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f- Wise Margin Suffolk Leader Off Massachusetts Triumph Won Total of 8,100 at 37 -Day Meeting; DeSpirito Astride 27 Per Cent Winners Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Lingles consistent Larry Ellis featured Suffolk Downs closing day last Monday holiday with a thrilling neck victory over Wise Margin, in the Tomasello Memorial Handicap, but bowed, nevertheless, to the latter in money-winning honors during the 37-day session, at the East Boston, Mass., mile plant. Wise Margins margin in the monetary list was pronounced too, S. Tufanos hardhitting campaigner earning 8,100 to Larry Ellis 8,425. Most of Wise Margins winnings were amassed in the rich Massachusetts Handicap on May 19, his victorious outing that afternoon putting 3,100 into the Tufano coffers. All of which gave Tufa-no number one laurels among the owners in purse distribution. Larry Ellis, a six-year-old gelding, shared a certain amount of Suffolks glory this spring, however, winning four races, and setting a new mile and 70 yards track record of 1:41 flat, under 120 pounds in one of them the New Hampshire Purse on April 26, getting home four lengths in the van of Tommys Memory. Financially and attendance-wise, Suffolk did all right. The daily average pari-mutuel handle was down only a small percentage from the 1953 figures when the Boston course conducted a 60-day summer term. In attendance, the daily mean bettered last years mark. Total Attendance of 529,631 The 529,631 fans who passed through the gates this spring produced an average of 91,941 in daily wagering, compared to 08,488 in 1953. This seasons total handle was 3,001,804. The daily average crowds numbered 14,315 as against 13,984 last year. Only other "big" race at Suffolk this spring besides the Massachusetts was the Bay State Kindergarten Stakes, taken by Royal Indian, on May 22. Tony DeSpirito, back in the excellent riding form that gained him national honors in 1952, beat out Bobby Ussery in the battle of the reinsmen, 46 winners to 44. DeSpirito, after a fourth aboard Black Metal in, the Blue Grass Stakes, April 22, resumed riding two days later and" moved back to his own winning ways with a triple, including Red Head Stables Roedna in the 0,000 Plymouth Rock Handicap before 25,863 patrons. DeSpirito also chalked up the best percentage among the saddlesmiths .27. Ussery, however, had an .18 average with 249 mounts. He stole the Suffolk thunder on April 21 with a lightning-like performance- of booting home four winners on the nine-race program, including Nutmeg Lad in the featured Andover Purse. On May 17, Ussery scored a triple. In the training ranks, it was J. M. Keefe atop the heap when the "dark tomorrow" sign went up. Keefe saddled one scant victor more than W. Sedlacek, who had 12 to his credit. Complete Suffolk Downs statistics: April 79 fo May 3137 Days Gross distribution $ 1,034,750 Net distribution $ 1,022,500 Daily average net distribution .$ 27,635.14 Attendance ... 529,631 Daily average attendance 14,315 Mutuel handle 3,001,804 Daily average mutuel handle. .$ 891,941 MAIUON H. Wr his three-year-old Endon in the Livonia Stakes at Detroit on Saturday. Leading Money-Winning Owners Owner. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Won. Tufano, S 2 5 1 2,825 Carr, J. H. .,. 11 8 8 26,925 Prickett, M. and I. . . 8 14 7 23,350 Lingle, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. 5 2 3 22,325 Lynch, Jerry . . 8 5 8 20,725 White, I. J 4 7. 11 15,600 Palatine Stable ... 4 3 1 14,650 Venuti, J. and P. ... . 6 2 3 14,500 River Divide Farm. 4 5 5 14,200 Sims, M 4 10 13,500 Leading Money-Winning Horses Horse. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Won. Wise Margin 1 2 1 8,100 Larry, Ellis 4 0 1 18,425 Blessbull 4 1 0 13,500 Find 0 1 0 10,000 Royal Battle 2 1 0 9,600 Royal Indian 2 1 0 9,175 News Again 1 1 0 8,500 Lanark 4 0" 1 7,300 Connie Rab 4 0 0 6,775 Ferro Fox 4 0 0 6,750 Leading Winning Jockeys Jockey Mts. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. PC. DeSpirito, A. 172 46 38 22 66 .27 Ussery, R. 249 44 41 30 134 .18 Madden, D. 180 25 19 23 113 .14 Mercier. N. 113 23 5 18 67 .20 Smith, V. 150 20 26 24 80 .13 Stuart, K. 185 20 26 27 112 .11 Bush.V. - 162 18 18 16 110 .11 Fisher, R. 117 15 22 17 63 .12 Mayo.B. 135 13 10 16 96 .10 Stevenson, D. 102 12 13 13 64 .12 Mayer, J. 107 12 12 13 70 .11 Leading Winning Trainers Trainer. Wins. Trainer. Wins. Keefe, J. M. 13 Prickett, I. 8 Sedlacek, W. 12 Robertson, D. 8 Handy, G. R. 10 Shaw, F. 8 Donofrio, A. 9 Anspach, E. 7 Melanson, J. W. 9 Ayotte, J. L. 7 Greens, S., Jr. 8 Rodgers, W. 7 Following is the list of stakes that were decided: Stake. Date. Winner. Value. Massachusetts Handicap, May 19; Wise Margin . 3,100 Bay State Kindergarten Stakes, May 22; Royal Indian 6,700 The percentage of winning favorites was about normal, as shown in the subjoined tabulation: Number of races 333 Winning favorites 118 Winning second choices 65 Winning outsiders 150 Winners at pdds-on 21 Defeated at odds-on 19 Percentage of winning favorites .35 Deat heats to win None
