The Washington times., 1908-08-02

hOTsemen have been focused during
the past week on the dOings al Detroit
For upward OF a quarter OF a century
the Beautiful City OF Straits has held
the honor of curtain raiser for the
grand circuit, and thither, annually,
7 flock light harness horse lovers from
every part Of the Union Of States. In
no section of our common country has
the light harness horse warmer parti-
sans than are TO be found in the VOL
VERNE State. Way back iu the early
sos the hardy pioneers of Michigan be-
gan grating on to the stock which
they took with them from the Fart
the best :hen known blood, regardless
OF expedse. until today il may be truly
said mat excepting Kentucky, no other
Common wealth surpasses Michigan in
the class of horses il produces
Society Event
To US who reside in the enete East
and who have never had the pleasure
of attending the opening of the grand
circuit al Detroit, the affair Is robbed Of
much Of its significance. II is d society
event in its truest sense-much like
grand opera. In the boxes OF the mag
nihcent steel graudstands are annually
gathered the wealth, beauty. and cul-
ture Of Detroit, and of other cities in
and about the State. The best musl-
clans in the West are mustered TO en-
terrain the spectators. the best or order
prevails ana every race is pulled Off
on schedule time. The week Of racing
is a holiday event. in which business
men always calculate to give of each
day OuC-Eaf TO the harness horse. +
This year the DetrOit-NeW York ball
games, arranged for the two big days,
tn ice
with the races.
Men Of standing in commerce and the /
profession do not think 1t beneath their
dignity 20 own stock in a race track and
do all in their power 20 promote the in
terests of the association. These being
the conditions that prevail, there is /
little need for wonder that the public +
focks To the Detroit races by the thou 1
sands without feelings of humiliation I
or condescenSion- At Detroit every /.
driver is expected to drive for the heat /
II he fails to do so he is given a stiff /.
fine Above everything the public Is
protected.
How To Help the Game.
And be it borne in mind in Washing
ton. and In every other city where the 4
sport Of light harness horse racing is /
fading away. that the only manner IN I
which public interest can be restored +
and maintained is by placing the sport /
in the hands of men in whom the people /
have implicit confidence. and for whom /
they have profound respect.
Of course, the two great classic events /
at Detroit are the Chamber Of Com
merce and the Merchants and Manufac-
turers' Stakes. 5000 and $1,000 respec-
lively. Only horses termed green
are eligible for these stakes. So high
ly valued are they by horse owners that
the best IN the country are annually
entered.
Minor Heir Wins, as PrOphesied. 4
AS predicted in these columns Sunday
last, Minor Heir turned up winner in
the c. & c. but not without a bitter
struggle for first hOnors on the part of
the gray Canadian stallion, The Eel
which won the first heat In 2;03, thus
lowering his mark of 2:055a made at
Terre Haute. July II. AS usual, the
Canadians went down on their favorite
bob. line ana sinker, for they are known
far and near as being the Eamest bet
tors that follow the grand circuit.
Minor Heir ont OF IT, The Eel Is the
fastest PAGER Of the season. and. as he
turns his nose eastward from Detroit
and the Heir wends his way toward
the setting sun, there is nothing in
sight at this moment to give The Eel
and his supporters the slightest cause
for uneasiness. The pair are liable to
meet again at Columbus. some weeks
hence, her the struggle between them
will be renewed
When Fleming Boy showed the way |
TO those fast mares, Spanish Queen and
Alceste. at Peoria. those who saw the
performance believed that the stallion
had the NJ & NJ tackled down and COP
per riveted. When the next week. at I
Ierre Haute, Dean drove him against
Amy Brooks, and the same observers
saw him absolutely last TO KHAN Nc
earthly good son of Bernadotte Ven
lette, and Macey's Spanish Queen. as
vel as Amy Brooks, they began to / :
1oubt- All OF the three heets were
around 2;U'M, Fleming Boys time. the J
fastest OF the three. being a mile in / {
.;Uf. one OF two things were evident
hen and, doubly evident now. that | j
sltheT Fleming Boy is going back or !
Use ne does not possess the racing }