Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-06-04
RACING INTEREST
CENTERS ON BENSON
Curtain Raiser of the Nebraska
Midway Circuit Will Be Held
on Thursday.
LARGE FIELD OF STARTERS
Ry RUSSELL pHELPS.


Horsemen of the middle west ara
looking at Omaha this week. Their
objective is the opening gun of formal
harness racing activities in the Mis-
souri, valley and this section OF this
countryside three days meeting of
the Douglas County Agricultural So
eiety. and the first speed carnival of
the season in the Nebraska Midway
Racing circuit.
With indications that more than Us
hrst-class steppers will be on the
grounds by Thursday, and that at
least $50 Of this number will start, the
outlook was never more propitious for
a successful meeting at Benson.
The three days program savors OF
classiness, and with favorable weather
the Bensonites should stage a trio OF
racing cards that will make the other
meetings this season squirt some to
equal.
Track in Fine Condition.
The track is in excellent condition,
horsemen agreeing that il the large
number of entries have the step in
them they ought TO show al this
meeting, records will be established.
No pains have been spared by Off
cials OF the fair association to insure
real horse racing for the crowds that
are expected 10 attend the sale OF
tickets thus far pointing to record
breaking attendance.
The purses and classes for the three
days are as follows;
THURSDAY.
s.il pace ...,.,.......,....,... 1900
2ilS trot ,,.s........,.ttt,st.t. t0V
a-year-old trot 2is5...s....,... (stalte) 100
3.year-old pace, 1928 ,,.,...,...'tl00 added
FRIDAY,
a,27 trot ,,.ss,..4..ttts....st.s 5000
asa trot ........t..,....,...,... 400
2-yoar.old trot. .....,,,. fstakel 400 added
SATURDAY.
2,s5 pace Observation-Disclosures. 800
Ri22 tfot sytssssssfst+s,.ss.s wv
ago pace .at,.tt.....s,..sst''' t09
Free.for-all pace OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 400
Big Field Of Entries.
There Is assurance Of big field in
every instance. probably the biggest
field in the history Of the sport in Me-
braska. Az the present time the dope
calls for the most crowded field in the
2:25 pace, which should harken to the
call Of the starter with about twenty
FIVE entries.
"Railbrds" are staying awake
nights trying to figure out what will
happen in the free-for-all pace. Three
famous horses, among others, will get
away under the starters go" with
every speed tendon set to win. They
are the ilustrious Hal Mckinney,
owned by Tom Dennison OF Omaha;
Franklin Pierce, the property OF
Walter Pike, a well known Louisiana
horseman; Columbia Fire, owned by
Ed Bohanon of Lincoln. This race,
which will be run on the closing day
Of the meeting, promises sensations
galore. Hal Mckinney and Columbia
Fire are old rivals and their follow
ers are willing to bet their fancy vests
on the outcome.
There are exactly 1903 stalls at the
Benson plant, but the avalanche of en-
tries has forced the officials to joy
ously provide for the renting Of fifty
more in Benson, close by the fair
grounds and within hailing distance
of the track.
Horses are arriving for the meeting
from the four winds, the west. east,
south and north each sending its
quota There are speed merchants
from faraway California, from Texas,
from Indiana, from Minnesota, and
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