A Day at the Races: Report from France

When an American racing fan chooses to holiday in France for the first time, the conventional course of action is to hit either one of two courses: Longchamp, the country's most important and site of the legendary Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), or Chantilly, headquarters of the nation's top stables and training center, which is set against the backdrop of a picturesque chateau.

For those familiar with my proclivity for breaking convention in thought and action, my decision to choose neither earlier this month shouldn't come as a surprise. Although I could have attended ordinary programs at Longchamp and Chantilly, to say I saw them, I instead fulfilled two long-held desires: to attend the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) and take in racing at the seaside resort of Deauville, in Normandy.

Though not overly well endowed purse-wise compared to several comparable races in Europe, the 1 1/2-mile Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud remains second in prestige to the Arc among France's weight-for-age events for middle-distance performers. Thus, it almost always attracts the country's leading lights, though the quantity that appear can vary.

Run over a left-handed course, the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud once had a significant influence on our shores. Past winners who later made a notable impact in America on the track or at stud include Herbager, Match II, Taneb, Dahlia, Exceller, Strawberry Road, and In the Wings. 

In 1967, reigning Horse of the Year Buckpasser was targeting the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud until a lackluster introduction to grass racing in the Bowling Green H. at Aqueduct while sporting the French-style racing plates he would have been required to wear in the Grand Prix. Buckpasser's jockey Braulio Baeza did make the trip to Saint-Cloud, though, guiding U.S. turf champion Assagai to a fourth-place finish.

I have to say I was very fortunate in choosing this year to attend, as the globe-trotting gelding Calandagan became only the sixth horse since 1904 to win multiple runnings of the Grand Prix and the first to do so in more than 20 years. After a disastrous run in the Coronation Cup (G1) at Epsom over ground he detested, it was thrilling to witness Calandagan make amends ahead of his title defense of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (G1) at Ascot this week.

The supporting cast in the Grand Prix wasn't too shabby, either. Cualificar, who ran Calandagan to a neck, surely has a Group 1 win in him at some point, while the performance of the progressive filly Sunly, who was beaten a length, did justice to connections' decision to run.

Farther up the track were 2024 Arc runner-up Aventure and 2025 Epsom Derby (G1) winner Lambourn, both of whom brought plenty of back class, but who now appear well below peak form.

As for the racecourse itself, I could not have been more impressed by nor enjoyed myself more than at Saint-Cloud. An easy half-hour train ride from Paris' Gare Saint-Lazare takes you to a stop about a 10-15 minute walk from the course's main gates. Following a couple of Englishmen with distinctive Cockney accents, my companion and I enjoyed our leisurely, mostly shaded stroll along the side of the course toward the stands.

The grandstand itself, though purely functional, offered plenty of free seating with panoramic views. Blocked by trees, one can't see the far side of the course with the naked eye, but that is to be expected given the sheer size of most European courses. The very top of the Eiffel Tower, though, is visible behind the trees on the first turn.

Marketed as a "family day," the crowd at Saint-Cloud was dominated by parents and young children treating the track more as a park than a den of gambling. While the crowd size perhaps didn't quite reach five figures, the lawn at Saint-Cloud is quite expansive, and tens of thousands could fit there quite easily, even if the amenities to host such a throng aren't available. Those that did show up were excited and enthusiastic.

Given the casual family atmosphere, it was nigh impossible to spot what one would consider a "serious" bettor in the crowd. I could count on one hand the number of people I saw all week with a copy of Paris-Turf, the country's daily racing paper, and there are no programs as such sold or given out at the entrance. Only a colorful two-sided sheet of paper with basic information on the races and entrants.

Without access to my TwinSpires app, I had to rely on betting the races with actual euros. And with no serious foundation in handicapping bread-and-butter French races, most of the wagers I placed at Saint-Cloud and elsewhere during the week were "action" plays, for entertainment only. Given I cashed only one ticket during my stay, it's an area to hone my skills later. And though you can select an English option on the self-service, pari-mutuel betting terminals, figuring it out is still rather complicated and time-consuming to the uninitiated.

