Detroit evening times., 1942-07-01
Horse Fad
Fades Fast
In Hollywood
But Louis Mayer likes
II. Sticks,to If {:
BY DAMON RUNYoN \

BY DAMON RUNYON
WHEN horse racing came
w back to California, a few
years ago, many members OF the
motion picture colony rushed
into the game as horse owners.
1t was really quite the thing to
do. Actors. directors, producers
and big executives bought steeds
and selected racing colors and
produced quite a flavor OF the
So-called sport of kings in the
cinema capital.
Some went to the annual
horse m market at Saratoga
Springs and paid fancy prices
for stock. Others imported
nags from South America and
elsewhere. A few even went in
for breeding, setting up farms
in this locality and stocking
them with mares and stations.
The popularity of the racing
game in California and the sue
cess of some of the California
stables suggested return To the
racing and breeding glory of the
days of Baldwin and Hearst and
( Spreckels.
WELL, this may yet happen
w of course, though the sus-
pension of the local tracks be-
cause of the war, has naturally
abated some of the enthusiasm
for racing itself. But before
/ this came about many of the
movie folk were already losing
much of their Zest for actual
/ participation in the game. hav-
| ing discovered that il involves
something more than just buy
, ing horses.
They discovered that II Is q 4.
most expensive proposition and :
that II is indeed a rich mans
racket which any veteran OF rae
ing could have told them in adj
| vance.
Those who talked breeding a.
we'll as racing learned that this
is something that requires not
only money but years OF effort
! and patience and that il entails
bitter disappointments and. a.
a result, the ones who took II
up as fad dropped out.
! ONLY few OF the motion
" picture colony now retain
their interest in breeding and
OF this limited number is a gen
| tleman whose enthusiasm for
that end OF the racing business
may be a considerable factor in
restoring 10 California the breed
ing fame OF the time OF En-
peror of Norfolk. Re FL, Santa
Anita. RunnyInede. Tournament.
Ormonde and all the other great
California sires OF bygone years.
This gentleman is Louis r.
Mayer. the famous chief OF
Metro Goldwyn Mayer, whose
concern in breeding horses is
oddly enough a matter OF COM
paratively recent cultivation.
Most breeders are that way
almost from childhood. Mayer
went into the game because he
thought il might afford him
mental rest from business cares.
He started by racing a few
horses but. the moment he
learned something about breed
ing. that became his greatest
love.
LIE MADE mistakes at first
IL but he quickly caught on.
He made a profound study OF
breeding and, when ne went
into that end. IL was with the.
best brood mares that moneyS.
could buy, bred 10 the best stall
lions and. on that basis. man
cannot go far wrong. Today he
is as familiar with blood lines
as native of the Blue Grass.
He has set up n big horse
farm OF 500 acres in pleasant
valley about nine miles from
Riverside He has nearly 200
horses, including 40 in training.
AT the head of his stud is n
giant stallion named Beau Pere.
imported from Australia where
lie was great race horse and
sire. Beau Pere weighs over
1900 pounds and is one Of the
biggest stations in the United
States.
MAYER also has imported
AVA Hunters Moon. Tabou and
Allabai and his own Main Man
is his stud. The pride of his es-
tabliShment is yearling colt
by Man O. War out of La
France. Dam Of Johnstown and
other noted race horses. Mayer
paid $1,000 for La France.
though she is rather an elderly
mare. He originally leased Beau
Pere but has since bought him
outright and charges fee of
$500 10 any neighbors who
wish 10 breed mares TO the big
fellow.
Mayer also has foalS by the
English Hyperion and Blcnheim
III running in his pastures. The
farm is the last word in inno-
vatiops for a breeding estab-
lishment. thought the buildings
somewhat unpretentious but a
| station Wapop with N foldipC