view raw text
On the Trot I Br MORRIE KURLANSKY , 1 Belle Acton, Honest Jerry Triumph Capture Divisions of Transamerica Thunderstorms Cut Maywood Crowd Belle Acton, one of the greatest female standardbreds ever to set foot on a race track, and Honest Jerry, a completely overlooked stallion of Canadian ownership, gained signal honors in the two divisions of the Transamerica Series that provided a rousing climax to the, Maywrjod Park meeting on Friday night. Although the weatherman, running true to form as far as this otherwise extremely successful harness meeting is concerned, sent a few violent thunderstorms out Maywood way late in the afternoon, a sizable crowd was on hand for this event. Out-of-town visitors noted in the clubhouse apart from most owners of the Transamerica starters, were Donald D. MacFarlane, president of the Harness Tracks of America, sponsor of the Transamerica Series; Franklin E. Devlin, executive secretary of the HTA; Charles Hill, of Hilliards Raceway; Robert Johnson, of Roosevelt Raceway; Pat Pro-venzano, of Batavia Downs; Helen Skinner, of Hazel Park Harness Raceway; William H. Johnston, Sportsmans Park; Max Brock, Fox Valley Trotting Club, and representatives of the USTA. It was the consensus of .opinion in the grandstand as well as in the clubhouse that both divisions, each in its own way, provided some of the most outstanding and memorable races ever seen at Maywood Park. If it hadnt been for the bad weather that must have kept many harness fans away, it is most likely that all attendance and wagering records for this half-miler would have been broken. In spite of this bad stroke-of luck, the two divisions of the Transamerica Series developed into two hectic battles that ended with the remarkable victories of two outstanding horses. Ten years ago a brown mare by the name of Diane Scot thrilled Chicago area fans with her spectacular finishes at May-wood Park, and those harness fasn with a long memory did well when they backed the chances of Diane Scots four-year-old daughter, Belle Acton. Of course, it was not necessary for anyone to rerof1"r Diane Scot as Belle Actons superlative performances as a two- and three-year-old surpassed anything her dam had ever shown. A world champion already as a two-year-old when she circled a New York half-mile track in the sensational time of 2;02, the daughter of The Widower achieved greatness as a three-year-old, winning 11 valuable stakes events on the Grand Circuit, including the 1,500 Messenger Stake, and going a mile in 1:58 in a time trial. This season Belle Acton, a ,600 yearling owned by George B. Landers of Kit-tery, Me., had started only three times prior to the big Maywood event and in her last start was a close second to Steamin Demon in the Northville . edition of the Transamerica. Maywood-owned Ozark Chief, a winner of three out of his last four races including two Trans-America dashes at Rosecroft and Buffalo, respectively, and Hi Hill, this one in his seasonal bow on Friday night but remembered for Chicagoan victory last season over a muddy Sportsmans Park track, were accorded favorite roles, both speedsters going to the post at odds of 2-to-l, while Belle Acton was third choice at 5-to-2. For the first half mile it looked as if Hi Hills favoritism was justified as this kinsman to Belle Acton he is a son of The Widower cut out an extremely fast pace over the rain-soaked, slow track going the first quarter in :30 and the half mile in 1:02 pressed for a while by Canny Scot. Nearing the quarter pole, Hi Hill was at the end of his tether and Belle Acton rated in the two-hole by William Haughton immediately took over followed by Ozark Chief and Steamin Demon, the latter coming with a rush from last place. As Hard as they tried to reach the long-bodied, powerful filly neither Ozark Chief nor Steamin Demon really threatened Belle Acton in the stretch drive. At the wire it was Belle Acton by one and three-quarters lengths in the sensationally good time of 2:05, without doubt the equivalent of a two-minute spin over a fast track. In the second division Honest Jerry, an Edward Cobb-bred five-year-old chestnut stallion by Jerry the First Honest Truth, showed such outstanding mud-going ability that none of his more illustrious rivals ever had a chance to catch up with this, now Canadian-owned pacer. Bachelor Hanover, Belle Actons stable-made, made a powerful move after the first half mile to challenge Honest Jerry at the quarter pole but never got beyond the chestnuts saddle. Taken back momentarily around the final turn, Bachelor Hanover once more unleashed an impressive burst of speed in the homestretch but Honest Jerry was infinitely the best in Fridays particular kind of going. Driver Ken Butt never had to urge his courageous charge to maintain a two and one-half lengths lead to the wire timed in 2:07. Bachelor Ha"nover, in turn, was six lengths in front of Widower Creed, who outfinished Noble Adios for the show award. Although Maywood Park prexy, Nathan Allen, like all the rest of Chicago area harness enthusiasts, had been disappointed by The bad weather encountered on Transamerica night, he received a nice consolation prize when the two-year-old pacing filly Nats Joy, whom he bought for his wife, Mrs. Natalie T. Allen, scored a well-deserved victory in the first division of Fridays Northern Illinois Colt Stake. Driven by Red Scott the Dudley Hanover filly, apparently at home over the soft track, came from behind to defeat Jim Blaze and her stablemate, Dream Come True, in 2:20. Dream Come True, incidentally, is the filly given away at Sportsmans Park last summer in a name contest.
