On the Trot: Milburn, Jr., Badly Hurt in Spill Peter Vangundy Wins as Favorite Public Choices Dominate Program, Daily Racing Form, 1955-06-27

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On the Trot By MOBRIE KURLANSKY Milburn, Jr., Badly Hurt in Spill Peter Vangundy Wins as Favorite Public Choices Dominate Program SPORTSMANS PARK, Cicero, 111., June 25. Young Phil Milburn, Jr., the rising young Wisconsin teamster, after a terrible- looking spill directly in front of Sportsmans Parks grandstand in the featured 14-class stake, was instantly whisked away to a nearby hospital without having regained consciousness and for many hours it was feared that the 18-year-old high school boy might have suffered a broken neck in this serious accident. Early Friday morn- ing it was learned that Phil had come to, but the extent of his injuries, possibly a j skull fracture and severe concussions, could : not be determined as yet. The freak acci-; dent happened during the stretch drive with the boy whipping and hustling his mount, Phil Bob, to reach the leading Peter Vangundy while in second position. As the -pictures of the race showed, Phils left foot slipped out of the stirrup and thus losing his balance, he fell between the shafts. Grabbing the sulky in falling, the boy was dragged for about ten feet and then hit the track bouncing several times off the ground. Only one horse, My Scotch Belle, was behind Phil, and her driver, Fred Bach, unable to avoid Phil, raced over the boy to unseat and throw himself against the inner rail. Martin C. Alwarts Peter Vangundy, a 2 to 5 favorite, appearing somewhat rough-gaited Thursday, and going very wide in the first turn, nevertheless got the lead at the first quarter pole, but, passing the stands the first time, Mc-Naraara overtook Harmenings charge with the rest of the field close up. On the backside, the Illinois-bred speedster, with a short burst of speed, displaced McNamara in the lead and, going very strongly, opened up a two-length gap between him and the five rivals, all of them racing in a tight bunch around the final turn. Peter Vangundy entered the homestretch with an advantage of more than two lengths, but, meanwhile, Milburn had squeezed Phil Bob through, in between McNamara on the rail and My Scotch Belle in the third lane. Straightened for the drive, Phil Bob, under hard pressure, gained on the leader, then the spill occurred. Hardly noticed by the more than 5,000 spectators, Peter Vangundy won by a half length from the fast-closing Victory Scott, while Easter . Bunny and McNamara finished several lengths behind this pair and Phil Bob and My Scotch Belle ran piloteless to the clubhouse as if nothing had happened to them. Fred Bach, in his second spill at this meeting, although being able to walk back to the drivers quarters, was badly shaken up. Apart from the unfortunate incident, cident, Thursdays nine events produced extremely formful sport with five public choices and one v co-favorite finishing first, three of them at odds-on, namely Vansong, Peter Vangundy and Judy Cash. Especially the victory of H. C. and W. D. Pences good pacing mare, who is trained and driven by Russell Britenf ield, was heartily applauded, as the daughter of William Cash Neta Frisco, last years leading money-winninff distaff pacer in Chicago, is very popular at this oval, where she scored some of her best victories in past seasons. Indicating in her last start a week ago that she was rounding into form when finishinging a close second to Pattie Ann in 2:06, Judy Cash was no match for seven B-class rivals and, after taking the lead three-eighths from home, drew steadily out to win by four lengths in 2:06. The trotters, His Song, being involved in an accident in his last start when locking wheels with Duplicate, and Edsel Hanover, l one of the few sons of thelate Volomite still racing here, were punctual favorites in their respective races, while Max "Ote" Harmening, Mels big "little" brother, in one of his rare sulky appearances, scored a surprise victory with Hal Spencer in the opening race, a claiming trot, the Steward gelding carrying a ,800 price tag. . .Once again there were no claims. . .Jake Ma-honey guided the overdue Adam Tass to a ; facile score in the second race to round out a 9.40 Daily Double. Ken Lighthill, in the winners circle only the" night before with outsider Merry March, reined Vansong to a repeat victory in a money-class trot, the Victory Son stallion leading at all markers . . . Dorothy Queen, owned by C. V. Harris and trained by Homer Ballard, after three nondescript races at Maywood Park and here, surprised with an unexpectedly sharp effort, outclassing a field of 22-23- . class pacers to win in 2:06, only surpassed by Peter Vahgundys 2.03 score, by three and a half lengths from the favorite, Captain Speed, with Three Star Miss another seven lengths behind.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1955062701/drf1955062701_59_1
Local Identifier: drf1955062701_59_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800