Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-07
AT THE GRAND PR|X
Greatest Racing Event Of the
Paris Season.
A AMERICAN EN- TRIES
OUR JOCKEYS ARE IN HIGH
FAVOR IN FRANCE.
Why This Classic Race Has Been
Won by Only a Few
Stables.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star

Special Correspondence OF Inc EVenlHS Slar
PARIS, May 80, 1902.
Last years Grand Prix was won by an
American jockey-Rigby. This years grand
prix they say, will be won by an Ameri-
can owner-Vanderbilt. 1t is the most SEN
sational of all French races. Its winner
takes the great sum of almost S6OGoo 1t
draws a public of more than 2J0,o0o people,
most of whom bet in it's Paris mutuals. 1t
has the rare distinction of being open to
foreign horses, and it's running marks a
fashionable epoch.
Moreover, by curious patriotic prejudice,
this great race ought always to be won by
a French horse if not by a French jockey
and the fact that no English horse has car
ried off its prize since 1886 avenges Water
loo lust sixteen times in the eyes of the
present generation. An American would
not so bad as an Englishman, yet the
persistent rumor of the Vanderbilt con-
tingent's confidence is causing an uneasy
patriotic flutter. Put side by side with the
sensational exploits of the new Jockeys
from America, the rumor has KIND OF
seeming that makes 1t the open UP VI
"tuyau' of the moment.
This great running race for three-year-
olds 5000 YARDS comes as the elimination
of the summer meeting of the august ana
au-nowerful Society of Encouragement for
the Amelioration of the Equine races IN
France, founded by the Princes Demloon
and de la Moskowa and the bankers Dela-
mare and Iaffitte in 1888. Among its ear
lest members were the Due de Valencay,
the Comte de Morny, James de RotnschhA'
the Comte d'Orsay and the writer, eugene
Sue. To it is due the french stud BOOK,
which IT keeps al the present moment. and
It's action extends over all fiat races IN all
parts of France. 1t approves all rules ana
regulations and applies them; judges in all
cases of dispute; is sovereign judge with
of all epPaPementS. aCcOrGS
licenses to Jockeys and retires them, and
pronounces all disqualifications
Not All Open Events.
AS it's name indicates, the fundamental
object of this encouragement society is
the amelioration of the horse in France
not in America or England. For this rea-
son most of it's great races are closed to
the horses of the outside world. Two
"erand prix''-"great prizes"-only are left
open that of the autumn, best known as
the prize of the municipal council, and this
grand prix, which forms the climax OF us
summer meeting. Now and then an Eng
lish horse will carry Off the former, be
cause it is not run on sunday as an
English sport in Paris told me Yesterday;
but for some reason (and the English sport
gave two others), the grand prix par excel
ience has stayed at home since "Minting"
took it across the channel in 1886.
1t was not always so. In 1863 1t was won
by The Ranger. belonging to Mr.. H Saw lie:
in 1865 by the Duke of Beauforts Ceylon;
in 1868 by the Marquis of Hastings The
Earl: in 1872 by Mr.. H. Saville again with
Cremorne; in 1874 by Mr.. Marshalrs Trent,
ard then there came an fnterregnum of six
years remarkable period of seven years
followed in which 1.-THE English horse" was
five times winner: In 1880 Mr.. c. Brewers
Robert the Devil; in 1881 Mr.. j. r. Keene's
never forgotten Foxhall; in 1882 Mr.
Rymill's Bruce; in 1885 Mr.. Brodrick Cloete's
Paradox; in 1886 Mr.. Vyners Minting, and
with Mnting ends the luck Of 1.-The English
horse
Famous Successes.
Then followed the period of a few great
French stables. In 1890 Baron A. de Schick-
Ter won the Grand Prix. Then Edmond
Blanc won 1t two years in succession. Then
Baron de Schickler took his turn and won
it two years in succession. Then Edmond
Blanc took his turn twice again. Parisians
had almost come to think that no other
stables could win the Grand Prix. until the
Arnaud stable got away with 1t in 1897. In
1898 Baron de Rothschild was the lucky
owner And now the alteration seems to
have begun again. with the Caillaut stable
in 1899. the Schckler stable in 1900 and the
Caillaut stable again in 1901. AS to the nom
success of 1.-The English horse in the past
sixteen years. there will be something to
say later. But how does it come that this
great race. whose winning carries with it
prestige even sweeter than its money prize
d
few buSineSSlike stables, >, when the owners
of all France lavish fortunes in preparing
for it? The entries for the present Grand
Prix. of 1909 were made in September,
1900. two years ago. At that moment they
numbered 1915 French horses, from as many
as a different French stables. 1t goes with
out saying that the great majority of these
horses will not run. Those remaining en-
gagged at Paris" are already reduced to
some So horses; but these figures, never
theless. show the great effort
The explanation of the mystery as some
give 1t. is that the great old segnoral own
ers. who knew horses because they were
country gentlemen, have been replaced by
parvenus. They are sugar refiners choco-
late manufacturers, brokers, wine mer-
chants. bookmakers, and whole world of
newcomers from commercial lfe-the idle
not had time to cool down to the calm dis
interestedness of the man whose father be-
fore him had racing stable; at their
worst they know nothing of their horses.
To Crafty Social Ambition.
This seems to be the truest item of the
accusation; it is that the present-day
French owners buy up racing stables as
they buy up yachts, chateaux and great
town houses. for the mere qualification of
their social ambition. They have to put
themselves bIindly into the hands of thei,
foreign trainers, jockeys and advisers, and
then a long tale Of establishment com
mences. There are French owners who do
not know word Of English SO that when
their trainers and advisers talk with their
jockeys and stablemen they stand beside
them, ignorant of what is being SAILOR
done. How can such men defend them
their ruin contributes nothing to the ad-