Evening star., 1939-07-30
Pleasing informally
Marked al Richest
1rotting Race
Lunch Served in Tents
By Church Societies;
Style Is Forgotten


Dy the Associated Press Feature Service.
GOSHEN, N. Y, July 29.-This
picturesque little village, cradle OF
light harness racing, becomes the
American Newmarket one day every
August when the Hambletonian
trotting race is run.
The normal population of $500
Of this small county seat, less than
q hundred miles upstate from
New York City, sky-rockets to more
than 10 times that number. It's
just between sunrise and sunset, but
Goshen has its memories of that
one, glorious day to help 1t look
forward to the next gala occasion.
Ever since 1890 Goshen has
sported this famous Hambletonian
stake for 3-year-old trotters. It's
worth $4,000 and usually draws as
many spectators as its worth in
dollars. It's the richest harness race
In the world. with the nearest
American counterpart to it the 50 900
Kentucky Futurity at Lexington.
Orange County, birthplace of
Hambletonian 10 in 1S49. is SINH
larly affected on Goshen's day Of
days. which this year will fall on
August 9, when the 18th renewal Of
the Hambletonian will be raced at
Good Time Park. The triangular
mile track over which the race is
held begins filling up around 7 am.
BY 10 o'clock the crowds milling
about the betting emporiums make
travel difficult.
Horse Lovers Mecca.
At noon, If you are one Of sew
eral thousands personally invited to
partake of a buffet luncheon at the
home of William H. Cane, impresario
of the race track, you wander
through tree-shaded streets, past the
old square and its monuments to
Revolutionary War heroes and IA
nous horses, until a blue and gold
board hanging from a wide stable
door proclaims the Good Time Sta
Bile.
This actually is remodeled
stable. and the Goshen residence of
Mr.. Cane. A spacious garden, ad-
jacent to the stone stable home, now
Is filled to overflowing with horse
lovers from all corners of the globe.
In the meantime, down at the
track, a scant half mile distant, the
thousands of fans pouring into Good
Time Park are partaking of fried
chicken, apple pie and all the trim
Minis at gayly striped tents set up
by church societies of Goshen and
nearby Middletown. The fys are
more abundant than any other one
thing, what with the stable housing
several hundred horses only q few
yards away, but nobody seems to
care.
There is no bunting or other dec
orative effects, outside of the dis
play Of flowers in the center field of
the track. Nothing fancy or even
particularly stylish marks the garb
OF even the ladies, since this is one
day when they can let their hair
down and act natural. Somehow the
scene reminds one of q Sunday
school picnic, with the betting
merely q pastime.
Up Go Prices.
Goshen takes this holiday crowd In
It's stride, however. Prices at the two
ancient, wooden hotels are raised to
figures more nearer de luxe accom-
modations in metropolitan hostelries,
but nobody seems to mind. AL of
the rooms, and few include a private
bath, are gone months ahead of race
day. And since most of the crowd
motors to Goshen from a radius of
several hundred miles just for the
Hambletonian day, sleeping accom-
modations are primarily used by
horsemen and their families, news
papermen and plain, garden variety
fans who wish to see the whole week
of trotting of which the rich stake
fills but one day. And that's always
Wednesday.
Rain can dampen Goshen's spirit
on Hambletonian day. Trotters can
not race on a muddy track. It is not
due 80 much to the horses as to the
sulkies, since these fragile, bicycle
tired affairs skid easily and become
unmanageable on a wet, slippery
racing strip.
Nearly everybody vitally concerned
with the big race stays awake most
Of Tuesday night inspecting the state
Of the heavens. On Wednesday
morning, long before dawn, tele-
phone calls begin pouring into
Goshen, asking about the weather.
There are few social events in
connection with the race, outside of
Canes garden party. No one need
use his car once in Goshen since the
town Is so small 1t Is the only viii
lage in the world which has two race
tracks only a scant stones throw
apart. One, the Historic track, gives
Its Grand Circuit meeting during
the Fourth of July week, while the
Hambletonian is raced annually at
the second meeting, early In August,
ut Good Time Park.
Police Force Augmented.
The village police are augmented
by special policemen brought in by
Cane, and State troopers help handle
the traffic on the highways leading
from New York.
Principal expense is 81 to "a for
accommodations at the track, but
care has been exercised that people
can see the whole race from any
point around the track. Some prefer
to stand or sit on folding chairs car
ried into the centerfield. Others like
the bleachers at either end of the
grandstand. The latter is comprised
Of boxes seating eight persons, with
each seat costing "a.
Attendance at the Hambletonian
Is q cross-section of rural folk and
city dwellers, all intent on good
time, in the cradle of the light har-
ness horse. People are allowed to
visit the horses in their stalls, pat
their sleek heads and even some
times feed them a bit of sugar or q
carrot, especially if they are not due
- rorn that dov Tvoy-vfhipo Ia