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; ... . -r An American Middle Park Stakes ! By SALVATOR. . . . 4 I The Middle Park Stakes is popularly known in England as "The Two-Year-Old Derby." It is the most famous juvenile event on the British racing calendar. Its winning elevates the victor for the time being at least upon a pinnacle. He becomes the most interesting colt of the year in his own division and the one of which, as a rule, the most is expected the coming season in the "classics." These things being true, the victory of William Woodwards colt Foxborough in the 1938 renewal of the Middle Park Stakes, run at Newmarket on October 13, assumes the first importance as an international turf event. His "triumph was not unexpected, as previous to the race he had won his first and only other start with great facility. His private reputation was also very high. As has been previously stated in Daily Racing Form, he is an own brother of Gallant Fox and Fightin-. Fox, being by imp. Sir Gallahad III., from Marguerite, by Celt, and was bred and foaled at Claiborne Stud, Paris, Ky., the great establishment of Arthur B. Hancock, where Mr. Woodward carries on his American breeding operations. He was sent to England as a yearling and has been a development of the late fall campaign there, having been reserved for that purpose. His achievement will lift Mr. Woodward still higher on the list of Englands winning owners, though it had already been assured that he would again rank well toward the top. Last season the Middle Park Stakes was worth about 5,000, and it is not likely that it will be worth less than that for 1938. Last season Mr. Woodward stood fourth among the owners. None of his horses has won so rich a race as Boswell then did the Eclipse Stakes, worth about 6,000, but they have been successful in numerous stakes of material value, including the Ascot Gold Cup, won by Flares, which was worth about 7,500. As this is the most important all aged event in England and the Middle Park Stakes is the most important two-year-old event, it will be seen that he has accomplished a remarkable "double." While he is not the only American owner to win either the Ascot Cup or the Middle Park, he is the only one that ever did so in the same season, while such a triumph has been very rarely won by a British owner. The Middle Park Stakes for its foundation goes back to the year 1866 and it has never since failed of renewal, its importance being such that during the world war years when many of the principal fixed events in England were discontinued, it was kept up. The distance is six furlongs and there is only one English two-year-old stake of any importance which is over a longer route, that being the Dewhurst Stakes; over seven furlongs, which, however, is much less valuable from the monetary standpoint. Originally the event was known as the Middle Park Plate the Dewhurst was also known as the Dewhurst Plate, and so it continued to be until a comparatively few years ago. Then, owing to the fact that the term "plater" had become consecrated to almost the lowest class of horses racing in England, and the other fact that the term "plate," originally a trophy given only in connection with important races, had fallen from its high estate and become associated with events given only for horses of low class, it also the Dewhurst and a number of other fixed events of note was changed to the Middle Park Stakes. Previous to the victory of Foxborough, it had been won by three American-bred two-year-olds, in 1898 by Caiman and in 1899 by Democrat, and by Borrow in 1910. The two former ran in the name Of Lord William Beresford, who was then directing the stable which Pierre Loril-lard was racing abroad. Borrow won for Harry Payne Whitney, his breeder. By a sort of established precedent, other conditions being normal, the winner of the Middle Park Stakes becomes almost automatically the favorite for the next seasons Derby at Epsom. Sometimes the precedent has been sustained and sometimes it has been very much the other way. Among Middle Park winners that have gone on to triumph in "the worlds greatest race" have been such as Melton, Donovan, Isinglass, Ladas, Galtee More, Lemberg, etc., the latest example haying been Bahram, which won in 1934 and the Derby in 1935. Bahram was never beaten. Foxborough has won both his two-year-old starts. He will not race again until 1939, and let us hope that he duplicates the record of his predecessor.
