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DON LEON SHOWS SPEED Gives Sparkling Performance to Win Dade County Handicap. Big Mid-Week Crowd Witnesses Hialeah Park Program Dry-Ridge Pays Long Odds. MIAMI, Fla., Jan. 27 R. W. Collins Don Leon, after running a disappointing race in the Miami Beach Handicap last Saturday, came back this afternoon with a sparkling performance at Hialeah Park to be winner of the Dade County Handicap, the feature of an interesting card. In this victory, the son of Lee O. Cotner took the measure of W. E. and E. W. Reicherts Brown Wisdom and George D. Wideners Panetian, twice winner at the meeting. The only others in the field were Helianthus and Leros and they followed in the order named. Another day of delightful Florida sunshine saw a big mid-week crowd in attendance and with the fields evenly matched, there was first class sport in the running off of the program. It was unfortunate that the handicap was marred by a ragged start in which both Helianthus and Panetian were sufferers. Helianthus in particular, got away so badly as to have scant winning chance while both Leros and Don Leon got away fast. Carroll made use of the advantage he enjoyed at the start by sending Leros into a lead of two lengths, and Don Leon and Panetian were soon lapped as they chased after the Ellis sprinter. Robertson rushed Helianthus up on the inside from his slow beginning and he was in third place, but it had taken an effort. DON LEON IN CONTENTION. Panetian was rushed along by Leischman in his outside position until he had reached second to Leros, but Don Leon was right at his throat latch and plainly had that in reserve. Helianthus was soon under a drive in a vain effort to keep within striking distance, and Brown Wisdom was gradually gaining. This was the order as the turn out of the back stretch was reached. There Leros was doing his best, and Don Leon drew alongside and then on past to take the lead. Panetian was under a furious drive before the stretch was reached, and Helianthus was already beaten. Leros quit after the stretch was reached, and Don Leon drew away, but Brown Wisdom was finishing with such a rush on the outside that Pollard was forced to ride out vigorously to save the day by a length. Brown Wisdom had beaten Panetian by a neck for second place, and Helianthus was another half length back of the Widener sprinter. Bud Fishers Last Attempt graduated from the maiden ranks in the opening race at one mile, which was fashioned for non-winners. The Audley Farm Stables El Puma finished second, with third going to J. E. Wideners Playbill and R. W. Collins Discobolus was a close fourth. GARNER ALERT. Garner was particularly alert at the start and he had Playbill first in the big field to show the way. He hustled along the son of Fair Play, but his command was of brief duration whe .1 Eaby raced by with Last Attempt and, nce safely in the lead, the son of Sporting Blood was never afterwards headed. The Spaniard moved into second place in the back stretch and Garner was soon driving Playbill to have him hold third. Some crowding occurred in the back stretch and Incessant was badly knocked out of the running. Playbill continued in close quarters and, he too, was knocked back shortly after rounding the far turn. Garner had him steadied with little loss of ground and, resuming his drive, he kept him going to Jake the third portion of the purse. It was rounding into the stretch that El Puma came with a belated rush and, fairly running over the leaders, he had Last Attempt doing his best to be winner by a length. Playbill was eight lengths away and a half a length before Discobolus. Howard Oots Dry Ridge, a gelded son of Peter Hastings and Play Well, was a surprise winner of the quarter mile dash for juveniles. Joe Edwards Strait Jacket raced to second place with Meeker and Treefuls Mike Reynolds just saving third from Smoke Cloud. It was unfortunate that right after the start, Woco, which was in the third stall, swerved sharply to the inside and knocked both Swagger Stick and King Continued on twenty-second page. DON LEON SHOWS SPEED Continued from first page. Hollis completely out of the running. Woco had been first away, but when he swerved, not only did he eliminate the two inside horses, but his own chances were gone. Dry Ridge paid 12.40 for each . The platers that met in the third race at six furlongs, furnished a real thrill when Mrs. George " U. Harris Knowlton and G. McMitchells Parnell Bound fought it out desperately in the stretch to finish as named. Well back of them, H. S. Harts Double Heart was third over W. C. Weants Coady. Knowlton gave some trouble at the post and was off a bit slowly while Parnell Bound, Dedicate and Double Heart went away in motion to set the pace. They quickly opened a lead of three lengths on Knowlton and Mills was nursing Parnell Bound along as he set the pace. Dedicate was first of the leaders to tire and as he dropped back, Knowlton circled around on the outside to come into the contention. Rounding into the stretch, he was close after Parnell Bound, while Double Heart was showing signs of tiring. But Mills had saved some ground for the Knowlton challenge and through the final furlong, the pair raced locked, and it was Knowlton that dropped his nose down in the last stride to earn the decision. Double Heart was two and a half lengths away and something more than a length before Coady, which ran down the tired Dedicate to take fourth.
