The Saint Paul globe., 1904-07-17
Special Foreign Service


PARIS, July 16. = Though Edmond
Blanc failed in his second attempt to
win the Derby, Frenchmen are conf
dent that he will yet succeed in cap
turing the blue riband of the turf and
avenging Trafalgar, as the French
owner Of Gladiateur, by his famous
victory in 1865. wiped out the bitter
memory of Waterloo. For Blanc has
the reputation of accomplishing what
ever he undertakes. especially on the
turf, and he has set his heart on add
ing the Derby to his long list of vic
tories. His recent success in winning
the Ajax and Grand Prix, for the sew
enth time, has convinced his admirers
that his star is still in the ascendant.
so phenomenal is his good fortune con-
sidered that here the man in the street
swears "by the luck of Blanc himselfo
Last year Blanc's winnings on the
French turf, in stakes alone. amounted
to $24O,0O0, sum never before eaualed
by continental owner of race horses.
and how much more he made through
bets no man but himself knows. This
year promises to be a still more for
tunate one for him on the turf, for In
stakes he has already pocketed over
100000.
NO theory of luck, however. will ac
count for tfthe of Blanc's successes
on the race track. 1t is enormous
wealth, allied to brains and energy
that has placed him SO far ahead Of
all of his turf compatriots. He sticks
at no money when he has made nm his
nlnd TO secure a crack Steed and his
judgment of horSefieSh is marvellous
EVEN as Schoolboy a stable contained
lar greater attractions for, him than a
eandy shop. 1t was genuine passion
tnat caused him to name his earliest
mount FIRST Love. He has owned a
legion of equine loves since then. for
he possesses what is reported to be tbe
largest breeding establishment for
thoroughbred horses in the world. hut
every one of his SteedS has had an
equally warm place in his affections
he personally SuperviSeS everything
connected with the management of his
Iiasnlncent stud farm and training
quarters Summer mornings find him
up at o'clock and until late in tbe
evenings he busies himself with the
details OF his vast establishment If is
labor of love with him, but it is hard
labor nevertheless. He plays the rae
ing game to win and adopts the same
methods that command success in any
commercial pursuit. Though French
men swear by him, he is far from being
typical Frenehman Nothing dis
turbs his sangfroid. Winning or losing
ne never displays any emotion. His
temperament is Anglo Saxon rather
than Gallo.
Blanc is popularity credited with an
income of $2,000,000 a year. and the
probability is that it is over rather
tnan under that figure The story of
.ne origin OF his millions is a familiar
one mere, but it may be less generally
known at home. M. Bianc's father
francis Blanc. was the actual founder
OF Monte Carlo as it now exists. Blanc
purchased the Monaco Concession
which up to that time had been badly
managed, for what was then thought
TO De an excessive price-$350, 900. In
his hands 1T proved an fnexhaustibIe
bonanza. Red loses and black loses. !"
ne sald, In that celebrated pun of his,
but Blanc (white) always wins" And
thanks to the percentage in favor Of
the bank, Blanc kept on winning TO
such an extent that when he died
about twenty-five years ago. with the
clear conscience of a man who had AL
ways played a square game, he left
S50,0e0,0e0, to be divided between his
two sons. Edmond and Camille.
Edmond Blanc. though he Is some
has never taken an active part in the
management of the Casino. AS one of
the largest stockholders in the syndi-
cate which now controls it. he is con-
tent to pocket his share of the banks
winnings and devote all his time to his
one hobby-horse breeding.
The great fortune he had inherited
from his shrewd, money making ia
ther was ACCOMPANIED by still rarer