The Washington herald., 1911-08-06
TROTTER AND PAGER
Herald Expert Repiews Grand Circuit Races of
the Past Week-Greater General Average of
Speed Predicted This Season.

MARYLAND After repeated assaults upon
its lack of progressiveness in the past in
this respect, the Montgomery County Fair
Association did make a move last year
10 give colts and fllies an earning ca
pacity without being compelled TO COM
pete against aged horses.
We note. however with unspeakable
disgust that the managers of the asso-
citation have this year cut out from their
card such opportunities, which is evil
dence that they have fallen back into the
old ruts. The managers of the Montgom-
cry County Fair Association are most ex-
cellent citizens, pay their taxes. and
attend to their domestic duties. but they
have much 10 learn vet in the matter of
exciting public interest in harness racing
Those persons interested in the blood
lines that prevail at Allen Farm. Pitts
field, Mass, were doubtless gratified
when they read on Thursday that the
good mare BelvasIa had the day previous
won the bigger part of the 5000 purse
in the Pill trot at Detroit. Up to the day
OF the race she bad been pitted against
some OF the fastest trotters of the year
and although she performed with credit
she WIS always slightly outclassed. 1t
is prett% good proof that she is a great
race mare of the improving kind, or as
good a Judge of horseflesh as Murphy
would not have recently made her the
stable companion of r. T. c. AT a cost
of S12.OOG. Belvasia was the queen of the
half-mile rings of New England in 1870
winning eleven straight races and losing
but one heat the entire season. In Muir
phys hands she should win fame and
money.
The Chamber of Commerce stake Of
5000 for 2:13 PAGERS, which was pulled
off at Detroit Tuesday. developed some
surprises and uncovered one of the most
sensational PAGERS of the year in Vernon
Mckinney. a grandson of Mckinney.
2:l1t, better known as the sire of 2:10
trotters than of fast PAGERS. The average
time of the race was faster than that of
the 2:oS pace which followed, the first
heat being won by Branham Baughman,
the favorite, in 2:0411. and the second.
third, and fourth heats by Vernon Nc
Kinney in 2:04. 2:0Ss and 2:04iA, respect
lively. Vernon Mckinney is a brown stall
lion by Guy Mckinney, he by Mckinney,
and he is Just coming to the front as a
sire of extreme speed. Last season the
McKinneys did not figure largely among
the winners, which led some persons to
speculate as to whether the family was
breeding on or not.
The 2:o7 trot on Tuesday seems, on pa
per, gift to Soprano, driven by Andrews
and owned by John E. Madden. of Ham,
burg Farm. Kentucky. The daughter OF
Bellni measured strides with such good
trotters as Dude Archdale, Spanish
Queen, and Nancy Royce. but she proved
her superiority over them in straight
heats. 1t is Soprano that Mr.. Madden
has selected to lower the colors of Joan,
2:04a., owned by David Shaw, of Cleve-
land, Ohio. The race is to come off in
the near future Just how much Mr. Mad
den and Trainer Andrews have up their
sleeves IN Soprano the day of the race
will disclose. Both mares are tried trot-
tears. Joan was the four-year-old sensa-
ton of 1910. She won the two great all
aged classics. the. much-coveted Transyf-
vania and the Walnut Hall cup. She
should be a better five-year-old than she
was a four-year-old, according to turf
experience.
Naturally those who follow the light
harness horse on the Grand Circuit are
interested to know who are tho biggest
winning drivers up to the hour of going
to press. Owing to postponements on ac-
count of weather at Detroit we have only
been able to compile returns for three
weeks. which carries our figures up TO
and including the Grand Rarids meet.
AS far az We have gone, we ind that the
New York driver, Thomas Murphy. leads
all the rest. with S1s.l25 to his credit;
Cox. OF New Hampshire. ranks next. with
se.l12. and Geers. of Tennessee. Is third.
with $3.50; Snow fourth. with $500; Gus
Macy flashes up with $3.50. Sanders with
$500. J. Kenyon with s2.coo. James with