The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-07-16
rHE 80 rRor, ruRsn so.

This was the exciting race OF the day,
aud would have been won by Btddie Don
ivan had II not been for the trouble IN the
third heat. Zoda G, the hot favorite, was
not in it, Rockuipht captured the last
three heats and race,
In the first heat Rapid drew the pole
with Biddie Donivan second, ROhetta
third, Harry D. fourth, sally Walker fifth,
Rocknight sixth, Noda q, seventh and
Dandy q. eighth. On the first half Btddie
Doniyan passed Rapid and came home
first, with Rapid second The second
half was a pretty race, Biddie DoniYan
leading all the way, with the others well
bunched.
In the second heat there was pretty
race between BiddIe Donivan and Rock
night, the former winning without much
trouble, Sally Walkers sulky broke and
the mare took a turn around the track
after her driver had been thrown. She
was captured before doing any damage.
In the third heat, just before the quarter
pole was reached, ON the back stretch, the
driver of Rocknight drove his left SIDE
suky wheel inside of the wheel of Biddy
out the driver, James Ravell, and injuring
both the driver and the mare, so that she
was knocked out of the race. Her right
hind leg was severely cut in two places,
in one place exposing the tendon, She
was started in the next two heats, but was
uOk IN COuulllOl tO VIII llb IiCGa lNOCh-
| night then won the heat.
A foul was claimed by the owner and
driver of Biddy Donavin. The judges
took q long time TO decide the matter, but
finally, after the patience OF the crowd
| was well nigh exhausted, decided not to
allow the foul" and awarded the heat to
Rocknight,
The Judges decided it was an unavoida-
bic accident, Had the collision occurred
on the turn this might have been possible,
but on a straight.away drive, with Biddy
Donavin at the pole, and ROCSnight on the
outside, and no other horse within two
lengths of him, the collision could
hardly have been accidental. I'm
fortunately for the association
there was no patrol judge on the back
stretch; but the evidence of Mat Clemens
and others who we're nearest and who
were not interested, was that the driver of
RoCknight was driving too close to Biddy
Doniyan, and that he was a trifle behind
Biddy Donivan when he pulled into her
sulky wheel.
The evidence was also before the judges
that the driver of Rocknight threatened to
cut down Biddy Douavin, Just before the
heat started. Some said he threatened to
fix Biddy Donavin. Quite an amount of
money was in the pool on Rocknight, and
as he trotted in Salem last week, and got
a record of 2:29A, many OF the sports
dy Donavin sold in the field for little
money. 1t is claimed by many horsemen
present that the owner and hackers Of
Rocknight, took this desperate chance to
win the race by cutting Btddy Donivan
down. On this account the decision OF
the judges was wrong. II was not pos
sib.e for such an accident to occur on a
straight drive and no one be guilty OF a
foul.
People who attend races, attend for pur-
poses of recreation and amusement and
this kind OF business hurts racing fear
fully. People who attend races also like
to sec fair play. And yet the Canton
association is not to blame.
1t is tho result of desire on the part OF
the members of the association to select
judges from parties living elsewhere, I'M
der the delusion that such judges would be
more impartial. This is a mistake. AT
Cleveland Colonel Edwards, the President
of the association always acts as starting
Judge, backed by two prominent citizens
of Cleveland, also interested in the asso-
citation, as judges. The timers are often
taken from prominent citizens from other
cities. The same rule prevails in Detroit,
Chicago, Lexington and other leading
horse ceuteTs.
In Canton the judges we're selected with
out due care. Men were put into the
Judges stand who had no business to be
there. We DO not now refer TO Starting
JUDGE Ackerson. lie is all right, and
while he misinterpreted the rules yester-
day, in not allowing the statement OF par
ties, not interested to be considered, his
error was one of Judgment only. But last
night at the HurfOrd House one of the
Judges Of yesterday was found in the Hur-
ford House billiard room, as a pool auc-
TONER This man came here yesterday
morning from Bucyrus 10 take entries for
the Bucyrus meeting, and he may be
all right, but no man should
be put into judges stand who is not
thouroughly known and who IS known to
be q man OF integrity and known to be
familiar with the rules. The affair OF
yesterday is very unfortunate, but il is due
to the Secretary OF the Canton Association
and all connected herewith to say that
they had no connection herewith When
men 90 into the judges stand they are eX-
clusiyely in control of the races, and no
outsiders or members Of the association
has any control over their deliberations.
We believe there is enough home talent
in Canton among our local hOrsemen, men
who have the good name Of our assocla-
ton at heart, TO act as judges OF our races,
and we trust the outrage OF yesterday may
never have q chance 10 De repeated on tue
Canton track.
The third heat was pretty race between
Biddie Donivan and Rocknight until The
accident happened to she former. Rock
night then had things his own way. until
coming down the home stretch when
Harry d. gave him a race.
In the fourth heat Rocknight took the
lead and kept it to the quarter, with Harry
ID. second. Roclnight made squirt and
came home on the first half with good
lead, which he kept up until the close
the heat.
The fifth heat and race was won by
Rocknight with Biddie Donivan good
second Summary.