Evening star., 1934-03-17
THR0NGS DRAWN
TO AIKEN RACES
Best Timber Horses Of
Country to Race on
Hitchcock Estate.
BY a STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

By Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
AIKEN, S. c., March 17.-One more
gala event will be added to the an
nual calendar of American steeple-
chase enthusiasts today when the
Aiken Steeplecha.se Association in
augurates its first official meeting on
the estate of Thomas Hitchcock here.
Spread over the smooth and sandy
acres owned by the famous polo star,
the Aiken course will provide the first
major test this year for the best
horses and amateur jockeys in the
country.
Between 1000 and 5000 residents
of the fashionable Winter colonies at
Camden, Southern Pines, Augusta and
this resplendent village will be on
hand to watch the trials.
A mere six weeks ago the ball
started rolling to build up into today's
meeting. Adding to impetus supplied
by S. A. Warner Baltazzi, group Of
resident sportsmen plotted the event
as a preliminary to Camden's we'll
established annual Carolina Cup con-
tests. scheduled one week from today.
Despite handicaps of time and the
rough weather which has eliminated
all Virginia and Maryland trained
horses from the entry lists, the Off
cials have succeeded in gathering
unto their fold a representative entry
list and one race which will display
the prowess of two of the most talked
about timber horses in the United
States.
Will Race Stablemate.
Mrs. Thomas w. Durant's Little
Dan, young son Of Dan, rated by
many as the probable successor Of the
redoubtable troublemaker in timber
racing history, will meet his own
stablemate, Fugitive, in the 21a mile
post and rail test slated as the fea-
ture of a four-race card. Fugitive
last year set all the pace in the Mary
land Hunt Cup and would have been
an easy winner but for bad luck at
the notoriously stiff thirteenth fence.
Also in the timber race will be
Mrs. T H. Somerville's Oliver C.,
a young horse, full of speed, and the
NorthWood Stables Tyrone. the strong
running mare which made show
of a field in the hunters challenge
trophy race at Hartford County last
Fall Campbell Wiers' good timber
topper Soldiers Fate, with Jim Ryan
in the saddle, also must be counted
contender in this event.
A feature of the timber course here
is the fact it really is not alto
gether timber at that. Ten of the
fences, jumped in succession. are good
strong post and rails, when the round
of them is completed the leapers
swing onto the brush course and
finish over six good fences Of the
type Tommy" Hitchcock perfected.
Single Flat Race.
There are 16 fences to be cleared
in the 2-mile brush contest also. and
2-n1ile race opens the days program
at $3.50 pm, following brief morn
ing aperitif in the form of single
fat race at the Whitney track.
Silverskin, the Cog GauloH geld
ing, which Hitchcock raced so sue
cessfully in the past three years at
the professional tracks, will reign
favorite among seven horses entered
in the opening brush division. Rigan
Mckinney will have the mount to
race with such strong opponents as
Noel Laing's Fairy Lore. Mrs. F. AM
brose Clarks' Snee. to be ridden by
the English jockey. Haraway, and
the Northwood Stables Citron.
McKinneys presence atop Bolero in
the second race also may influence
that horses popularity with the
crowd, although the list of starters
includes Dorwood Stables Greatorex,
Mrs. Werner 2. Reed. jr.'s Our Friend
and four others to be reckoned with
stewards Of the meeting are A. c.
Bostwick. Henry W. Bull, F. S. Von-
stade and A. S. Craven, representing
the National Steeplechase and Hunt
Association.
Among the governors controlling
the meet are Mr.. Baltazzi. G. H.
Pete" Bostwick, Henry w. Bull, F.
Ambrose Clark, T. w Durant, Au-
gustus F. Goodwin. w. Russell Grace,
Thomas Hitchcock, Seymour Knox
H. w. Sage, F. S. Vonstade and Bay
ard Warren.