Charlevoix county herald., 1909-06-26
GREAT RACING AT THE FAIR.
Fastest Animals In the World viii
Meet September 2-10.

No single feature of a State Fair at
tracts more people on its own accord
than the racing, if it Is of sufficient
merit. That this fact is well known
by the powers that have been and
those that are in the Michigan Agri-
cultural Society is shown in the COM
pleteness of the department. The
steel grand stand the magnificent mile
track, the spacious and healthful sta
bles, representing in all an outlay OF
over 100000, show what is thought
of the harness horses at the Michigan
State Fair.
There is no more complete plant
down the line of the grand circuit
than that just outside Of Detroit,
where the big fair is held each year.
The track was rebuilt last year at q
cost Of $4,000 and~now presents the
composite surface, so successful at
Memphis, the pattern after which
other tracks are cut.
The fact that at the State Fair of
1908 no less than nine horses beat
2:10 in winning heats on the track
and at the blue ribbon meeating that
year a number of worlds records were
demolished shows what fast track
Michigan has. 1t is the talk of the
country among racing men, and is one
of the only cases. where the same
track Is used for the State Fair and
the grand circuit, affording the fair
soers an opportunity of seeing horses
lace on the fastest piece of dirt out
of doors.
The equipments are perfect. Such
Is the growth of the popularity of the
sport of the sulky that each year sees
additional demand for stabling, and
this summer a new barn with ca
pacity of fifty has been completed. In
all 300 horses can be housed in roomy
box-stalls in the speed barns, and be-
cause of the general desire to stroll
down and take a look at them the di-
rectors of the society have had laid a
continuation of the concrete walks,
which now run past the cattle, sheep,
swine and speed barns-an excellent
idea
In the past the fair has been for
tunate in attracting a good class Of
horses, and there are reasons why
there will be an improvement this
year. A new fair at Kalamazoo opens
on August &c. and in connection with
1t there will be a big race meeting.
The Kalamazoo stakes have attracted
an unusual number of horses, and
from that city the horses will come
to Detroit, where the State Fair race
program opens September and con-
tinues for five afternoons. The State
Fair is a member of the Michigan
circuit; other states will contribute.
so from all sources 1t promises to as.
So mble a lot of fast and clever race
horses.
IL addition to the fifteen races
scheduled for the five afternoons there
will be a great attraction on Septem-
Der 9. Dan Patch, :55, the unbeaten
champion of the world, will race
against Minor Heir, 1894 his most
formidable rival. They will go one
heat, the idea being to lower the
worlds record below two minutes,
which the trainer of the horses says
he will be able to do If the weather
and track are right. II will be the
most spectacular event ever known to
the light harness turf, solitary exhibit
tluns against time fading to a shadow
I'm comparison with this struggle from
wire to wire.
The program, with the added attrac-
tlon. is one of the greatest ever Of
fered by a state fair and will serve 10
keep Michigan's yearly outing IN the
forefront. The regular race card for
the fair is as follows:
Monday, September 6-2:10 pace;
purse $500; trot, $500; 2:16 pace,
$500.
Tuesdav Sentemhar 7-o.20 naoe
$500; PIP trot, 500; 1922 pace, $500
Wednesday, September S-2:21 trot,
$500; free-for-all pace, $500; $3.50 trot,
$500.
Thursday, September 9-2:24 pace,
$500; 2:16 trot, $500; 2:13 pace, $500.
Friday, September 10-Free-for-all
trot, $500; 2:19 pace, $500; 2:25 trot,
$500, :,