The guardian., 1941-05-31
.Colored Jockey
Back from France
Tells Experiences

Like Rip Van Winlle returning after
twenty years to find his old friends
dead and new generation grown up,
S. Jay Bush, an American Colored
jockey and trainer who has resided in
Europe almost continuously for 33
years, found himself in a strange land
when he returned to America recently.
Born in West Philadelphia and long a
well known figure on American race
tracks, Bush has spent so much of his
life in Europe that he actually came
home speaking a broken English. 1t
took him several weeks to get rid of
his French accent and hesitant man.
ner of speaking his mother tongue.
Then, when he looked around for some
of his former employers, he found that
practically all of them had died during
his absence. Now, practically stran-
ger in his native land, he is cropping
around, trying to make some new con-
nections that will enable him to return
to his vocation of training thorough
bred race horses.
Bush has raced all over Europe. He
speaks French, German and Russian
fuently. During the evacuation of
Dunkirk, thousands of refugees fleeing
before the advancing German hordes,
streamed past his training establish
ment at LIE Morlaye on the Disc River,
about IA miles north of Paris. He fed
them and gave them wine until his
stock of food and drink was exhausted.
Then came the conquerors. Oddly
enough, he got along famously with
1872 German soldiers, in charge of a
Colonel billeted at his farm.
II heard lot about the way they
prosecuted Jews and colored people"
said Bush. "But must be truthful and
report that my experience with them
was of an entirely different nature.
When wanted my grass cut, l told
the Colonel and he detailed ten men to
do it for me. Every morning 1 was
shaved by German soldier, and when
my hair needed trimming, one of them
did it for me. Having ridden in Aus
tria for many years, l speak German
fiuently so | had no trouble conversing
with them"
Bush admitted, however, that France
is practically starving because the
Germans take rs per cent of the coun-
try's food supply for themselves and
let the French have the rest.
Trainer Bush had 18 thoroughbreds
at his establishment when the war
broke out. The French Government
commandeered Is of them, so that
when the Germans arrived, there were
only three left. The invaders didn't
bother his horses, he says. When he
decided to leave the country, he sent
them back to their owners.
Racing is still held three days
week in France. Money is fairly plenti-
full, he said, but once you get out of
France it's worthless.
Bush rode for the Aga Khan,
wealthy Indian potentate and sports
man, and also for ]. E. Widener, who
raced his stable in France. Twice he
won the Grand Prix de la Touquet, an
important French jumping event. On
this side Bush won the international
Steeplechase at Belmont Park twice
in succession on the same mare, Belle
of Bryn Mawr, and he also accounted
for the Green Spring Valley Steeple-
chase at Pimlico, the Gold Cup at Pip
ing Rock and the Chevy Chase Steeple-
chase at Laurel. The last race he won
in America was back in 1921 at Sara
toga when he rode Flying Scout to
victory for the late James Temple
Gwathmey. Too heavy to ride now,
though still slim, frail chap, Bush
would like to get hooked up with a
mess of race horses who can under
stand French, Russian, German, Eng
hsh-or even turkey.