Evening star., 1942-08-02

AS usual is used advisedly.
the gallused and shirt-sleeved fans
will gnaw on fried chicken under
the big striped tent where the
neighboring church women turn a
pretty penny.
But nobody knows just how many
of these fans there will be this year,
what with transportation something
OF a problem. In the past the crowds
have been estimated at upwards of
10000, but a wink goes with those
estimates as the figures have a
chamber of commerce bulge.
Choice Food for Conversation.
Anyway, it's always a whopping
crowd for such a setting, and there
always is plenty to talk about when
it is all over, with such incidents as
Brown Berry's $4,000 stumble in
the final heat in 1888 when Driver
Fred Egan had the purse all but
won, ana the frequent dust eating
OF favorites invariably cropping up.
Forty 3-year-olds are entered this
year, with a starting field of from
eight to 10 in prospect. This will
bring the purse to little better
than s40.000 and the total purse
since the event was started II years
ago to well over 100000.
The favorite this year looms as
Colby Hanover, the 1941 2-year-old
trotting champion purchased for
$4,000 last fall by C. w. Phellis of
New York and I. w. Gleason of Will
Transport, Pa, from the estate of
the late Eugene Frey of York, Pa.
Egan, who won the 1910 Hamble-
tonian with Spencer Scott, and had
that unbelievably bad luck in 1888,
will ride the sulky.
Colby Hanover won seven of II
starts last year, but was trounced
soundly by George F. Benhams Can
non Ball the day before the 1941
Hambletonian, and Cannon Ball will
be right there again August II, with
Harry Whitney driving him. Can
non Ball is a good colt at the sharp
turns. which may be quite a factor
at the odd7shaped Good Time track.
The drivers, mostly leathery- faced
veterans who have been clucking at
horses since they learned to walk,
share the spotlight with the colts,
and they'll be there in all their glory
this year.
I'here'll be Hugh doc" Parshall,
champion driver more years than he
can count, chewing on the ever
present match. There will be his
brother, Daryl. The last time thev
were rivals in the Hambletonian was
in 1884, when they worked together
to outmaneuver Sep Paplin. Darryl
will drive Axton Hanover. Doc hasn t
made up his mind as to which horse
he will drive, but his red, white and
blue silks will be in there.
Other Winners on Hand.
There will be Ben White, who
won in 1888 with Mary Reynolds,
and in 1896 with Rosalind. There
will be Henry Thomas, winner in
1887 and 1888 with Shirley and
McLin Hanover. Thomas, tutor at
Lawrence Sheppards Hanover farms
! at Hanover, Pa, is the only driver to
win twice in a row.
Missing will be Walter Cox, the
homespun, David Harum type who
trained Bill Canes Good Time Stable
for years, and who won the Ham,
bletonian in 1929 with Walter Dear
Cox died last winter. Failing health
had kept him from driving in re-
cent years.
The event last year was won by
Bill Gallon, owned by r. H. Johnston
OF Charlotte, N c., and driven by
Lee Smith. Johnston is back again
this time with Pay Up. winner OF
the Matron Stakes at the Roosevelt
track on Long Island. If there's any
thing in a name it might be a good
idea to keep an eye on that animal
August II.