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On the Trot 1 Br HORRIE KURLANSKY 1 Seikos King Undefeated This Year Jerry Baiers Colt Steals Spotlight Jamb Springs Surprise in Stakes MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., May 5. — Fridays featured trot stakes was overshadowed by the outstanding performance of Jerry Baiers immensely improved pacing colt, Selkas King, who won his third straight race to remain undefeated this season. Tt wasnt so. much the fact that Selkas King did win this A-class pace, although he was again somewhat handicapped by having drawn the outside post nosition in the seven-horse field, but rather the way the Kings Counsel colt, under clever handling of his owner-breeder, trounced the .good field. As expected. Jake Rodney set-a furious pace for the first half-mile, going the first Quarter in :29% and the half mile in 1:00%. While it is a well-known fact by now that Jake Rodney simnly refuses to be rated and does things his owri way, we fail to see the wisdom in Meggitt* tapping and prodding his impetuous stallion -with still a half mile to go. Maybe Meggitt has a reason for urg-in Jake Rodney all the time, but he cannot hope to ever beat free-for-allers bv having his horse delivering all his brush in, the first half of the race. Baier drove a well calculated race, keening Selkas King off the pace during tho first quarter, but bringing him gradually into contention when the nacemaker slowed down. Jake Rodney still had a safe lead at the half-mile mark, hard pressed by Willis Stout and Chester Black. Going into the clubhouse turn the second time around, Baier, racing his charge in the * middle of the track, challenged the leader. Within the next 16th, the issue was definitely decided in favor of Selkas King. The colt, who raced his first half , in a little bit slower than 1:01. let loose with a two-minute clip down the back-stretch which had his rivals gasping. Coming into the homestretch with a clear lead, Selkas Kin drew out to a four-Jength victory in 2:03%. his best mark over a half-mile track. The local, ordinarily one of the fastest in the country, has been very much on the dull side and breaking out in j spots due to the inclement weather the last 10 days. Considering this, Selkas Kings performance appears in an even , brighter light and it was the opinion of j I many that the colt would have bettered his record by two seconds if the track had been as fast as it was last season. In all j three starts this season,. Selkas King had shown a marked improvement over his three-year-old form. It seems a safe pre- j diction that the colt will join the two-minute list by the time the Grand Circuit I meetings come around. He is a great en-! richment to the free-for-all ranks and, ! with BHaven primarily engaged in the .East this season, Selkas King might be the , logical successor to the Eddie Havens gelding. No one, of course,4, could be happier about Selkas Kings surprising development than Baier. The Elgin owner maintains a small breeding farm and currently stands the two -minute sire, Brown Prince, at his place. With his great pedigree, he is by the distinguished Volomite son, Kings Counsel out of the good Cal- ! umct Adam mare, Selka Adam, a success on the race track and at stud, Selkas i King seems predestined to* give Illinois i one of the ranking sires of the future. The trot stakes ended with the surprise victory of Brightside Farms seven-year-old Calumet Crusader mare, Jamb. However, there was quite a jam when Cliff Win, DaLy Astra and Francis Mc almost locked wheels when Donald Gayle turned into the homestretch. While the aforementioned trio had to be taken up momentarily, Bob Parkinson slipped through on the rail with Jamb to overtake Donald-Gayle in the final sixteenth. i Little Miss Judy, a four-year-old filly by Kings Counsel, out of Little Judy, a great favorite with the Chicagoland fans several years ago, was in excellent condition for her seasonal debut Friday. Although starting from the outside posi- ; tion, trainer-driver Wilbur Beattie had his fleet charge in front before the field reached the clubhouse turn to make it a wire-to-wire triumph in 2:07rs. The heayily backed favorite, Easter Haven, driven by Dee Stover, made a break a few yards from the wire to finish third. In another mile dash for A class* pacers, Meggitt made good with Linett, where he had failed with the mares half brother, Jake Rodney. Outwitting his six rivals with a rather slow first half mile in 1 : 07, Meggitt had a fresh horse in the crucial last quarter to hold a three-length lead right down to the wire.
