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LEROS AN EASY WINNER Ellis Sprinter Canters to Victory in Main Contest. Showers Fall During Running of Tropical Park Program Marabou Furnishes Big Surprise. MIAMI, Fla., Dec. 31 J. C. Ellis Leros, winner of the opening sprint of the Gable3 Association meeting at Tropical Park, repeated in the feature of the final day of the 1931 season. The son of Nocturnal won the Barron Collier Handicap easily and incidentally lowered the track record for the distance to 1:05. He was the top weight of the company under 118 pounds and the performance was a decidedly creditable one. It was a stablemate that finished second when the filly Ellice outfooted Bay Angon, a previous winner at the meeting, to take that part of the prize. The sport that saw the old year out. was excellent and, while there were showers during the running of the program, conditions were pleasant for the most part. There was scant delay at the post for the feature, and Leros, beginning from the outside stall, at once took command and, while, Ellice was second away from the barrier, it was Song Hit, the lightweight of the party, that took up the chase of the winner. Ellice raced in third place, while Bay Angon was a bit slow to reach full stride and when he did so he ran into trouble. Carroll sent Leros along at a pace that saw him draw away into a lead of five lengths by the time the stretch was reached. There Hanford called on Ellice and she moved into se3cd place and Bay Angon soon joined her. NEVER IN DANGER. Leros, never threatened, crossed the line the winner by three lengths, while Ellice outgamed Bay Angon to save second place by half a length. Three lengths back came On Sir, which had been well back in the early stages. Song Hit was fifth and Jaipur last of the small company. The Monroe County Purse, over the mile route, was second in importance. It was for three-year-olds that had never won at as great a distance as a mile, and three previous winners at the meeting were in the field of five, Captain Ed, Night Edition and Frank Grossman. The previous winners finished first, second and third when Julius Weslers Captain Ed was winner, F. Grossmans Frank Grossman, second and Mrs. Grace Dennys Night Edition third. It was a race that was marked by rough riding in which Princess Italia was pinched off before the back stretch was reached and knocked completely out of contention. The opening race was a five and a half furlong dash for maidens, all ages, and it resulted in a victory for Backfire, from the Mahopac Stable, with W. L. Johnsons Prince Sweep, racing to second place, while Mrs. M. Rekmans On Leave, saved third from Volcry. An unfortunate incident in the race was that James Arthur, Jr.s Bokie B. was repeatedly shut off in the running to finally finish last of the nine that started. Elston lost no time in going to the front with Backfire and hustling him along, was well clear of the others practically all tho way. Borealis and Big Slam went after the winner, while Arthur had Bokie B. following them. Going to the turn out of the back stretch, Bokie B. moved up, but when Borealis came over the filly was sharply Continued on thirteenth vnqe.J LER0S AN EASY WINNER Continued from first page. cut off and crowded back. In the meantime, there was nothing to bother Backfire and he romped along to be the winner by five lengths. Tantalizing, which J. V. Stewart purchased from C. H. Trotter just before the opening of the Tropical Park meetine, won his second purse for his new owner when he led home a field of platers in the seven furlongs of the third race, under a smart ride by Mills. Back of the son of Baffling, four fought it out for the place, with C. K. Finchs Bird of Prey obtaining the verdict over W. Hinphys Timour, and Tack and Wandering Gold were lapped on the pair of them. Mills went right out with Tantalizing from the rise of the barrier and his mount was good enough to make every pole a winning one and cross the line a length and a half clear. Timour had been racing along in second place and Tack was racing third in the back stretch. Wandering Gold followed closely while Bird of Prey was finding his way up along the inside. As these three closed up Wandering Gold was slightly pinched off and Timour held to second place, but Bird of Prey was still closing on the inside, where he had scant racing room. Then Wandering Gold came again and with Tack right up in the battle the placed positions were in doubt until the numbers were displayed. The time for the running, 1:27, established a new track record for the distance. There was a close finish in the second offering when R. P. Coppages Marabou, under a long drive by Montgomery, just won from J. C. Treats Hazel Gumberts and Miss Chilla, the C. W. Greene starter, after following the pace closely, saved third from Miss L. Halls Orkin, which gained some ground after being outrun to thb stretch. In this, it was Chianti that set the pace. The faint-hearted son of High Time left his stall fast and dominated the pace to the stretch. Miss Chilla chased after him and there he was through and as he quit, there was a general closing up and Marabou and Hazel Gumberts came into contention. Turning for home, Sazel Gumberts was carried wide and that probably cost her the purse for she finished with a rush and Marabou only lasted to beat her by a head. Miss Chilla was a tired third, and then came Orkin with his belated rush. Bluch Dineen, after being last all the way, came out of the race decidedly sore.
