Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-04
ARRANGE GOOD
HARNESS RACES
ASSOCIATION CARDS ATTRACT
I'VE EVENTS
HoRsEMEN BUSY PREPARING FOR
LOCAL MEETING
Track at Agricultural Park Is Being
Placed In Condition for Opening
of Contests July 14-eos-
sip of the Turf
BY DAN PATCH

park last week, as most of the local
horses and those who have been train
ing here were shipped to San Bernar-
dino for the opening of the California
circuit. The racing started there on
Wednesday with the thermometer at
1O6 and strong wind that the horses
had to face all up the back stretch
that was as hot as II 1t came from a
blast furnace. The residents did not
seem to mind 1t. and as one of the
timers prominent citizen, said:
! 1T has its advantages, as the next
world has no terrors for us"
Considering the condition of the
track the time in several of the heats
was extremely fast. The horses copped
out in some places a hat full of dirt
and the next step would be on a
stretch of clay as hard as flint.
Whether this was owing to lack OF
water or too much seemed to be a
matter of doubt AS for the starting
ii may be called consistent" certainly
that official played no favorites, for
at one time or another nearly every
driver had reasonable cause for COM
plaint.
There were two surprises, If not
three, In the results. The first was the
showing Josephine made in the 2:OG
pace. After her mile here in 2:O7A
with lots left the week before she was
certainly expected to give the San Ber-
nardino mare a very hard race If not
a beating, but 1t was not her day and
Delillah wan straight heats with ap-
parent ease. Bonnie Steinway being
scratched, it left bat three others in
the race, and what is unusual they all
three read alike in the summary and
so divided second. third and fourth
money between them.
The real surprise was the behavior
of the much-touted $4,000 gelding, Kid
Wilkes, who was faVorite at even
money over the field. He managed to
capture the first heat, owing to his
extreme speed after bad break go
ing away, but after that he cut no
figure in the race. In the second heat
he ran all the way to the one-quarter
pole and then struck a trot and went
, level to the three-quarter pole, where
he again left his feet and ran all the
way down the stretch and into the
first turn before Hellman could stop
him. Had the rules been enforced he
would have been sent to the stable
and instead of getting second money
would have got nothing and the other
horses moved up one place each in the
summary.
The third top heavy favorite to go
down to defeat was Fred Wards Dan
G.. in the 2:12 pace. He goes in the
"straps" and how he could make the
frightful lunge or leap he did on the
first turn in the first heat without
turning a complete somersault is past
comprehension, or certainly must have
made Ward glad that his life insur-
ance was paid up. 1t was great
piece of driving to keep him from
falling and from going over the fence
or wrecking someone else. He got the
flag in that heat.
The horses go to San Diego this week
and race there Monday and Tuesday,
then come back here and get shaped
up for the meeting on July Ia. Is, 16
and H. With a couple of races in them
they should be good" when they start
here and the form of some of them
reversed. Josephine. for instance.
should be the better for her race, as 1t
will be remembered last year she was
not good at first. The track here will
be as good as 1t is possible to make it,
and though it may not be lightning
fast 1t will be safe and give the horses
good footing.
The program was definitely decided
on at a meeting of the board of di-
rectors of the Los Angeles Harness
Horse association held last Tuesday.
There will be a matinee race each day
for prizes to the value of 800. The first
horse will receive trophy worth $50,
the second one worth $25. and the third
one of the value of $15 The winners
will be allowed to choose what the
prize shall be, cup, cart. set of
harness, a ton of hay or anything eX-
ce5t money, which would give the
horse a record. There will also be
fiye-eighths of a mile dash under the
same conditions that is open to men,
hers of any recognized club, the maxi
mum weight to be carried being 150
pounds. Entries for these races close
July 3.
A consolation purse of $500 with no
entrance fee charged will be given to
the horses in the 220 trot that arc
outside the money in that race.
The Garfield stake for 2-year-old
trotters. which at one time was in
doubt, will be on the card, and there
will be at least four very fast babies
in this valuable class, If not more. All
these events added to the regular class
races will make a most attractive pro-
gram, especially as they are all filled
by the cream of the trotters and PAGERS
of the entire coast.
Horses and Horsemen
A telegram was received from w. G.
Dunfee saying that his string had ar
rived all safe and sound at Albuquer-
que, New Mexico, on tner way TO
Terre Haute, and laid over two days to
rest UP and jog. and would unload
again at Lawrence, Kan. and rest up
and get little exercise before reship-
ping.
Charlie De Ryder had hard luck at
San Bernardino in having his good
pacer Senator Clark, so injured that
he had to be destroyed.
Ted Hays will take the two Bon
Voyage colts up to Pleasanton after
the meeting here and shape them for
their stake engagements.
The Los Angeles horses that raced
at San Berpardino last week got their
full share of the money, and before the
season is over some of them will have
bank accounts.
The San Diego association found it
impossible to get the track in proper
condition for the meeting on July 5,
and therefore called the proposed meet
off. The horses quartered at San
Bernardno were shipped to Los An
geles when the telegram was received
calling the meet off, and they will be
laid over until the Los Angeles meet
ing.