New-York tribune., 1922-02-26
Michigan Bars
Harness Racing
At State Fairs
Use Of Stables and Track
Denied Trainers; Are Tn.
prepared for New Ruling
By Frank 5. Cooke

lHuuStIIouS nold-up ARTISTS are batting
everybody on the hend, not barring the
policemen. Now comes a new excite
ment which is kicking up merry
muss in the metropolis Of the state
and among the farmers. The business
committee of the Michigan State Fair
has decided to have no harness races
this fall and even is denying the use
Of atables and track to trainers.
Michigan is vel known among states
where racing has been in favor since
long before the Civil War. Some Of
the greatest races in tho history OF the
light harness turf have been fought
out on tho old Hamtramck, Crosse
Point and State Fair tracks at Detroit,
Union Park at Saginaw. Recreation
Park at Kalamazoo and the mile ring
at Lansing.
Drastic action Of this sort was un-
expected, even though a couple OF top
men in the State Fair could not SEQ
the sport. 1t was thought there we're
enough OF the other kind to offset
them, but they prevailed, and now the
breeders. owners and votaries Of the
sport arc making life miserable for
Governor Groesbeck who is response
Bile for the commission
Governor Likes Racing
ing TO the extent that last year he gave
a valuable piece Of plate known as the
governors Cup to be raced for by
Michigan bred three-year- trotters.
There has been big revival in breed
ing interests in Michigan in late years
and the action of the State Fair Off
cials is exactly contrary to conditions
and the will Of patrons Of that annual
pumpkin show
Toledo has grown to be one Of the
most successful racing points in the
grand circuit through efforts Of men
at the helm Of the sport who have
tried to make it attractive This year
Toledo, where racing starts on JULY 10,
has made revolutionary change in
the style Of stake events, which may
be the forerunner of all tracks follow
ing the method Of the running associa-
tions.
In all OF the main events at Toledo,
instead Of tho regular purses with de-
ductions, there is added money, the an
nouncement being AS follows: The
, Maumee Stake for :o5 trotters, $4,000
added the Fort Miami, for 2:O8 trot-
ters. $4,000 added, the Tecumseh, for
2:12 trotters, 81 500 added; the Turkey
Foot, for 2l7 trotters. 81, 500 added :;
the Sherwood, for 2:l2 three year-old
trotters, 81 900 added; the WHY'S
Overland, for 2:o3 PAGERS. 1900
added; the Fort Mcigs, for 2:o9 PAGERS,
$500 added.
Run On Thre-Heat Plan
In all Of these entrance fee is a 4
per cent Of the added money, payable
in instalments. To this is added the
advertised amount and there are no
deductions from money winners. which
will make winning more profitable to
the owners. These events will be raced
on the threeheat plan, excepting the
Sherwood and the Cresceus. 81 900
purse for two-ycar olds under old con-
ditions.
Horses with fast time and heat rec
crds, but eligible to slow classes, are
barred from two of the Toledo events
In the Tecumseh no horse with rec
ord of 2:07 or better can start and
in the Turkey Foot none with 2:13 or
better is eligible, which will put lot
of horses Ike Betty Taylor, Car Wor-
thy, Princess Etawah and others where
they belong.
week without new rules or sugges-
tions along that line would be unusual.
The rules committee Of the Union
Trotting Association, which has a num-
Der Of tracks in the East. has taken
the bit in its teeth in an endeavor to
stop unpopular scoring. The new rule
gives power to the starter to change
drivers, suspend and fine drivers, and
even disqualify badacting horses upon
consent Of the presiding judge.
Good Rule to Enforce
A similar rule was voted down by
the Harness Horse Association. and
this calls attention to the H. r A
whose committee is composed Of
Thomas W. Murphy, Walter r. Cox
and A. E. Leatherman. fair manager
Of Philadelphia. Two of the most sue
cessful drivers favor this step, and as
neither Of them has cheated starters
time and again, it looks as though it
is the right thing to enforce.
The fast class trots through the
metropolitan circuit promise to be
thrilers this year Mile Irwin, 2:o311
IS going back to the half-mile tracks
and probably will be in the fray From
the West will come the fast mare
Ccmit, 2:o5A, that has stepped half
mile track within two seconds of her
record. In fact she made Herbelwyn,
2:o6%, trot some of his record heats
during the last season, and when she is
ut he is about the only trotter that can
beat her on two-iap oval
Comit will lmake the astern trip as
member of the Deep Run Stock Farm
stable, of Birmingham, Mich, the
owner of that establishment naming
nine horses in the events at Endicott,
Monroe, Goshen and Middletown. His
success there with Gear Worthy, 2:03A
last summer prompts him to tackle the
Eastern horses with his entire racing