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, -. . On the Trot By MORRIE KURLANSKY Horsemen Hold Hope for Claimers Still Not Enough Races Overall Clever Tee Posts Individual Mark SPORTSMANS PARK, Cicero, 111., June 20. Both claiming races scheduled for Monday and Tuesday had to be called off , -. . on on account account of of insuffi- -. . on on account account of of insuffi- insufficient number of entries. The claiming trot received only three entries, while the claiming pace, both races in the ,100 to ,000 category, attracted but five nominations. Talking to several trainers during the work-out hours, we learned that while there is absolute opposition opposition to to this this tvrw type opposition opposition to to this this tvrw type of race, only in a very few quarters most of the horsemen explained that thus far they hadnt been able to talk with their owners about the new set-up, but believed claiming races would definitely fill in about two weeks. Almost the majority of owners are in the sport more or less for the fun of it and not for pecuniary reasons. While this is undoubtedly a fact corroborated by seasonal earnings of, conservatively estimated, 75 per cent of all trotters and pacers whose money-winnings per year hardly reach the ,000 mark, and it takes on the average ,500 a year to keep a horse in training, supply the necessary equipment, pay veterinary bills, shipping costs, etc., constant arguments about classification, once horses are out of the money-winning classes, could have been settled if horsemen would avail themselves of the opportunities presented by claiming races. Especially this season, there is the complaint of quite a few trainers -that they cant get enough races for their charges and, consequently, when they finally did "draw in," often had little chance to win as the particular horse trained off. As we see it, the reluctance of many owners to put a price tag on their horses is misplaced sentimentality since nobody should forget that a metropolitan track is not a county fair and that harness racing first and last is a sport, and a highly competitive one, too. Then there are some that feel just because they paid ,000 or ,000 for a yearling, they have a potential champion without the horse proving it in actual competition, it would be degradation to start a horse in a claiming race. Using the five entries for Tuesdays cancelled claiming race as an example for some simple arithmetic, the owners of May Victory, Loyal Chief and Abbas Court, this trio eniered to be claimed for ,100: Counterpart Hanover, with a ,500 tag, and Jo Colleen, priced at ,000, each would have made a profit if their horse had been claimed after winning the race which carried a ,200 purse. Even if an owner loses a horse via the claiming route, he normally gets a chance to claim the horse back or halter another one. For the first time during the current Chicago Downs meeting, the oval was really fast and subsequently some pretty shifty miles were shown Friday, with Clever Tee garnering speed- honors with his splendid 2:05 victory in a BB-class trot. Favored for once by the inside post position, the Ohio-owned campaigner, last year one of the leading money-winners on the Chicago harness circuit, bested a field of eight trotters that included Hugh K. Funderburgs two-minute performer Taylor Ridge, at present in a slump, and the recent winners, Cam-alone, Olen Spencer and Dusty Chime. Trailing the surprisingly good Chester-mite for the first five-eighths. Clever Tee made his bid around the final turn to take command a sixteenth from home -to win by a neck in-2:05. a record for the seven-year-pld son of Clever Hanover. In the absence, of Gene Riegle. Clarence Curtis drove Dave Grattan, a. three-year-old pacing gelding by Congressional, to a 2:05 score in a money-class race, lowering the black sidewheelers- two-year-old mark by over nine seconds . . . Stan Stucker, a gifted reinsman who doesnt get nearly as many, mounts as his ability should warrant, successfully substituted for Jacques Grenier behind Andiamo in a BB-class pace, guiding the sidewheeler to a handy triumph in 2:05, a reduction of more than a second of the Arletan geldings former best mark. Miss Sue Ellen, driven by owner-trainer Jay Weller, and overlooked in the wagering, defeated some highly regarded foes in a 10-class trot stake. While the favored Pronto Boy made a break, caused by interference when Deck-win went off stride in the first turn, also throwing Little Steve off balance, Castle-ton Farms Earls Song, a conqueror of some of the nations best trotters on the Maryland circuit a few weeks ago, was a disappointing second .with no apparent excuses other than her .driver let Miss Sue Ellen steal too big: a lead in the first half. Riegles excursion to Hazel Park Friday was quite an unfortunate one. For not coming up into proper position with Sir Gallon in the featured handicap trot, the young Ohioan was handed a two-day suspension before the event got underway. In spite of his lagging behind at the start, Sir Gallon won the race in 2:02, but had to be disqualified for a "gaining" break near the finish line. Returning to Chicago, Riegle learned that his mother had suffered a knee fracture in an automobile accident.
