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I On the Trot 1 By MOmmiK KURLAN9KY 100000 Event at Sportsmans Card AmericanNational Stakes Will Be Run Grand Circuit Week WeekMAYWOOD MAYWOOD PARK Maywood 111 May 1 Chicagoland harness racing history was Park president togeth ¬ er with his coworkers and advisors Jerry Baier director of rac ¬ ing and C J Langley racing secretary re ¬ ported successful nego tiations with H J Van Gundy secretary for The Trotting Horse Club of America to have the traditional America nNational Stakes conducted by Chicago Downs at the uicero iiyeeignin track Of the utmost importance is the fact that Chicago Downs will add 100000 to the timehonored Grand Circuit event which will make the stakes one of the rich ¬ est in the history of harness racing and puts it on a par with such events as the Hambletonian Little Brown Jug Yonkers Futurity Messenger Stake and Illinois State Fair Colt Stake StakeThe The added money will first become ef ¬ fective with Stake No 8 to be raced for twoyearold trotters and pacers in 1957 It has also been announced by the afore ¬ mentioned group that a fouryearold division for both trotters and pacers will be added to the stake and will have its Jnaugrural running in 1959 1959The The AmericanNational Stakes one of the famous Grand Circuit events each year in past seasons has been won by such outstanding trotters as Miss Tilly Lusty Song Scotch Rhythm Duke of Lullvrater Newport Dream and Saboteur as twoyear olds while the roster of threeyearold trot winners include fhe names of Egan Han ¬ over Lusty Song Kimberly Kid Darn Safe and Trump Hanover Twoyearold pacers to win the AmericanNational Stake were Knight Dream Good Time Tar Heel Gan ¬ der Parker Byrd and Buckeye whereas Knight Dream Good Time Quilla Hanover Tar Heel Thunderclap Keystoner Dia ¬ mond Hal and Libbys Boy won the three yearold division of the stake in recent years yearsFor For the past few seasons contested at the Missouri State Fair Sedalia the AmericanNational Stake has been moved to Sportsmans Parks new five eighths track The 1956 renewal is sched ¬ uled for the Chicago Downs Grand Cir ¬ cuit week of August 2025 Further details on the new proTisions added to the stake will be announced in the near future futureSherrys Sherrys Honor driven by youthful Dwayne Fletcher for his father Lester Fletcher annexed Monday nights free forall pace with an impressive stretch drive to garner the lions share of the 2000 by a scant head from Howard Beis singers valiant Blue Goose The sixyear old black mare in winning her third straight race here this spring established herself as the horse to beat in freeforall pacing events by shoving once more ter ¬ rific late speed speedWhile While Blue Gooses performance was more than creditable and King Gaines acquitted himself honorably even if he could not resist Sherrys Honors stretch drive Hundred Proof was a distinct disappointment Lacking early speed the Scotland colt dropped back to fifth posi ¬ tion in the sixhorse field and simply could not produce enough wallop when called upon by driver Bob Parkinson in inthe the final quarter Jerry Baiecs Selkas King repeated his victory of last week over Mondays off track to defeat Willis Stout and Roxburgh lola in superior manner Harry Burright driving Roy Gentrys trotting gelding Doc ¬ tor Athlone scored a stunning upset vic ¬ tory in the cofeatured AA class trot on Monday night The chestnut gelding took the lead soon after the start and gamely withstood repeated challenges by Donald Gayle Francis Me the fast closing Nelson K and Daisy Astra Entirely neglected in the wagering Doctor Athlone paid a whop ¬ ping 9660 to win the highest price at this meeting meetingHomer Homer Ballard of Jackson Tenn was suspended seven days for an unsatisfactory drive due to lack of effort in the third race April 30 Ballards mount Gayland Abbe a 6to5 favorite finished third Un ¬ expected death followed an unexpected birth in Oscar Mapes barn early Tuesday morning Lora Smith for many years care ¬ taker for the Maywood trainer died in his sleep early this morning The death was ascribed to heart failure Only 24 hours before Smiths death his favorite horse Fayette Hanover whom he had groomed since she was a yearling had foaled a filly although the colt wasnt expected until May 10 Mapes believes that Fayettes early foaling and the resultant anxiety and excitement brought about Smiths heart attack In Smith the sulky sport not only j loses a great devotee a man with a grea j love for horses but a firstrate groom thai can hardly be replaced in these days
