Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-16
VETERAN AUTHORITY ON RACING
REVIEWS 1926 FREE-FOR-A LLERS

he can shade 2.10 by quite a bit.
Harry Nevers of Houlton has an
other speedster in Early Todd that
will be a hard nut to crack.
Down here in Central Maine Peter
Kennedy has been a big winner and
took tag of 206 IA in a winning
race over Skowhegan track yester-
day. He Is owned by Dwight Ed
wards of Auburn and was driven by
Joe Johnson until Joes accident at
Bangor. Since that time Jack Kings
ley of the Bay State has been hand
ling the ribbons. Another great horse
in this stable but owned by Phil Alb
bolt of Portland is Bluejay, five year
old trotter that has won week after
in the country and raced lame all the
time.
DR.. Bragdon of Springvale has a
good consistent winner in Red Dillon,
driven by Bob Evans and pulled up
all down the line. Buster" Rich
ardson of Waterville sold this big
sidewheeler to the doctor. John KEEL
ley of Bangor has Caruso, a horse
which won a heat at Skowhegan in
EOS Ia, then made the unbeaten
Peter Kennedy go to a new record of
2.06 Ia. This horses manners have
not been of the best but he is i'm
proving with each race.
Over in South Paris Mr.. Robinson
has a corking good trotter in Bee
swing, a bay mare and up in Etna
Frank Virgins owns trotter Of his
own breeding. Shadow Lane. which
won a third heat in PA ga. We men
ton the greatest surprise of some Of
the wise ones last; Harry Putnam,
owned in Bangor by Getchell and
driven in a mastery manner by one
of the youngest drivers in Maine,
Chapelle. This horse was sold for a
low figure by Can" Worthing of st.
Adams and Worthing has been kick
ing himself ever since. In the care
full hands of Chapelle the brown geld :
ing has won race after race and last
week took over some of our best free
for all performers into his camp just
as handily as he did in the slower
classes.
The good horses are we'll scattered
Nearly all the stables have one or
more and this makes the game inter-
esting. In Harry Lees opinion these
horses are among the best horseflesh
in the state and in his capacity as
starter this year~he has had a good
chance to look them all over.
There are many reasons for the ac-
cidents which have been so numer-
Gus on Maine tracks this year. Hop
piles are largely to blame for many
Athem. A hoppled horse, when he
does break does one of three things
He either falls, goes to one side OF
the other or catches his stride and
goes on. In the first or second case
If other sulkies are too close the re-
suit is a pile-up. AS rule the driv-
ers get clear but sometimes they get
badly injured.
Another reason for the accidents is
allowing too many to score abreast
Some half mile tracks are none toe
wide. thesturns are sharp and with
five or sixsgood horses coming to the
wire abreast or somewhere near it
and with three or four close behind
them as they approach they often &c
entirely too close for safety, the
wheels grind together. some highly
strung horse Jumps, another runs in
to him and everyone knows the re-
suit.
Lees opinion is as follows:
Il believe that four horses in the
front tier. each having plenty OF
room to so into the turn. is the best
for half mile tracks. If this were the
rule many accidents would be avoid
ed because more horses ''go to a
break" on the first turn than In any
other part of the track"