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On the Trot I Br MORRTC KURLANSKT J Hold Conferences on Classification Weighty Problem Nearer Solution Clark Hurt in One of Two Spills SPORTSMANS PARK, Cicero, 111., June 15. — Proper classification of horses, a problem ever since the sulky sport became big league in captivating audiences at night tracks in many metropolitan areas, might come a step nearer solution if the present conferences betw e e n Chicago Downs officials and representatives of the Illinois Harness Horsemen Association will lead to the regular carding of claiming events at this and subsequent meetings in the Chicago area. Preliminary discussion between racing secretary Pete Langley and a horsemens committee consisting of Tom Wil-burn, Harold Snodgrass and Russell Brit-enfield, -revealed that there is a sizable group among owners and trainers in favor of introducing regular claiming races to the sport, an innovation that would be considered beneficial not only to the racing department of Chicagoland tracks in carding more evenly matched fields, but" to owners as they would get a better evaluation of their racing stock, which is not readily possible under the present systems of classifications according to money win-, nings or assignment to a particular group of campaigners by the racing secretary. With the programming of claiming _ races, the racing secretary will be able to concentrate on a potentially much smaller number on what might be called allowance and stakes horses, while owners soon could find in what price range their intermediate racing material is best fitted. Tentative plans would include six different grades of claiming races according to the claiming price. It was suggested that a spread of ,000 be used in the different price ranges, e.g., most claiming races would be of the "top and bottom" variety. Purses for these events also would be graded in commensuration with the claiming price. In actual practice, a schedule like the following is most likely to be instituted: A ,000 purse for the lowest claiming classification, ,200 to ,000; 00 more for each higher group, with the top grade, ,100 to 0,000, racing for ,000. Post positions would be assigned to horses according to claiming price on declaration. Lowest price would receive the inside post position. . . . Entries shall be made in secret and remain such until post positions are assigned. Any winner of a claiming race will be required to start for a claiming price of at least 20 per cent higher than the price afr which it won. A horse finishing first or second that has advanced in claiming price under the proposed provisions must race at the advanced price at least three times before permitted to drop back to a lower claiming classification. No person would be permitted to claim any horse unless he is an owner or the authorized agent of an owner, who has- started a horse at the meeting and has to his credit with the association, an amount equal to the specified claiming price. A series of spills marred the running of the fourth and fifth races here Monday, but with the exception of Harry-Clark, who suffered broken ribs and a sprained ankle, the other drivers and horses involved escaped injuries. In the fourth, a Northern Illinois Colt Stakes for two -year-olds, Lindas Daughter, driven by Clark, made a break, crossed her legs and fell instantly, involving the . majority of the 14-horse field in the accident, with the result that four .other horses were unable to finish the race. In the following event, Mutiny, with Jack Wilson in the sulky, stumbled entering the clubhouse turn at almost the same spot where Lindas Daughter fell in the previous race and ran into Amy Byrd, Fred Bach up, and both horses went down, throwing the drivers on the track and infield. Motion pictures of the two spills disclosed that it was a miracle that besides Clark nobody was hurt. C. E. Dickeys Rivertown, unimpeded by the accident, outclassed his remaining rivals to chalk up his second triumph in as many starts, winning as his reinsman, Tom Wilburn, pleased. . . . Pauls Girl, driven by Leo Colson, just breezed in the second division of the three-year-old trot stake. This filly is extremely pure gaited and hasnt found her match among the sophomore trotters racing in Chicago yet. ". . . Another promising three-year-old, the pacing colt Clipper Ship, owned and driven-by Phil Milburn, Jr., gave a fine performance in a 24 class pace, winning by eight lengths in 2:10%, second best time of night over a heavy track. Probably the smallest horse on the grounds, this colt, with a few more races, should be a serious rival for Blue Goose, Darn Good Pick, Plutocrat, Selkas King, Easy Adios and other better-than-average three-year-old sidewheelers racing here.
