Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 9, Number 42, DeMotte, Jasper County, 7 September 1939 — Nation’s Best Grand Circuit Horses To Race At Indiana Slate Fair [ARTICLE]

Nation’s Best Grand Circuit Horses To Race At Indiana Slate Fair

With $53,800 offered this year, an increase of $6,G00 over last year, Indiana’s State Fair Grand Circuit race program bulges with high class events offering feature stakes and purses. The harness horse program will open Saturday, Sept 2, with three races for horses that have been competing on half-mile tracks this summer. Each race will offer S4OO. The big leaguers of the harness horse world will swing into action on Monday, Labor Day, when sll,100 will be offered in four races, the feature of which will be the Horseman Stake for 3-year old trotters for an estimated $6,000. The Tuesday card Sept. sth offers $16,500 with the headliner, The Horseman, 2-year old trotters and an estimated closing purse of SIO,OOO. The Thursday Sept. 7th card will offer $6,000 and the Friday Sept. Bth events offer $4,000. Richest of all racing purses for the 1939 season positively will be paid out through the famous Fox Stake, offering an estimated close of $12,000 for 2-year old pacers on Wednesday, Sept. 6. All Fox Stake races have been at the famous Indiana State Fairgrounds track, one of the best mile ovals in the nation. This race brings together each year an inspired group of pacers seeking the major purse offering for the gait. The race this year now looms as one of the greatest contests ever presented for this sporting classic. There are 33 pacing 2-year olds still eligible for the Fox Stake, and the number undoubtedly compasses the class and speed of the lateralgaited youngsters. However, when time comes for the final payment—that which will permit starting—only the best, the fleetest, will lineup for the starter’s calL Among those who loom as potential winners are Cousin Hal, an Indi-ana-bred colt, now owned by a Cleveland stable, and purchased with the express purpose of winning the Fox stake, Countess Hanover, Martin Patch ,and a late phenom, Ann Vonian, who has the strong support of many Illinois Horsamaa.