi-! increase increase of of approxi-! approximately 7 per cent over the corresponding period of last years meeting. If the weatherman had been kinder this year the wagering gains would have been substantially higher, but as it is most everybody the public, management and horsemen are well satisfied with the encouraging results of this first , meeting of the 1954 Chicagoland harness season. A great Maywood Park favorite, who by now has this corner somewhat at a loss for lack of adjectives to describe his consistency, gameness and racing: spirit, the good trotter, Clever Tee, owned by Ransom G. Yeager, of Akron, Ohio, annexed another one in the series of early-closing events, the Harness Horse Stakes. Although beaten in the first heat by Express Colby, Clever Tee trotted such a beautiful race in the second dash that he left no doubts in the minds of the many thousands of spectators that he was by far the best horse in that feature. In the first heat Clever Tee, with Earl Roush in the sulky, had drawn the outside post position in the seven-horse field, but got to the top the first time around on the backstretch. Clarence Curtis, well aware that Clever Tee was the horse to beat, went right with him, and for the following two quarters Francis Mc on the outside and Clever Tee on the rail raced head and head until they reached the homestretch. By then it was obvious that Francis Mc would riot be able to overtake the Ohio trotter, who looked like a sure winner. Dee Stover, behind Express Colby, never had been too far off the leaders and, being well "covered up" for the first three-quarters, the four-year-old had enough reserve to stage a furious stretch drive and draw even with Clever Tee 20 yards from the wire. This late bid, which must have"come as a surprise to Roush, proved too "much for Clever Tee after his previous exertions, having been required to trot a very fast first quarter to prevent Francis Mc from taking the lead. In the second heat Clever Tee again got the lead early, but Roush kept him going all the way and none of his opponents was able to threaten him during any stage of the race. Francis Mc finished second in this heat, while Express Colby made a break at the "head of the homestretch and had to concede third money to Volora. Both trips were clocked in creditable times, 2:06 and 2:06, respectively. Taylor Ridge again was a big disappointment, lacking his usual early zip, and he could not keep up with his field, finishing sixth in both heats. Taylor Ridge, obviously is over-raced and in need of a rest. Fast-class pacers came out for the supporting feature and leading driver Howard Beissinger, with a heady drive, annexed this ,500 event with Gay Order, who defeated Dominion Boy, Miss Shine-A-Mite, Laura Jane Tryax, Easter Flowers, Myrtle Truax and Fairbanks in 2:04, a new half-mile track record for the five-year-old gelded son of Court Order. . . . With the exception of the second race, a CC-class pace, all races on Saturday were timed in better than 2:08, and no less than seven of the nine winners trotted or paced to new marks over this half-miler. Prince Day, driven by T. G. Fraser, won the first race, a C-class pace, in 2:08 for a reduction of 2 seconds; Gait Way Farms Seth Parker, with Mel Harmening in the sulky, got a new mark of 2:06; Express Colby cut three-fifths off his 1953 record when he was timed in 2:06; George E. Wilsons three-year-old gelding, Ross Abbe, with Gene Rieglc at the reins, entered the 2:10 list with an effort in 2:07, and garnered his fourth win in seven starts he never has been worse than second in his young racing career ; Spencer Camp, the double-gaitcd son of former world record trotter, Spencer Scott, scored a surprise victory in 2:07 for a new mark over the two-lapper; Tailor Made, driven by Harold "Woody" Wilson, won his first victory of the season in 2:07 for his best mile yet, and Gay Order entered the distinguished 2:05 list with a 2:04 clocking. Guest of honor Saturday was popular movie actor Charles Coburn, who presented the trophy to the winner of the Harness Horse Stakes, Roush, and proudly drove Cleyer Tee back to the paddock. In the eighth race, Coburn acted as "assistant starter," taking a seat in Ralph Estes starting automobile. When the actor returned to his clubhouse box, numerous fans besieged him for autographs, which should bode well for his success in the play, "You Cant Take It With You," at the Hinsdale Summer Theatre, where Coburn currently appears. Dan Peacock was very unlucky Saturday when Riegles Bonnie Pete made a break at the start of the eighth race and nearly knocked-his mount, Counterpart Hanover, winner of his last race in 2:06, off his feet to rob him of an excellent chance for a repeat win. In the same race, Phil Milburn, Jr., a high school boy from West DePere, Wis., made his seasonal bow behind his own good I pacer, Phil Bob, who finished second to ; Spencer Camp.
