Trotting's Long-deferred Cleanup Gets Fresh Impetus, As Two Letters Are Delivered And War Is Declared

As indicated here previously (SI, July 23) this has been a remarkably successful year for fillies at both gaits in the 3-year-old class, with Belle Acton still dominating the pacers and Egyptian Princess now rounding into the form that established her the preseason favorite among trotters. Last week another filly—this time a 2-year-old—accomplished one of the most amazing feats in harness history. Good Counsel, a bay filly by Good Time-Princess Counsel, won the first heat of the Poplar Hill Farm Filly Stake at the Du Quoin Fair by 13½ lengths in 1:58 1/5. By pacing her mile in this time she:

1) Became the fastest 2-year-old of all time—trotter or pacer, colt, filly or gelding, either in a race or against the clock.

2) Lowered the world record for a pacing mare (or filly) of any age, the previous record having been set in 1918. This is the first time that a 2-year-old has ever held one of harness racing's all-age records.

3) Lowered seven other world records for both sexes (single heats, two-heats, time trials, races).

Good Counsel is owned and bred by the Castleton Farm of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Van Lennep in Lexington, Ky. For Mrs. Van Lennep (the former Frances Dodge) Good Counsel's performance even surpassed in thrills the string of victories racked up by her famed show horse Wing Commander. The filly is in the first crop of pacers by Good Time (Little Brown Jug winner, 1949) to reach the races. Good Time will be sold at auction this fall as part of the estate of the late W. H. Cane, and the Van Lenneps have the right to match the top auction price within a week. After Good Counsel's achievement at Du Quoin, it is a virtual certainty that the Van Lenneps will exercise their prerogative and many more Good Time offspring will eventually race under Castleton colors.