One final note on Saint-Cloud's fans: they display their appreciation for a good show. After pulling up, the horses return to the walking ring via a narrow strip separating the stands and the course. Thunderous and boisterous applause for both winners and losers is routine after every race. Calandagan, especially, was warmly received in such a fashion.

The following weekend saw us in Deauville ahead of its signature August meeting, when it serves as the Frenchman's summer getaway. A sort of Saratoga and Del Mar rolled into one.

The town and its surrounding area have two courses, the other being Clairefontaine, which in addition to flat racing also offers steeplechasing and even Standardbred racing on its turf course. Given our Saturday afternoon was open, and it was only a half-hour or so walk from our rental flat, we decided to check Clairefontaine off the list.

Given the heat dome over much of France during our stay, it's not surprising the crowd was much sparser at Clairefontaine. The quality of racing, too, was relatively so-so, but it was still cool to see the colors of legendary stables competing, even if adorned by second- and third-stringers. Among these were the Aga Khan, Godolphin, the Wertheimers, the Wildensteins, and even a Peter Brant-owned filly who had debuted at Tampa Bay Downs.

There was a notable incident that day at Clairefontaine. Horses and riders had to drift out rounding the bend in one race to avoid trampling several members of the track crew, seemingly unaware that participants were taking nearly two full circuits of the course. It perhaps cost me a winning wager, but that's racing.

Clairefontaine is a pretty track with sightlines far better than the main French courses, though dishing out 8 euros apiece for two cans of Coke was outrageous.

The following afternoon was spent at the main Deauville course, very much a step up class-wise from Saint-Cloud as far as facilities but with a similar family atmosphere. Although personally disappointed that three of the eight scheduled races were run on the all-weather track, the turf action was highlighted by the seven-furlong Prix Jean Prat (G1) for three-year-olds and a couple of potentially hot maidens for two-year-olds.

The Jean Prat attracted a pair of classic winners, French 2000 Guineas (G1) hero Rayif and 1000 Guineas (G1) heroine True Love. Also in the field were the capable Nighttime and Irish raider Thesecretadversary, coming off a win in the Jersey (G3) at Royal Ascot.

Thesecretadversary pulled off a minor surprise after Christophe Soumillon was able to get the colt to set a rather pedestrian pace. In a blanket finish, Thesecretadversary held on by a half-length over True Love, who is no stranger to performing well against males. Fifth-place finisher Rayif's effort was the only real head-scratching one. Thesecretadversary could target the City of York (G1) and Haydock Sprint Cup (G1) later this summer.

The opening two events at Deauville were six-furlong dashes for first-time starters, and though I didn't back the winner in either, they admittedly both stood out in the walking ring beforehand.

The first, for males, went to Imperial Strike, an Andre Fabre-trained son of Lucky Vega. From the extended female family of City of Light, Imperial Strike won by two lengths in a time of 1:10.43.

Even more impressive was the filly Primetime Emmy, a physically imposing daughter of Extreme Choice who sped to a 2 1/2-length score in an even faster time of 1:09.45. Primetime Emmy is trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, of Calandagan fame.

It will be interesting to follow the progress of Imperial Strike and Primetime Emmy as the season progresses, and I suspect both could point to one of the Group races for two-year-olds during Deauville's August meeting.

Due to the seemingly smaller grandstand, free trackside seating is more of a premium at Deauville than at Saint-Cloud. And given all the grass races were run on the straightaway, which can accommodate races up to a mile, very little of the action at Deauville could be seen until the final one or two furlongs. It makes me wonder how much joy I will derive at a future pilgrimage to Newmarket.

From this brief exposure to French racing, the on-track experience is very much geared toward horsemen and the casual fan. Live tellers and betting machines are not overly in abundance, and the serious bettor is likely better off planting themselves in front of a television, preferably off track given the sightlines unless they have a powerful set of binoculars.

Nonetheless, as a sporting event, the very best in French racing is something to be experienced and relished. The next time for me, though, will most certainly be when the temperatures are significantly cooler. You know, Longchamp-type weather.