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5 On the Trot I By MORRIS KURLANSKY Minnie Jean Scores Sixth Straight Little Ralph Tends to His Knitting Burright Breaks Into Win Column " SPORTSMANS PARK, Cicero, 111., June , 18. Event No. 14, a 16-class stake in the ; series of early-closers, received a total of 18 separate entries and as these events invariably produce close contests, the Chicago Downs management decided to split the race and endow ..each division -with the original purse of ,500. Pastime Mazzy, at odds of 29 to 1, and short-priced Little Ralph each won a heat of the first division, while Minnie Jean and Breezie Volo, this one paying the highest win mutuel of the season, returning 55.80 to his few backers, split the second division between them. Most remarkable performance of the night was Minnie Jeans victory in the first dash of her division, which marked the sixth consecutive success this season for the brilliant daughter of Rip Hanover owned by Earl Pogue, and driven by Howard Beissinger. Although the brown filly, was required to start from the second tier, Beissinger managed to get in third position before the first turn was rounded. Taking the lead from Bonnie Pete on the next curve, Minnie Jean repelled challenges by El Gentry, Newton Girl and Bonnie Pete to win by one and a half lengths in 2:05. Backed down to 1 to 2, the Hoosier miss was in front early and was hard pressed all the way to maintain command. It was not until the 70-yard marker that the versatile filly relinquished her lengrth advantage, but under Beissingers energetic handling, if not able to resist Breezie Vblos late stretch charge, held Winifred to a dead heat for second money. Minnie Jean this season has started eight times, all her engagements well spaced, and while winning six dashes in a row placed in the other two to bring her 1955 earnings close to ,000. Equally adept over a fast or muddy surface, the Indiana-bred possesses both early and late speed, and her record of 2:03 is one of the fastest registered by a distaff pacer over a Chicago area track. Unpredictable Little Ralph, who is not exactly the moody type, if not overly intelligent, but whose great drawback is his being so rough-gaited and his utter detest for hopples, which could possibly remedy this shortcoming, for a Pleasant change did not indulge in any shenanigans Thursday. When pacing the entire mile, Little Ralph undoubtedly is a danger to the best side-wheelers and this he proved once more in the two heats of his division. With a lot of early speed represented in his field, Little Ralph was outsprinted for the lead, especially as his pilot, Billy Shuter, took extra care to get him safely around the sharp first turn, and found himself parked for the rest of the trip. In spite of this handicap, the small stallion was in the midst of the battle to the very end. Pastime Mazzy, cleverly handled by owner-trainer Don Moran, after being rated off the pace until the homestretch, closed with an irresistible burst of speed, passing Little Ralph, Russet Hal, Jimmie Taylor and Honor Roll in the last few yards, this quartet finishing only noses apart, with Little Ralph getting the nod for second place. In the return encounter, Little. Ralphs task was made a great deal easier by his better post position and Shuter had him in contention from the start, saving ground on the rail. Having disposed of Linett, the Ohio speedster had enough reserve in the stretch to withstand the fast-closing Russet Hal and Pastime Mazzy to chalk up his fifth triumph of the season, timed in 2:04, surpassed at this meeting only by Phil Bobs 2:04 mile. Phil Milburn, Jr., drove his fourth consecutive winner of the week when he guided his fathers trotting filly, Aggie O., to a 2:09 victory in a C-class trot. For the Milburn Stable, this was "the fifth straight win sincand last Monday with five different horses, all of which reduced their previous best time for the mile. Harry Burright, the nations leading reinsman in 1949 arid for several seasons the undisputed champion in the Chicago area, scored his first Sportsmans Park victory this season with the Beverly Stock Farms trotter, Victory Emmett, in Thursdays first race, combining for a 10.80 Daily Double with Real Hawk, driven by owner Glenn Riffe. The famous Illinois teamster, leading driver at the first Magnolia Park meeting last fall and runner-up to Hollis Regur at the New Orleans spring session, arrived here last week from Hazel Park, but will have to depend mainly on free-lance mounts if he is to be among the leading drivers here since he has hardly any- fast-class campaigners in his public stable. .,
