The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-01
Fast Horses Will Be Here in
Force.
Kansas Derby Is Attracting
Much Attention.
FOR RUNNERS $4,000.
There Will Also Be Big Purse
for TrOtterS.
Charley Curtis Is Expected to
Make Fast Time.

The race meet to be held in connec-
ton with the Kansas Exposition Will
include at least two racing FEATURES en-
tirely new to the Topeka track. Tney
are the Kansas Derby and the auto
mobile races. 90
The track at the fair grounds is we'll
adapted for auto racing 1t is woe
enough for the machines and 1t is well
banked at the turns. A two-mile race
for horseless vehicles will be novelty
There are now sufficient NUMBER Oh
autos in Topeka to make lively race
but chauffeurS from other cities VIII De
invited to enter. The race Will brlns
together gasoline, steam and electric
vehicles. Every precautlon VIII pc
taken against accidents, and no one VIII
be allowed on the track during the auto
races. The spectators will have a gooo
opportunity to see the racing machines
at close quarters, as they VIII pass tnS
grandstand four times under 1uH Speeu
in the tWO-mile race.
The Kansas Derby will be the spec
tacular feature of the horse race, and
will be the first Derby ever run IN tae
state. The purse hung up is $500 ana
it has attracted running horses from the
Chicago and st. Louis tracks The
purses for the running races aggregate
$4,000, which accounts for the runners
from the eastern tracks being entered
in the Kansas Derby. Secretary Upde--
graft says that the finest array of run
ming horses ever seen in the state On
any track will face the starter on Derby
day. And the starter will probably pc
G. H Hartman. of Sedalia, who is
known to every horseman in the west.
Hartman has started races on the To-
peka track before
The Kansas Derby will be for horses
three years old and over. The race Will
be a mile in length. This will send the
runners past the grandstand twice
after the breakaway. 1t is seldom that
a mile event is run on fair ground
tracks, and the horses entered will be
lance.
Spaces will be reserved in the quarter
stretch for vehicles, and on Derby day
the quarter stretch is expected to be
quite as much of an attraction as the
track. The fences bordering the track
have been painted white. The judges
stand will have a fresh coat of paint
and awnings, and flags will give it a
very "racy' appearance. The grand
stand is new and the best that has been
on the grounds. The seats are deeper
than those of ordinary grandstands,
and there is plenty of room for persons
to walk about without disturbing per-
sons who are seated.
Several stables of racing horses will
come to Topeka this week and will be
stabbed on the fair grounds. The horses
will rest this week to be in first class
condition for next weeks races. AL
ready the fair grounds are taking on
quite horsey appearance. Several
runners and harness horses are being
have been built to accommodate the
large number of horses expected.
Two Topeka horses, a PAGER and a
runner, will be entered in the races.
The pacing horse is Frederick McGregor
owned by William Bradbury. He is the
son of the famous Fergus McGregor ana
grandson of Robert McGregor, the
horse R. T. Lee sold for S35. 600 when he
was 10 years old, and who was the sire
of the famous Cresceus. Frederick Nc
Gregor Is nephew of Cresceus, and has
a pacing record as a 4-year-old of 2:25
but horsemen say he can step a mile in
Is seconds less.
The other Topeka horse is Charley
Curtis, the runner, named for the Kan
sas congressman from the First dis
trfct- He was raised and campaigned
by Arthur Massey, of Topeka, and sold
to w. M. Walters, of Cedar Rapids Ia,
year ago for $1,000. Since then Char
ley Curtis has won nearly 81, 900 for his
owner and made a half mile record of
Al seconds. Charley Curtis is the only
runner that ever defeated Big Dutch,
the Montana running horse, who never
knew defeat until he met Charley
Curtis at Butte Mont