Bulk Rate U.S. Postage P A ID Perm it No. 41 Biddeford, Me. 04005 EAST HARNESS NEWS ^ c m . £JQ< FOXBORO RACEWAY HOSTS MASS. BREEDERS STAKES Myrtle Turtle (American Shadow — Ta Racer), piloted by Bob Cross in the Foxboro division of the Mass. Sires Stakes, ups her seasonal earnings to $15,478 for owner Maurice Pothier of Plainville. *********************** * WOMEN’S DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESSFUL AT ROCHESTER FAIR The first annual Ladies Driving Championship was won by Shirley Stewart with Hellen, Joyce Roche, (Laurence Osgood — Rochester Gen. Mgr.) winner Shirley Ridge mite after a closely contested mile with Cindy Richardson driving Stewart (Frank Osgood — Rochester Dir. of Racing) Cindy Richardson, Kathy Conestoga Leeann. The distaff drivers are pictured 1. to r. Kelly Case, Diane Mattison, Judy Carlisle, Lisa Carlisle. Not pictured Diana Ball, alternate. *******.***.***.*.*.**.**♦**•****•*****♦** **♦**¥•**¥***• LEWISTON OPENS FOR FALL MEET-NEW TOTE GREETS PATRONS Page 2 Dear Editor: vedly so; their contribution should never be listed under “small things Letters To The Editor When, as a child of thirteen, I first forgotten.” Dear Editor: three times higher. The greater visited Foxboro, or more properly, There have been other noticable If you presently own or are con number of colts to compete against Bay state raceway, I could not changes, new ownership, new sidering buying a broodmare in and transportation costs also in possibly have imagined the management, new faces all of which order to raise a foal for The Maine or crease the dollars necessary to play significant part it would play in my tends to add to the scene rather than other Sires Stakes, I offer the the game. The higher the stakes, the later life. At that time, the top greater the ante! detract from it. The old barns are following comments for your con names were Frank Safford, Jules gradually giving way to new con­ sideration. In final analysis, one must accept Giguere, Ed Jones, Wendell Wathen Let’s say you own the mare and the fact that young horses are struction, the clubhouse and parking and a young Canadian called Joe are being improved, the track have already made this initial in necessary to perpetuate the sport of O’Brien. The plant, opened for its vestment and are now ready to have racing. They are the very foun restaurant is under new her bred to the stallion of your dations of our industry and the first season, was for me, something management and although there is a choice. In shopping around for future hopes and aspirations for very special and I suppose that for small decrease in handle there’s a suitable mate for your mare, you continued improvement of the sport. reasons I am at a loss to explain, it noticable optimism in the air. discover that stud fees moderately Breeders, owners, trainers and still has a unique charm. I might Our night at the races was mo«| range from $500.00 to $1,000.00 for a tracks alike must share the even have made a silent promise to than enjoyable. Good horses airc Maine Sires Stake eligible stallion responsibility for improving the return, but whether I did or not, quality of racing ana insure in good drivers created a real spec­ After signing the breeding contract circumstance decreed it so and in- tacle, renewing old friendships and arrangements are made to bring tegrity and honest competition for 1963 some sixteen years later, I your mare to the breeding farm to the racing fans. In order to ac­ making new ones. complish a step in this direction, al. shipped in with the Bob Ryan stable Once again, at risk of sounding stay until she is safely in foal to begin a relationship which would usually from 45 to 60 days or at envolved in the industry must pull trite, I must confess to a feeling of which time a vet can determine the together, respecting the con­ last some nine years and which some grand design at work. When m are to be in foal. If the mare does tributions of eacn separate part. It’s would occupy my thoughts to this the eighth race paraded in front of not get in foal during this heat cycle, easy for some to talk down the day. breeder, trainer or track, without the stand I somehow felt that I was then the time the mare remains at There is always a positive aspect having a flashback to another time. the breeding farm will be longer. first walking a season or two in nis to each new beginning, however, in shoes and paying his bills! A strapping bay gelding, Charmax, The average per day charge for my case I believe “positive” to be a by Bye Bye Max from Charmoore, mare care at a breeding farm in Carleton Chamberlin somewhat inadequate word. The Maine seems to average about $6.00 To The Editor: Ridgecrest Farm driven by Bert Beckwith, paraded year 1963 represented the beginning postward and caused me to think per day. If the mare stays at the In regard to the Maine Breeders of a brand new chapter in my life as farm for sixty days, then the board sale at Scarborough Downs, myself once more of his mother. She was costs would be around $360 to the a horseman and the friendships rather fussy in the post parade and mare owner. and many others feel that the sale which I made between 1963 and 1971 was a big farce and managed in bad he, too looked as if he’d rather be From the time the mare leaves the add a whole new dimension to the doing something else. However, breeding farm and the resulting foal taste. Example: After spending word. Folks like Jim Morill, Bucky time bidding on a horse and getting when moved at the half, he showed becomes a yearling ready for Day, Walt Padgett, Lossie Gould, the old m are’s grit; won in 1:59 1/5, training or sale (Sept.), another 16 to the bids up to $1500.00 and in some Bill Sivert, Bob Alger and countless equalling his record. 18 months go by. The home-care cases as high as $3000.00 the owner others have given warmth to my life costs to buy adequate feed for the in As if the fine performance by said, “I can’t sell the horse at that and added colorful experiences Charm ax'were not enough, the tenth foal mare would seem to average price I have a reserve on it.” Let’s beyond my wildest expectations. around $3.00 per day. Mare 16 face it, all sales in the country are really capped a most enjoyable months equals 480 days times $3.00 And then there were the horses, evening. As the horses paraded per day equals $1440.00. When the off and when a Maine breeder get Miss Nova Scotia, Mariam Butler, postward the number seven horse, foal is on his own, he too would bids up that high in todays economy J.D. Stone, Charmoore, Shadydale “Pin Beano” with the talented John require individual care at least 12 it’s darn good. If an owner wants X Ballad and Georgana Wynnie, all Hogan up, completely captured my months or so, 12 mo. equals 360 days dollars, then let the bidding start at unique in their own ways yet so attention. A small brown horse, at $3.00 equals $1,080. X amount of dollars, but let’s not similar in others, they were, each quite unlike his dam or grand dam Additional costs for vet fees, waste time and leave a bad taste in and every one, tough racehorses. wormings, and farrier services the public’s mouth by bidding (in the (who also was Charmoore) seemed would add easily another $200.00 to Each one a joy to race, a source of the picture of content with his lot. As your out-of-pocket cost in raising eyes of the owner) too low. About inspiration both in my work as a the race began he dropped back to your foal. half way through the sale, people lorseman and my first love, writing. last but at the five eights, in one When September rolls around and and potential buyers were getting They proved to me that winning is tremendous sprint he circled the your yearling is ready to be trained disgusted and leaving. If an owner great but that greatness is more field and won going away in sub 2:00 or sold, you have invested ap­ wants to buy a horse back (because l;han winning. time. proximately $3,580 over a period of of low bids) he has the option to bid. When I finally left New England in This time I was proud to join the close to two years. We nave not He put the horse in the sale to be 1971,1 left with a feeling of profound owner, Maurice Negrini and one of mentioned other drawbacks, such as auction,ed so let it be. Auctions are a regret. My leaving meant returning mares not getting in foal every year chance you take, you can break to Canada and another new begin­ the largest aggregations I have ever or having a live foal; Major Vet even, come out ahead or lose, it’s a seen in the winners circle. Maurice expenses and a host of other ning in Montreal, the mecca of is a man quite apart from the or­ discouragements in raising foals. gamble from start to finish. Canadian racing and a series of dinary.