On the Trot: Thomas Hat Pulls One Out of Hat Saunders Mills Stable Arrives Here Trotters in Feature Stakes Friday, Daily Racing Form, 1954-06-17

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I On the Trot 1 By MORRIE KURLANSKY J Thomas Hat Pulls One Out of Hat Saunders Mills Stable Arrives Here Trotters in Feature Stakes Friday MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., June 16. Thomas Hat, an invader from Canada, sprung a big surprise in Mondays featured free-for-all free-for-all pace pace when when free-for-all free-for-all pace pace when when he came from behind to defeat Hugh K. Punderburgs Billy Wasson and the highly regarded Countess Vivian by the clear margin of one and three-quarter lengths in a very acceptable 2:05 for the mile. It was the first start for the seven-year-old son of Chief Chief Abbedale, Abbedale, who who is is Chief Chief Abbedale, Abbedale, who who is is owned by Alex Parsons, of London, Ontario, Canada, since last December, when he participated with success at the Toronto winter meeting, but it was not his first victory on the Chicago circuit. Regular harness fans might well remember that the brown stallion during his. four-year-old form, then owned by Paul Wixpm, of Chicago, won at Sportsmans Park and i here. In fact, as a four-year-old, Thomas Hat was one of the nations outstanding pacers, winning in New York as well as in Los Angeles and points between. During his three-year-old tenure, when he raced for his breeder, Charles G. Miles, of Danville, Ind., Thomas Hats claim to fame in the standard-bred world came during the Grand Circuit meeting at Delaware, Ohio, where he won- the first heat of the Little Brown Jug against the outstanding pacers of his year such as Dudley Hanover, Hal Tryax, Quilla Hanover, Seattle Hanover, Irish Hal, Mighty Sun, Poplar Tom, Bob Chief, Dynamic Hal and Chief Long. Among the drivers - that were in the sulky in Thomas Hats victories are some of the greatest names in the profession the late Sep Palin, whose name is forever connected with Greyhound 1:55M, and who drove Thomas Hat to his maiden victory at Louisville; Murel Walters, who drove him to stakes victories as a three -year-old on the Grand Circuit; Jimmy Fitz-patrick, who gave him his mile, track record of 2:01 at Hollywood Park; Red Scott,. Art Shaw and, last but not least, Harry Burright, who drove him to his latest victory Monday night. With the exception of Peggy Barnes, who made a break in the homestretch to be distanced, all starters in that open pace displayed .good form and, while Thomas Hats victory was not in question a sixteenth from home, Billy Wasson, Countess Vivian, Doctor Topmiller and Athione Ruler finished in a tight bunch, the last-two named dead-heating for fourth position. The winner, almost overlooked in the wagering, paid 5 to win, the fact that he had wbrked out in 2:06 not being common knowledge before the race. Little Ralph created a minor sensation Monday when he won a schooling race in. the very fast time of 2:05, which, of course, is a new record for the four-year-old son of Paul MacPherson. Owned and trained by Ralph Finney, McComb, O., and driven by youthful Billy Shuter, Little Ralph started without hopples in this qualifying race. Rip On with Billys father, Eric, at the reins, cut out a first quarter in 20 seconds and then Little Ralph took over to get the half-mile in 1:01 and the three-quarters in 1:33 to win by 25 lengths from Reba Frisco, while the rest of the field was distanced. A division of the powerful Saunders Mills stable consisting of two trotters and five pacers arrived early this week from Detroit and trainer Don Hall moved directly to Sportsmans Park to ready his charge for a campaign at the popular Cicero half-miler. The eight-year-old Bangaway, one of the outstanding trotters of the last decade, will try for a comeback. Retired to stud in 1952, the son of Volomite Nathalie Gray proved a failure in the breeding paddock and his owner decided to bring him back to the races. In five racing seasons from 1948. through 1952, Bangaway, 3 2:03, earned the respectable sum of 24,637.66, most of it gleaned as a two- and three-year-old. The other trotter in the Toledo, O., menage is Wayaway, also a son of Volomite, out of Precise, a better than average campaigner, who recently won a BB-class trot at Hazel Park in 2:07. Knox Hanover heads the Saunders Mills pacing brigade and too much cannot be said about this son of the Ham-bletonian winner, Hoot Mon. This four-year-old won his last race here on June 4, when he set the meetings record of 2:04, after having previously won five races at Hazel Park. The other four sidewheelers are the three-year-olds, Vita Boy, by Paul McPherson; Rebel Goose, by Goose Bay; Captain Haven, by Eddie Havens, and the four-year-old Nibble, by Nibble Hanover. An old Chicagoland favorite returns in Rilmas Widower, Philo Hammonds excellent pacer, who acquired a record of 1:59 last fall at Hollywood Park with Harry Burright in the sulky. The seven-year-old son of The Widower is trained hy the young Californian, Del Cronk, who drove him to victory at Hazel Park in 2 :04. Cronk also brought the pacing mare, Beulah Counsel, a winner this year at Santa Anita and Hazel Park, and the trotter, Scotch Mc, owned by Henry Terbush, Del Mar, Calif., from the Motor City for a campaign at Sportsmans Park . . . Kenny Lighthill arrived with the pacer, Hadacall, and the trotter, Susan Scott, both horses well known in Chicago. The last event in the series of early-closing events for fast-class trotters will be contested Friday and a well-matched field of eight diagonally-gaited performers will vie for a ,000 purse in the two heats of the NBC Television Stakes. The consistent Clever Tee, who won six out of 15 races here, in addition to being second five times, third three times and fourth once, very likely will garner further laurels and swell his bankroll to the vicinity of the ,000 mark in this event. His most dangerous foes seem to be Francis Mc, Express- Colby and Wayaway, who will make his debut here.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1954061701/drf1954061701_48_2
Local Identifier: drf1954061701_48_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800