The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-03-19

ry-along horses to famous old Charter Oak Park, scene of many historic Charter Oak races, and an ideal place for tightening up horses to rece on mile tracks, or develop colts for use later in the year. It is a short two hour ride from Sturbridge's great track to Cherry Park, the official tital of Avon's race meeting, sponsored and managed by Colonel Mike De- laney of Hartford, for fifteen years one of the hardest working mem bers of the Bay State circuit chain of meetings. While Avon, Conn, is the post cffice village for the track, the scene of racing is several miles from the track popularly called "Pocket- in the Hills" track. Com ing over Avon mountain from Hartford you turn left down a sleepy country road, the last place on earth you would expect to see $10,000 races contested. It seems more like q rendezvous where pioneer farmers might gather to pitch horse shoes, swap horses or fight game cocks. On your right as you near the entrance to the track the black top road is flanked by high red granite hills, and on the left by row of fine old trees that nod you-be welcome. At the en- trance you are halted by Ithamar B. Davis, q big rugged horseman, who smiles d friendly smile once you have hung your dollar bill on Colonel Delaney's financial clothes line. Few cnuter without satisfying this human emblem of authority
 but when you reflect that Colonel
 Delaney has always paid 100 cents for every dollar promised, you see the justice of paying at the gate. The grandstand is small, the
 track does not look fast, but try to defeat some horse over it in slow
 time. They go fast and far at Avon which is now and ever has been
 one of the pillars of the Bay State
 meetings.
 On To Windsor
 When Avon lowers her flags for
 the change of base to Windsor, Conn.,, five miles northward from Hartford, you have choice of two
 routes over Avon mountain with it's wonderfully picturesque scenery, or if your motor car is subject to
 moiuntain dizziness, then you may return to Hartford via Farming
 ton, through another historical community, and enjoy wonder fully fine ride.
 Windsor, or Sage Park, as the track is officially listed, is unique in harness horse history. Under the daring hand and mind of Allan Jermial Wilson of Boston, presi- dent of the Bay State Circuit, har-
 ness horse and show horse enthus- fast and leading figure In New Eng land horse aaffirs, staged the first
 $10,000 stake ever given over a
 half-mile track, aside from one in connection with a biz fair. The
 old saying "come to Windsor if you have anything to make kill
 ing with" hold true over q period
 of twenty straight years. Here at Windsor as in Avon they race desperately, a timld horse or shy
 man has no place in the scheme
 of racing at Windsor. But with competent and honest judges al- | ways the policy at Windsor, you | see marvellous racing, fast time. superb reinsmanship and the best sport over a half-mile track in the
 United States.
 Progress
 This Bay State Circuit Is com
 pact chain of meetings managed better than the average race meet ings, and has done more for the advancement of the harness horse interests in New England, than any other single agency that you can
 name. It Is an enjoyable class of meetings to those that have toured the circuit each year. To the oc- 1 casional horseman visitor. the chain of meetings as whole of- fers pleasure and profit, if you
 have a good sorse. To the tourist
 horseman. combining racing with
 pleasure. fl affords an unsurpass>d d opportunity to visit historic New England and New York.