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DON LEON IN GOOD FORM Outstays G. D. Wideners Panetian in the Palatka Handicap. Vander Pool Runs Dull Race in Miami Feature and Finishes Third Please Repeats. MIAMI, Fla., Feb. 18. R. W. Collins Don Leon, racing in his best form, was winner of the Palatka Handicap at Hialeah Park this afternoon. It was G. D. Wideners Panetian, holder of the six furlong track record, that finished second, and W. M. Moores Vander Pool, the top weight of the party, was a distant third. The only other starter was N. J. McClures French Lass and she was last virtually all the way. This was the feature of an excellent program that brought out another large and representative crowd. While there were some threatening clouds during the afternoon, no rain fell and they only served to temper the summer-like sun. In the sprint handicap Panetian was probably beaten because of his bad post manners. When repeated efforts to have him enter his stall were of no avail, he was taken to the outside of the machine. Then, vhen the start came, he swung out, instead of leaving the right way and, as a result, was last of the four to be in motion. Don Leon, the winner, was away fast and Pollard made every use of that advantage. Vander Pool was also a bit more sluggish than usual leaving the machine and Workman went to the whip on him early to drive him into contention. Robertson, after having Panetian straight, sent him up with a rush on the outside, but Don Leon was setting a pace that carried him to the half-mile post in :45, so it cost a big effort to have the son of Galetian in second place before the turn out of the back stretch had been reached. Pollard was nursing Don Leon along cleverly and, saving all the ground possible as the son of Lee O. Cotner raced along in command. He swung into the stretch with a lead of a length and Panetian went wide on the turn. WINNER SETS FAST PACE. Robertson delayed his drive until the furlong post was reached and as he called on the Widener gelding, he responded, but the early effort had cost too much and he bore out slightly under the punishment to have Don Leon stick it out to be the winner by half a length. Vander Pool failed to respond to the energetic call of Workman in the run through the stretch and he was another three lengths back and less than a length before French Lass. The opening contest at five and a half furlongs, for cheap three-year-old maiden fillies, fell to W. C. Weants Foreign Play when she just lasted to score over Mose Lowensteins Move Along, with J. M. Phillips Fair Blanche saving third from Deluge, which raced for Sam Louis. As the race was run Move Along was pounds better than the winner, but she was in trouble almost all the way and then in the stretch was carried wide by Fair Blanche. WE ANT FILLY HANGS ON. Chiefs Camille was the one to cut out the running, but she could never get away from Foreign Play and when she was through at the head of the stretch, the Weant filly saved ground and drew out slightly. Move Along, far back all through the early racing, was forced to go around the leaders and when Fair Blanche carried her out the handicap was a serious one. She closed with a rush when room was found by Callahan and was just a stride short of victory when Foreign Play won by a short head. Fair Blanche was a length and a half back and a like distance before Delude, while Chiefs Camille was a tired fifth. In a good, game finish, Mrs. S. F. Murphys Modesto was winner over the selling plater juvenile fillies that met Tn the second race at three furlongs. Mrs. Sadie Bennetts Via Appia raced to second place with H. C. Ragans Dusky Dame taking third. Both Via Appia and Dusky Dame sold in the field group. The start was a good one and Dusky Dame, which left from a position outside the stalls, at once rushed inti what seemed to be a safe lead. Westys Twinkle was second away, but she dropped out of the running while Agatha was crowded back badly right at the start. Another unfortunate in the running was Mrs. O. F. Woodwards Brandy. She was jumped on and cut down so badly in the running that after the finish, Kelsay Continued on twenty-second fige. DON LEON IN GOOD FORM Continued from first page. dismounted and she was led back to the scales. Dusky Dame held to her lead until about seventy yards from the finish, where she tired suddenly and Modesto and Via Appia raced by her to stage a thrilling battle with Modesto only the winner by a head. Dusky Dame was at the heels of the daughter of Crimper, and E. R. Bradleys Bun D. ran an improved race to be fourth. A surprise occurred in the third race at six furlongs when Mrs. G, W. Lofts Black Dove could only run third to Silver Lake and Miss Avondale, which incidentally had one of those "listless" rides by Montgomery. From a good start, Walls went out to make the pace with Black Dove and Miss Avon-dale was in second place, while Silver Lake was heading the others, and these three dominated all the running with Black Dove still clear as she swung into the stretch. It was a furlong out- that the Mrs. Loft colt showed signs of tiring and Walls went to the whip. Miss Avondale seemed to have her well beaten, but Montgomery gave the filly no help and then Fronk made his winning bid on the outside. Right at the end, Silver Lake swept by, to be the winner by three lengths, while Miss Avondale had beaten the tired Black Dove half a length for second place. Haytime was a distant fourth. Please, the old son of Donnacona, which races for J. W. May, has come to be something of a stayer, though most of his racing has been done over sprinting distances. He was an easy winner over a rather good band in the Bok Tower Purse under claiming conditions. L. Lycans Salisbury raced to second place and it was Glenside, racing under the silks of S. F. Murphy, which saved third from Aldershot. Montgomery went right out with Please from the rise of the barrier and never left the result in doubt, being rated along clear of the others for the entire distance. At the end, he was still two and a half lengths to the good. Salisbury was always in the thick of it chasing the winner, while Glenside was third throughout. Aldershot, slow to begin, gained some ground after being forced to go wide in the stretch, but he was well back of Glenside as he crossed the finish. Sun Shadow, after going well, quit badly and no excuse could be found for his showing. Lloyd Gentry has arranged to leave for Canada about April 1. He will -stop off at Lexington, Ky., on his way North to take up Bad News Bob and Boys Howdy, which have been turned out since last fall. Gentrys employer, H. C. Hatch, has fourteen horses at his farm at Agincourt, Ont.
