Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-16
AMERICAS VICTORY.
The Record Union" Correspondent Tells
Of the Great Race at Paris.

| Hurrah for America /" Such was the
exclamation of the crowd that witnessed
the race OF the Grand Prix last Sunday.
And indeed America has had triumph
most precious triumph to all earnest and
enthusiastic sportsmen. Although we
much reioiced over the news that an
American horse had won the Derby at
London, we felt that the victory somewhat
concerned one family only; but now that
the American flag has been gloriously un.
furled to the breeze on Longchamps, the
| victory is proportionately greater. s.Ihese
| Americans, we hear the French say, 'sare
determined, it seems, to be the
FIRST IN EVERYTHING
And everywhere in the world And why
not With Yankee enterprise and Yankee
perseverance we may yet cause the world
to open its eyes in greater wonder than
heretofore. We many OF us hoped that
the same horse which won the Derby
would run at Longchamps on last Sunday,
! but we were informed by everyone that
such would not be the case, and that, in
| fact, no American horse had been entered,
and our interest was therefore con-
fined to the picturesque sight of
the defte of the crowd on their
return from the scene of excitement
Never had there been such crowd at
Longchamps as on Sunday last and the
number of persons is reckoned at from five
to six hundred thousand. Never, except
at the distribution of flags last year, has
such crowd before been seen in the neigh
borhood of Paris, and it appears that the
French are becoming as enthusiastic sports
men as their neighbors across the Channel
THE RACE
Was one of unusual Importance, for there
had come together probably the best run
ming horses throughout the world, and
France has never had so much to contend
with in her endeavors for the victory.
First, there were Foxhall, an American
horse !; Fiddler and Scobell, two English
Albion, belonging to Count de Lagrange, /
the vanquisher of the Derby OF Chantilly;
Tristan, who had easily on the Thursday
before beaten Castillion and Cleman- I
tine, two most superior animals, and
by performance absolutely remarkable, ;
which made of him dangerous ,
champion for the grand prize there was
also Forum, belonging to Baron de Roths- i
child, who also had previously met with /
considerable success. The finest whips OF
England had crossed the channel to show
off these remarkable animals Cannon.
who had already gained this fine prize
three times; Goater, who gained it in 1863 .
the first time ne rode for it; Fordham. |
who gained it twice in succession-in 1867
and 1868; Archer, the Scar Archer, The
best wiInoIe exception of actual Jockeys,
who has already in France and England
come or with such brilliant victories, but
who had not yet gained the grand prize at
Paris. With such artists-not too exag.
gerated expression for sportsmen-one was
sure that the trial would be a serious one, |
and that the best horse would win, for the |
others would certainly do all ia their ,
power to snatch the victory from HIM. ,
Fo1hall,
THE AMERICAN HORSE,
Although at the extremity of the line,
bounded first In advance and started the
race at a great speed he kept ahead until
about 600 meters before coming in, when
Albion, the French horse, came up to him,
but although he kept in line with him he
never passed him by an inch. Just few
strides before reaching the goal Fordham
raised his whip and Foxhall bounded in,
victor of the race. The victory of the
American champion was saluted by en-
thusiastic EXPLANATIONS, an American flag
was Immediately hoisted on the top of a
drag in the very center of the race grounds
and greeted with frantic hurrahs. The
woods around fairly trembled with the
echo and that simultaneous cry from so
many thousands of threats caused all hearts
to beat with emotion. In all it was a
superb day, neither rain, nor sun, nor heat,
nor cold and even though the bright rays
did not mingle with the scene and render
the gaudy colors more brilliant, the toilets
were for the most part marvelously beauti-
full, and appeared doubly so when seen in
the avenues of the bois with the luxuriant
green trees for frame. All the inhabit-
ants of Paris and its environs who were
not among the five or six hundred thousand
around the race track that day, were to be
found along the road from Longchamps to
the very end of the Champs Elysees as far
the Place de la Concorde. They were in
carriages, on horseback, seated in chairs
under the trees, standing or reclining on
the green sward, and these last had left the
city early in the morning and taken their
dinner with them, so as to have good
view of the people going to and coming
from the races. This is always the
MOST IMPORTANT PART
OF the ceremony, and every vehicle of va
rious description, with some sort of an an
imal attached to it, were to be seen on that
occasion, even to the donkeys and the old
woman's goats. Ali persons whose relig-
ieus scruples would not permit their par
ticipating in any performance so democrat
izing as horse-racing, found it perfectly
proper to drive to the very gates, and from
there return home in company with the
sinners. Others, who for some reason
did not care to go to the races, drove
out on the bois and there stationed
themselves along the road on one side to
watch the crowd of carriages drive past.
So much was it understood that all went
to see and be seen, that when the stationed
carriages moved on, those who came from
the races in turn took a stand and watched
the others pass What a sight it was. All
the handsome turnouts of the French capital
were on exhibition, the horses with curved
heads and covered with silver harness; the
drivers and footmen in their white knee
breeches looking dignihed and ssyere, ard in
the elevated victorias happy-looking ladies
and gentlemen, the former mass of white or
delicately- colored fieecy goods fabrics and
cream. colored plumes The toilettes were
exquisite and were of all shades and colors,
but that which predominated were dresses
of light colored or white foulard, with rows
Of wide valenciennes lace in founces up the
front, accompanied by hats immense in
size and completely covered with feathers.
Whatever may be thought of the present
fashion, it must be confessed that they are
exceedingly becoming, and that under such
hats old faces look younger, and young
pretty faces appear more beautiful.
THE WHOLE LENGTH
OF the road from Longchamps to the
Champs Elysees it was impossible for the
horses to trot at all. The carriages were
five abreast, ard when they did not move
slowly they were at standstill, so great