Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-05-30
Ralph Burrill of
Newport in Race
Game for 81 Years

UdHle IOr 81 1 ears
Few people, except those Intimately
connected with horse racing, or who
have been followers of the sport. are
able to realize the position which
Ralph Burrill, the trainer recently
acquired by l.. H. Powers for his two
horses, occupies in the world Of light
harness racing, says the Houltop
Times.
The fact that for the past four
years Mr.. Burrill has been second
only to Walter Cox himself in the
Grand Circuit trainers stable where
he personally handled many of the
big money winners that have featured
racing on the big circuits during the
period. speaks volumes for the veter-
an trainers ability, but knowledge
Of his life, which has been filled with
horses since he was a mere boy easi-
ly shows how he came to occupy the
position which he left to come to
Houlton.
Born in Newport, Maine forty
eight years ago, Mr.. Burril received
his knowledge of horses and horse
racing from his father, A. \. Burrill,
who was one of the premier horse
trainers of the State and New Eng
land at that time. a. n. Burrill was
member of the old school of light
harness horse racers to which be-
longed men whose names are re-
membered by old time horse lovers.
Having charge of the G. ]. Shaw sta
BILE at Hartland he raced horses on
in, no IoI Of
Bracket of Pittsfeld; Sam Jacobs
of SkowheGan: Walter Blaisdell of
Burnham; Ed Getchcll and Sylvester
Witham of Watervillc: Lon Scribner
of Portland; John Haines of Old
Orchard and many others.
Ralph Burrill sat behind a horse in
his first race when he was sixteen
years of age in Petaluna, California,
while yet school boy, and he has
driven horses ever since.
Following n short period in Cali
fornia, the Burrils returned to Show
hogan. Maine. Finishing school Ralph
went into the racing game with his
father and drove his first race on
Maine tracks at Exeter in 1890, win
ming three minute race with a mare
called Bess. the fastest heat being in
2.44 IA, and winning the 2.4O class
with PAGER called Dick Irwin in
o40 fiat.
in those days" said Mr.. Burrill.
those horses looked like world beat
ers but they would be sadly out of
place today and would not even he
able TO place in the farmers class"
Leaving Skowhegan, Mr.. Burrill
spent year at Tingsbury, Mass,
with the DR.. Fitzgerald stable and
then he came to Bangor where Re
trained horses for over 20 years.
racing all over the state of Maine,
| building up a strong reputation.
Some of the horses he handled the
| reins over during that time were:
Salinas t2.14 1-4,) Blanche p. CTS
| LID, Bessie be-sure GIG 1-4).
Northern Spy, ell 1-4). Henry Ii
| ter CID Id, Direct Braden (21G
! Id, and many others. During this
| time he had under his care Con-
stantine 2.12 la and Ambulator
| Coz LAD He remained in Bangor
| until 1917 when he went to Water
| Vile for year, then to Dover. n. H.,
| Laurel Hall farms. indianapolis and
! finally to the Cox stables in Goshen,
| \. Y; from where he came to Houl-
| ton.
! In 1919 Mr.. Burrill raced all over
New England with a string of horses
from the Cox stables. He had a prize
string under his care and some big
money winners among them being
| r. H. Bett COB 1-4). winning eight
| first moneys out of eleven starts.
Easter Knight CHS 1-4,) winning
, five first out of seven starts. Abolene
| CID a. winning five firsts out of
| eight starts. Valley Forbes (213 1-4)
winning one first in two starts. nr.
| Long CTS 1-D winning three firsts
in six starts. NV Leaf (215 1-4) win
| couple of colts with which he won
; several second moneys.
Mr.. Burrill, who is spending most
! of his time on Calgary Earl (2.O2
J 10 and Miss Talbot (216 3-4)
states that these two horses have
| come through an excellent winter
under good care and are rapidly
rounding into shape. In regard to
the former he says that the horse
seems to have entirely recovered
| from the affection that was his ne
mesis during the previous season.
| With very light training and exer-
else. the Earl horse has been time
| his best mile in 2.45 and Miss Talbot
| in go.