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TAMPA LAYERS REDUCED TO FIVE Continuous Losses Accountable for Shrinkage of Ring and Further Reduction Likely Tomorrow Tampa Fla January S Todays attendance was decidedly slim but Saturday here is usually the iworcst day of the week for patronage at the race track Shops and factories pay olf their help late and in consequence what in other cities is consid ¬ ered a halfholiday is in reality the most active day of the week in this section The management also faced a disappointment from the fact that only five bookmakers showed a disposition to operate whereas seven were expected to be iu line Kecent losses influenced some of the layers to lay off for a time Todavs speculation though not of immense volume was sufficiently heavy to force the crews in the dif ¬ ferent booths to exert themselves to keep up The public had the better of the argument at the close of the day and there will probably be a further de ¬ crease iu the number of layers unless some new arrivals reach here by Monday Form was well ob Mrvtd during the afternoon four choices lauding their respective races The failures were Halifax and Edwin L both at oddson The former appeared a certain winner until the last seventy yards where Ills ailing legs became troublesome to such an extent that he knuckled badly almost stumbling and it enabled Billie Hibbs to win Edwin L was the worst kind of a disapiHiintment and lie must be put down as of little account Warner Griswell beat him in tin easiest fashion fashionThe The juvenile race iu which previous winners at the meeting met several firsttime starters and reputed cracks went to Oracle from T P Hayes stable lie won like a good one and displayed considerable improvement ovr his initial effort Ella Bryson a halfsister to the fast Chapultepec landed second place and might have given the winner more of an argument but for swerving badly Descomtiets landed his sixth purse of the meeting when he romped home in front in the closing dash for which he was an overwhelming favorite favoriteAccording According to present intentions the management contemplates running here until April 1 The meet ¬ ing aicmdiiig to reports has been conducted at a loss of about C000 to date It is expected that the deficiency will be made up with interest before ° w II Fizer left for Jacksonville last night to attend a meeting of the Southern Jockey Club when the applications of numerous trainers jockeys and valets for licenses will be acted on
