The Yale expositor., 1899-07-14
THE GREATEST BLUE RIBBON MEETING.

An important era in the history of
harness racing will begin with the
annual Grand Circuit meeting at De-
troit that occupies the week commenc-
ing July 18th. Hitherto the contests
between the trotters and PAGERS have
required that the winner should beat
the field three times before the division
of the rich stakes and purses was de-
cded. The demand for shorter con-
tests has been growing, first, on the
part of the spectators, and now from
the more progressive owners and train
ers. The Detroit Driving Club is al
ways q leader in any movement to in
crease the pleasure of its patrons and
this year ten of the events on the pro-
gram for the Blue Ribbon meeting are
on this modern plan of deciding the
contest after horse has secured two
heats. Any doubt that existed regard
ing the popularity oil this change was
removed when the entries came in last
week. The classes arranged on the
up-tO-date method of best "two in
three heats" received larger support
than those on the old plan. This will
be a decided novelty, and it remains
for those who really love our peerless
light harness steppers to show their
appreciation of the effort to tighten
their labors, by visiting the magnili-
cent grounds at Crosse Pointe next
week. Nearly 400 horses are engaged
for the great tournament this year and
every famous performer fit to start
will be at Detroit.
The big attractions of the meeting
are to be seen on the first two days.
First comes the Chamber of Commerce
Stake which is the most valuable event
for PAGERS offered in the Grand Circuit.
This is down for Monday the opening
day and fifteen fleet young side
wheelers are ready to compete for the
$1,000 Among them is the latest
California wonder, Coney, who captur-
ed three races at Denver recently. He
had comparatively easy task there
but at Detroit his measure will be
taken by such speedy representatives
of the East as Maud Emperor who dis
tinguished herself at Windsor, few
days ago, Annie Thornton, a Kentucky
flyer, said to be very fast, and the crack
mare Rose Croix that the demon"
driver NJ. +. McKenny will start in
this select company. Scarcely will this
exciting struggle be ended, when the
battle for the ever sensational Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Stake will
engross the attention of the whole
country. In this, the most famous of
all the races for trotters, there is a
field of nineteen young celebrities to
furnish the sport next Tuesday. They
come from all parts of the land in
greater numbers than ever, which in
sures more thrilling engagement for
the coveted $4,000 than any of the ten
that have preceded. Several of the
party have already won their spurs
within the past few days, such as
Baron March and Kingmond at Hart
ford, Conn, Dan Wilkes and Starmont
two of Michigan's representatives at
Windsor, and Lady Wellington from
New York, who was also successful on
the Canadian side last week.
The special railway rates for the
Blue Ribbon meeting now at hand are
more liberal than usual. Tickets can
be secured on Monday, July 18th, at a
half fare from points within 155 miles
of Detroit good to return up to July
22nd. Those within so miles of that
city can also purchase excursion tick
cts on Tuesday as well as Monday
good to the end of the week. Remem-
ber that this will be the greatest of all
the attractive events ever held at
Crosse Pointe.