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THE CONQUEROR II. IN FORM. The usual excellent sport was given to patrons of "Washington Park yesterday afternoon. The intermittent showers of the night before had little effect upon the track, which was almost at its best and fast time was registered in the different races. The feature event of the afternoon was the Midway Stakes, a dash of one and one-eighth miles for three-year-olds and upward, with ,000 added. Speculation on this race was spirited, Hargis and John McGurk dividing first choice honors, being held at 8 to 5, but heavy backing of the former caused the latters price to recede to 21 to 1 at post time. The race resulted in a big surprise, The Conqueror n., against whose chances as good as 25 to 1 could be had, proving an easy winner. To a good start, Schwalbe at once assumed command, and passing the stand the first time was a neck before Hargis, with Vincennes a close third and John McGurk last. Down the backstretch Schwalbe still retained a fair lead with little change in the others* positions with the exception that The Conqueror II. had displaced Vincennes Jn third position. Turning for home j Schwalbe began to falter and Hargis had little trouble in passing into the lead. The latter appeared the winner when a furlong out, but here The Conqueror II. moved up on even terms with him and after a little shaking up won easily by one and a half lengths, Hargis finishing a half before Gold Bell for second place. Hargis tired fast in the final sixteenth when challenged by the winner. Gold Bell closed up ground fast in the final quarter and finished resolutely. Schwalbe finished a fair fourth, but was well beaten when turning for home. John Mc-Gurks race was a sore disappointment to his many backers. He moved up into a contending position just before entering the stretch, but unaccountably tired fast when the pinch came, finishing absolutely last. He can do much better and the race should be thrown out in future caculations. The time, 1:53, was only fair. The stake was worth ,555 to the winner. The days opening race, a dash of one mile for three-year-olds and upward, brought aj rather poor field of thirteen to the barrier. Mary Glenn was made an even money choice and certainly won as the odds indicated she should. Off well in her stride, she tiptoed the field all the way, winning in a big canter by five lengths from Mezzo, which beat Bard of Avon the same distance for second place. Mezzo began slowly, but made up ground rapidly in the last quarter and was much the best of the others. The second race, a spin of six furlongs for three-year-olds, resulted in a big surprise, The Crisis, a rank outsider in the betting, winning in hollow fasbion. Sidney C. Love was thought to be the best, being made an 8 to 5 favorite, but ran a poor race, finishing outside the first three. The Crisis, favored with a running start, at once shot to the front and displaying much speed throughout was never headed, winning in a big canter by three and a half lengths from Bardolph, which finished a half before Birch Broom for second place. Birch Broom was pocketed badly in the first half, but moved up fast when she got clear sailing in the last quarter and finished resolutely. Sidney C. Love was never a. serious contender. J. Sidney "Walker showed early speed. Bragg is certainly one of the most consistent of the horses that have run at "Washington Park this year. He was entered Vi / j against a pretty fair field in the fourth race, a mile handicap for three-year-olds and upward, but proved equal to the occasion and was a handy winner at the end. First Epicure and then Jack Rattlin led, the latter turning into the stretch a half length before the former with Bragg third. Jack Rattlin was the first to falter and for a moment Epicure appeared toNhave a good chance to win, but in the lasu hundred yards Bragg got to him and outstayed him to the wire, winning by a half length, Epicure finishing the same distance before Jack Rattlin for second place. Huzzah showed in improved form, finishing going fast and is worthy of serious consideration hereafter. Monsieur Beaucaire showed a fair race and is due to win a bracket soon if .placed with judgment. Of an unwieldy field of two-year-olds that went to the post in the fifth race, a five furlongs scramble, Nannie Hodge, held at 35 -to 1 in the betting, was easily the best. She ran My Jane into submission by the time the head of the stretch had been reached and then easily came away, winning by two and a half lengths. My Jane beat Handsome Florry one length for second place.. The latter finished going fast. Saito and Sweetie had no chance after the barrier went up, owing to the start, which was bad. The last race of the day, a mile dash for three-year-olds and upward, was marred by Silk Cord, the favorite, bucking when the barrier went up and refusing to run. Moabina, heavily backed, led, after the first quarter had been run, to the head of the stretch, where Father "Wentker moved up and easily wore her down in the final eighth, winning by one length from Evelyn Byrd, which finished the same distance before Kunja for second place.
