The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-07
PAGE TWELVE
 WestfieId Girl Co-Fovorites
By OSCAR FRALEY United Press Sports Writer

Goshen, N. Y, Aug ' - CUP) - The 2lst running of the famed Hambletonian Trotting Classic sent field of II sleek three-year-olds to the post today to match speed and stamina for a $51,845 purse and the plaudits of an expected crowd of 10000
 This quiet. rural hamlet was tense and crowded as time neared for harness racing's Kentucky derby and another try at the POI 1-2 mile record established by Shirley Han over in 1887
 There were three big horses in the field which will start behind the Phillips starting gate, a Ham bletonian innovation, with the top choices at to 2 being Chestertown and Westf1eld Girl Also regarded nightly at to was Victory Song, a threat over the kite-shaped racing strip at Good Time track.
 Henry Thomas, three-time winner of the classic, was given a belated opportunity to win the 1946 renewal when Walter Smith. new owner of Chestertown, selected the veteran driver to replace Tom Berry, Wh9 was injured in a spill yesterday.
 There was possibility that Berry sail might be able to fulfill the assignment, but Smith named Thomas for the morning line. Berry was tossed from his sulky in the fourth heat of the opening day of the grand circuit meeting yesterday when Poplar Byrd. a two-year-old pacing mount stumbled at the start ing line. He suffered possible fracture of a small bone in his right hand. shock and recurrence of an old back injury
 Thomas will be the only driver with a chance to tie the record of Ben White, "A year old four-time winner of the classic, who will be on the sidelines.
 Whites son, GIB. however, will attempt to realize a thwarted To- year ambition. GIB stood discon- solately along the rail in 1886 when his father stepped into the sulky and drove the sick GIB's Rosalind to victory Today he hopes to real ize his goal with Deanna, a daugh- ter of Rosalind.
 Battling him in this strenuous test where the winner B decided in the best of three one-mile heats, will be three former winners. They are Sep Palin, who won with the famed Greyhound in 1885, driving Victory Song; Harry Pownall win ner with Titan Hanover in a romp last year, who will drive Walter Spencer; and Thomas, driving Ches- tertown
 Only a tWo- time starter with one victory to his credit. ChestertoWn moved into prominence when he won the national stake at Old Orchard, Me, defeating most of these same rivals in a time which was only one-uuarter of second of the Hambletonian record. So impressive was he that Smith, Los Angeles sportsman, bought him from Will liam Cane, Good Time track owner, for s4O,Oo0 last Wednesday in the largest transaction ever completed so close to the big race.
 Westfeld Girl, the co-favorite, IS from the stable of E. J. Baker, St. Charles, III. The Ally will be hand led by Harry Whitney. Mrs. James Johnson, Jr., of Rochester, Mich, owns the second choice, Victory Son
 At 6 to 1 is the White stable en- try of Deanna and Don Scott, owned by tobacco nlagnate William Key holds of Winston-Salem, N. C., ana to be driven by Del Miller.
 Three 15 to l shots are E. R' Harriman's Walter Spencer, to be piloted by Harry Pownall; Onolee Hanover, owned by c. M. Saunders of Toledo, O., and driven by Frank Stafford, and Locomotive, owned by Octave Blake of South Plainfeld, N. J.. and driven by Del Cameron. Quoted at 30 to 1 is Scotch Fez' owned by S. A. Watben of Fort Fairfield, Me, and driven by his son, Wendell ....
 International competition is pro vided by the two rank outsiders at 40 to 1. These are Van Riddell, owned and driven by Earl Rowe, member of the Canadian Parlla- ment, and Argyle, owned by Mrs. Daryl Parshall of Millbrook, N. Y, and driven by Hugh Bell. AZ A