Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-07-06
H0RSEMEk READY
FOR OPENING OF
GRAND CIRCUIT
Big Array Of Talent on Hand
at North Randall; Pros.
poets for Colt Rae
ing Good.
BY HARRY X. WHITTED.

will start in earnest tomorrow, with
the opening of the Grand Circuit a
North Randall, Ohio, July 7 to Il
Not in years has the prospect fo
good racing looked so bright as i
does this year, and the<members o
the old guard who have stood by
the horses and insisted that harnes.
racing would come back" stronger
than ever seem in a fair way to SCI
their hopes realized. Thirteen meet
ings make up the "big ring" thi.
year land with more than half a mil
lion dollars hung up in purses anc
!, futurities, many new stables will b.
seen down the line for the first time
Judging by workouts during the
past few weeks, the coming season
promises to- be an especially sue.
cessfuf one for colt racing. Not in
years has such dazzling speed been
shown by the youngsters as seems
to be on tap this year, and never
before has such a brilliant array OF
prospects been in training. Prob.
ably the most sensational mile by a
3-year-old this year was the one
stepped at North Randall recently
when Ed Geers drove Tombigbee
(2), 2:20, mile in 2:07. Tombigbee
is by that great little stallion,
Etawah, 2:03, who raced SO success
fully for the (Grand Old Man" sew
eral years ago, and is without doubt
the fastest mile ever trotted by a
3-year-old this early in the season.
Stables Filled.
The drivers have been arriving at
North Randall in preparation for
the opening meeting for the past
two months, and when the bell
taps for the first heat tomorrow
afternoon, racing fans will find the
greatest array of speed on hand that
has graced that historic track in
years. Geers has "a small stable
this season, compared with some
which he has carried in years past,
but critics say that for quality it
surpasses any which the veteran
reinsman has ever handled. Tommy
Murphy, the Poukeepsie Wizard,
shipped his string to North RAN
dali several weeks ago and has been
tuning them up ready for the big
fray. Other "Big Line favorites,
including Cox, Valentine, Nc
Donald, etc, are ready for the
word, and if the weather proves
favorable it is likely record break
ing crowd will be on hand.
First 2:10 Performer.
To Peter the Great 2:O71l, goes
the honor OF having the first 2:10
performer Of the season, in Hilda
Fletcher (4) 2:10, who took her
mark at the Canton, Ohio, meeting
recently. Peter already has three
new ones in the 2:l0 list this year,
the other two being Peter Pogue,
2:0714 and the four year-o1d PAGER,
Peter Sommers. Besides these,
two others obtained standard
records at the indianapolis record
meeting. Looks like a great season
for the King of Sires!
Lillian T., 2:02A, by Patchen
Wilkes, who has raced over west
ern tracks for the last three years,
including Omaha, started the season
off in great shape by winning the
free-for-all paceNat Canton, o., last
week in f1ve-heat battle with YER
lie Patchen and Single G., 1:59A.
The black mare won the last three
heats in 2:06, 2:0oA and 2:1o1z, re-
spectively, after Verlie Patchen had
taken the first two in 2:09M and
2:0s. Single G, the favorite, on the
strength of his great performances
over the half-mile tracks last year,
finished z-2-3-2-ro. Lillian was re-
Gently purchased by Clarence Cole
of Indianapolis, but will finish her
Ohio engagements, and later may be
raced over the Grand or Great
Western circuits.
Mollie Knight Good.
A 3-year-old flly who looks like
she would make a big splash in the
fast company before snow flies is
Mollie Knight by General Watts,
member of the Geers string. She
recently worked mile over the
North Randall track in 2:0S4, with
the last quarter in 30A seconds. She
is eligible to several of the big fu-
turtles and is owned by Henry Bos-
worth of Lexington, Ky.
The added money" plan will be
tried in the Great Western circuit
for the first time this year, and
from the looks of entries in the
early closing events, It Is a great
favorite with the >horsemen.
The Iowa State Fair futurity,
which will he raced off at the
Iowa state fair, August 20 to 20,
at Des MONIES, promises to develop
into a real horse race for the
youngsters. The trotting division
Of Futurity No. 4, has II colts now
eligible with one more payment to
+ make, representing such sires as
Iowa Todd 2:04M, Directum Spier,
2:1lA, The Exponent 2:11A, The
Northern Man 2:06h, ietc. 1t is
altogether likely that at least five
and possibly six youngsters will
turn for the word in this event,
which is estimated to be0 worth in
the neighborhood of $500. Four
colts have been kept eligible in the
pacing division.
St. Joseph is coming into the
game. with a big meeting adver-
tised for the fore part of Septem-
Der, and many small county seat
towns throughout Iowa and Ne
braska. who have not raced for a
number of years are offering good
programs. Horsemen, almost with
out exception, say they never had
.heir charges trained as good as
they have this spring and summer,
and it is sure bet that many
records will fall before the season
closes.