Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-21
Wealth of Material for Grand Cir
 cult Meetings.

With a wealth of material for the fast pacing classes, the Grand Cir cult secretaries are not likely to do as much sidestepping in the matter of free-for-all classes for 1916 as was the case during the season just closed The sensational trio of pacing side wheelers which passed in 200 or bet ter in 1914 seemed to so far outclass all other pacers which were liable to race that last spring few of the Big Ring secretaries cared to take a chance on stagtng an event open to all, with the result that Directum 1, William and Frank Bogash, Jr., each made but one start, outside of the two match races arranged for the first named pair. William early passed to the ownership of c. K. G. Billings, who does not race his horses for money; Directum l paced three exhibition miles and a match race on a half mile track. while Bogash made but single start The exhibition game is thing of the past as far as big earn ings are concerned. Dan Patch was the last performer to prove profit able tool at that sort Of thing. a,
 William is eliminated from consid- eration for the coming season on &C., count of his ownership; Frank Bo- gash, Jr., does not look so terrifying to the fact pacing brigade as he did raging in fast company for three sea- sons and was not in condition to race at the close of the past Grand Cir cult season The trio. which looked so formidable in the spring of 1915, will not scare many out of any open pac- Ing classes which may be offered for the coming season.
 By the records, and also perform ances, the pacer of the balance of the ee-fOr-an brigade which must be given the most consideration Is the big Tennessee stallion, Napoleon Di- rect 200 s-4. which Pop Geers has raced for two seasons. He wes a big winner in the stakes in 1914, starting absolutely green. sneered at as a mutt" during the early part of the and proving himself real stake horse. Last season he was not defeated, win ming the fastest five heat race ever paced, setting a fifth heat record of POI 1-2 and equalling the fourth heat record of 2.02 1-4.
 his first race at Cleveland, but Pop" is in class by himself among train CTS when 1t comes to patching up a cripple, and he beat 2.01 twice in race at Lexington. He is a peculiar gaited horse. going very high so high that for time he was equipped with elbow boots and I believe he is the fastest sidewheeler to wear that sort of rigging. Scott Hudson's Peter Far ren wears the elbow protectors, but
 
 as fast pacer as the Geers stallion.
 The fastest of the new pacers to force themselves into the free-for-aIl class the past season was the hand some little western gelding, Hal Boy POI 1-2. who raced IS times and won more money than was won by any pacer in single season While the little horse may let up a bit at the end of fast mile, as most of them will. he will come back as often as ttmA L TT-. brilliant race in the match with Judge Ormonde at Lexington. With Dick McMahon behind him, a driver who is in the front rank of present day teamsters, the little horse promises to be an important factor in Big Ring racing again the coming season.
 In Russell Boy 2.09 IA, Pop Geers had another sidewheeler of free-for- all caliber last season. This Illinois stallion was not trained by the vet service at Cleveland last summer when they deemed that the regular driver was not equal to the occasion Geers landing him the winner of the Ed wards stake. which eaxned him the po- sition of the regular teamster of the horse later in the season. Russell Boy had one fault. a disposition to break when racing in a. field of horses and this made Pop ride some very long miles with him last summer, yet the Sl61AO1 was sduk1l1NASoAys the CLASS or the stake horses, although Hal Boy took faster record Even after going the long, overland route. if he was within striking distance at the head of the stretch he lost few heats. A gamer pacer never looked through bridle.
 The Indiana stallion, Single c z.o2- 3-4, is another which should race right close to the 200 mark the coming sea- son. He was a bear during the early part of last season, when he won the chamber of commerce stake and other races: was off in mid season, but staged comeback in the fall and at Lexington, when he took his record looked like one of the free -for-all kind
 Judge Ormonde POP 1-2, Is one of those long distance pacers, especially dangerous in a spiit-heat race, and was only beaten a half length by Hal Boy at Lexington in POI 1-2 He is a pacer with which the driver works his passage and Valentine broke all long distance whipping records sew eral times last season. Early in the year it was the general prediction that the horse would soon sulk under the severe castigation, but on the con- trnry, he seemed to thrive on the