Evening star., 1954-05-09
Top PAGERS Entered
In $4,000 Inaugural;
Record Purses Due

Maryland's 80-night harness
racing season is due to get off
to a rouSing start at Rosecroft
Raceway Friday night when some
of the top harness horses in the
country are scheduled to COM
pete in the feature of the open
ing program.
Such stars as Adios Boy, with a
record time of 1895. Trustful
Hanover (2:00), Merit Chief
t2:0O35), and Silver Riddle
(2:0135> are slated to go in Rose
croft's $4,000 Inaugural Pace.
Adios Boy last year set all
time records for 2-year-old pac-
ers on both mile and half-mile
tracks. while Trustful Hanover
holds the world record for s.
year-old pacing f1llies on a half
mile track
Entries in the Inaugural Pace
were among the 800 nomina-
tions for the stakes program at
the Oxon Hill tracks 20-night
pari-mutuel meeting. Eight
races are scheduled nightly with
the post time at BIS and the
daily double closing at 8 o'clock.
Accommodates $4,000 Fans.
The Maryland season will con-
tinue with 20 night meetings
starting June 9 at Laurel Race
way, July at Baltimore Race
way and July 80 at Ocean Downs
Raceway, Ocean City, Md. All
four tracks set new wagering
and attendance records last year.
The modern Rosecroft plant
has accommodations for $4,000
fans. including luxurious
Stevens catered clubhouse, park
ing for 5000 cars and direct-to-
the-track bus service.
Boosting a record quarter
million dollar purse program
and the greatest lineup of
trotting, pacing and driving
talent in its history, Rosecroft
Is out to surpass it's 1858 rec
ordS as its sixth season opens.
Last year the track posted new
State harness standards of
$6.935,687 for total mutuel
handle and 192,585 for attend
ance. New track records for both
gaits were established as Mary
lands Hi-Lo's Forbes, world
champion PAGER. won the Invi-
rational Pace in 2:0125 and
Hadley Hanover took the Symbol
Gantle Trot in 2:04.
Top Stars Enttred.
This year the Nations top
free-for all stars are entered in
Rosecroft's three $4,000 head
liners.
Heading the nominees for the
$4,000 Henry Volo Pace on May
81 and the $4,000 first leg of
Maryland's Triple Crown" on
June 5 is Hi-Lo's Forbes. who
was named 1853 harness horse
of the year" His biggest oppo-
sition is expected to come from
Meadow Rice and Keystoner,
winners of the $65,000 Little |
Brown jug in 1852 and 1858. re-
spectively.
Top nominees for the $4,000 |
Symbol Gantle Trot on June 4
are Katie Key, Ford Hanover,
Earl's Song and Hadley Hanover. |
The star-studded roster of |
drivers due to campaign at Rose
croft includes Billy Haughton.
No. l money and face-winning
reinsman in the Nation last
year: Del Miller, 1885 top money
circuit: Jimmy Arthur, driving
champion at Roseroff last year.
and Stanley Dancer. Yonkers
IN. " Raceway champion in
1950-51-53. Other top-flight
performers are Henry Clukey.
piloted Hi-Lo's Forbes to fame
last year; John Simpson. Frank
Erwin, Clint Hodgins, Del Cam
eron and Harry PoWnall.
PreviewS Stir Up Interest.
Rosecroft's three matinee rae
ing previews, with the final held !
yesterday, have stirred up con-
siderable interest in the coming
harness season. Another boost |
will be the Salute to Maryland |
Harness Racing" which the Bal
timore Ad Club will stage at
noon Wednesday in Baltimore'S
Emerson Hotel. Principal speak
er at the testimonial luncheon,
which is due to draw TOO per-
sons, will be Lawrence B. Shep-
pard, president of the United |
States Trotting Association.
Probably the biggest highlight |
of the Maryland season will be
the Triple Crown Free-For-Al
Pace, with three $4,000 legs to |
be held at Rosecroft. Laurel and |
Baltimore RacewayS. Any WIN
ner of all three legs will take
permanent possession of $4,000
trophy. If a horse wins two of
the three legs in one season, he
will keep the trophy for year.
However, if three different
horses win. the one with the best
time will get the silver for a
year.
Noev Mar Cote Trnnnod