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MIDWAYS CLAIM TO FAME MILS VICTORY IN TIIE FALL AT CHURCHILL DOWNS HIS STERLING PERFORMANCE. Gave Away Weight to Fair Racers and Was Evidently at His Best When Season Ened — North Star III. the Betting Selection. By F.d Cole. New York. March 7.— So much has been said and written concerning th- chance- of J. W. Parriaha colt Midway to win the Kentucky Derby, that a glance over his two-year old record may be instructive- to those who are inf-rested ill the r. eo. If rumor has it correctly Mr. Iarrish has already wagered that his colt will either win or finish iu ti iconi y. Kmil llerz having laid Mr. Iarrish that Midway will be among the- "ahm rails." The amount is said to be SLKh three ways. Doing what is known as a future transaction, wagers at this early date come under the head of "play or pay" or "no refund" even though Midway should die. Among layers of odds the favorite for this years Kentucky Derby is Mr. Macombers North Star III., a colt he imported from BaghMd and whose- reputation as a two-ycar-oll will stand Inspection. Dut the- belief of some English critics is that North Star HI. will Bat dewlap into a stayer of more than ordinary quality. Those who have seen the colt, now iu the hands of Walter Jennings, say there is much to e saaead him and predict he will be a better horse than Star Hawk. However, of the domestic-bred entries Midway is one of the choices, and with good and sufficient cause. Midway Developed hy W. J. Young. Midway was developed by W. J. Young and Started fifteen times last year. Five tiui-s ho was victorious anl only five hues was he out of the- money. It is not so much the record he holds as the future he promises, v iiich places him in a forward position among the probable winners. During his autumn campaign he showed perform-ane-es that were convincing as to his growing ability. He began as an ordinary two-year-old. but seemed to improve with almost every race. Bad retired to arbiter quarters, having answered all quests eis as to disposition, ability to go a route, carry weight and run well in any kind of going. From the ranks of sprinters lie demonstrated on October 4 at Churchill Downs that he could go a mil-, will 124 pounds on his back, in 1:40. It was no mean pe-formanee. considering the fact he gave a colt like Cudgel fourteen pounds and beat him by a length and a half, with Sol Oiiscy further in the rear. On close inspection it would see: 111 that this is the race which has given him SBCh prominence in tin- advance opinion among horsemen. They argue-that Midway showed upon that occasion that he is of Derby caliber, and that it is only a eui-s-tion of his steady improvement to make him one of the most promising factors in all three-year-old races the coming season. Doubt About Being Really Good Mud Horse. Tie re is doubt about his being a really good mud horse-, a- he was twi" • b"atcn by Norumb-ga in a bear] and mnddy track, ami Orcen Jones also beat him twice when it was muddy. These races. BWW-erer, were run before Midway had shown saeh marked improvement. Now many UahatlS betlere h • was the best of the western colts sent into winter quarters, some net excepting the exceedingly fast sprinters Harry Kelly anil Westy Hogan. Of oi! -.- these are merely opinions baseel upon shown I- improvement and proopeettre imprc/resaeat as the colt grows older and develops more strength. !i..; Midway is a Stirling and consistent colt. always haling out the beat he has. is shown in his • While hecses that have beaten him once bare beatea him the secoad time, be lias hung on to them all the way. Ile apparently came up to his two-year-old perfection in his last race of the season, and it is doubtful if horses that had beaten him in p-ovious raees could have boa tin him upon that occasion had they been in the race. Mr. Young eras no doubt wise in takin ; htm to winter epiarters wle-n lie- did. as be COuM no doubt see. as well bs otlers. that a bright future awaited this son of iiaiio: -Thirty Third. Coaaeqaeatly it is ju-t a question now of his being sent out for the Derby in tap-Batch conditiem to make him at least one of the foremost choices. He has qualified for the honor. Some may say Midways mile in 1:40 at Churchill Downs was only a scratch race, that atmospheric coalitions aided him. but the fact remains that he gave Cudgel fourteen poanda an 1 beat him easily. Which i- good and sufficient cause- for recognition BS a Derby possibility. His trials between now and Derby day will be watched wth interest by owners of other candidates.
