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*"—»"— Weighing In By EVAN SHIPMAN AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 24.— International races hold a persistent fascination for lovers of the sport, their actual dramatic dramatic appeal appeal often often dramatic dramatic appeal appeal often often being over and above their value as contests, or as a yardstick measure of class. Back in 1923, when Ben Irish shipped the Epsom Derby winner, Papyrus, over to meet our champion, Zev, in a special arranged by Belmont Park, the largest crowd in the history of that track, track, or or in in the the history history track, track, or or in in the the history history *"—»"— of racing in America, up to then, gathered to watch the match, a hollow victory for Harry Sinclairs Zev as it turned out. A year later, Pierre Wertheimer sent Epinard to this country from France for a series of international races, the great son of Bada-jos meeting our best thoroughbreds. For one reason or another, Epinard failed, failed narrowly, but failed, in each of a notable series arranged for him — the first at Belmont, when Wise Counsellor scored; the second here at Aqueduct when the late August Belmonts Ladkin earned a close decision; the third at Latonia, where Sara-zen established a long-held record for a mile and a quarter in 2:0045, and the last, at Laurel, when Epinard, broken down now, was completely out of the picture. Despite his defeats, Epinard caught the imagination of the public; he was an equine hero; horsemen and casual turf followers alike still mention his name with utmost respect. Our surmise is that, apart from Epinards undoubted ability, a great part of his charm lay in the fact that he was "a stranger within our gates." This commentator never saw Papyrus, and we saw Epinard only once, and that was the day at Saint Cloud when he was beaten in a seven-furlong match by Sir Gallahad III., Frankie ONeils mount on the latter counting for more than a little when it was a question of whose number should go up. At the time, we did not know enough about horses to form any opinion that we can pass on to you about Epinards class, but he looked good to us on that long ago afternoon, and we were respectful enough to our elders to accept their judgment of this champion. He was on his way to becoming a legend even then. We had already, however, caught the irresistible contagion of international racing, and the moment a champion of one country crossed the frontier to meet the best in another land, we were either there in body or in spirit. A few years after the French had the wonderful Epinard, they came up with a trotting mare who was just as remarkable in her specialty as he was on the flat. Maybe more remarkable, because she didnt get beaten. Her name was Uranie, she was owned by a Belgian, the Count de Venae -kere, and trained by an Italian, Valentino Capovilla, and she was strictly French-bred, not a drop of American blood in her veins nearer than the fourth generation, where you found the standard -bred Lady Pierce, second dam of Fucshia. Truly, several flags could be displayed at this trotting ladys appearance. Uranie, having conquered everything in her native land, was sent on a foreign tour during the fall of 1929, and we, as a friend of her trainer and driver, Capovilla, went along to see the fun. Our first encounter was at Milan with an American-bred horse named Homer — of whom more later — and who was then an aspirant for the title, "Champion of Europe." Homer never saw which way Capovilla and Uranie went. Our next stop was Vienna, where the mare was to meet Guy Bacon, a trotter developed by our friend, the late Walter Cox, raced in America by Bill Snow, also an absentee from the ranks, and campaigned in Europe by Charley Mills. The Milan event had been at mile heats, but the race with Guy Bacon was a single dash at two miles. Uranie beat him just as easily as she had defeated Homer, and we were fortunate enough to have been invited to the dinner in her honor, offered by the Vienna Jockey Club to the invaders. They were kind, even extravagant, in their praise of a great trotter that night, and when an elderly gentleman arose to toast her performance, he said, "We have seen nothing in Vienna like Uranie since the American, C. K. G. Billings, brought Lou Dillon here a full generation ago." Homer was forced to bow to Uranie but the daughter of the Italian horse now has her eye on international honors that evaded her sire. Unheralded by any press notices, Dracma, an Italian mare by Homer, and this is a direct descendant in tail-male of our own Peter Scot 2.05 — flew in to Idlewild airport from Milan this month and is being prepared for the 0,000 Roosevelt two-mile trot on September 11, and perhaps the 5,000 mile and a quarter Roosevelt invitation trot on July 24. These races may have another European competitor in the French mare, Continued on Page Forty -Five I WEIGHING IN By EVAN SHIPMAN Continued from Page Four Cancanniere, winner of the last renewal of the Paris de LAmerique, and she will arrive here next week with the prestige of already having beaten some of our best exported trotters. Dracma is trained and will be driven by the Italian reins-man, Fausto Branchini, while Cancanniere will be handled by the Greek horseman, Aristide Chyriacos. In marked contrast to the American invasion staged by Papyrus and Epinard, or to the Italian and Austrian jaunt of the illustrious Uraine, a blanket of secrecy seems to have fallen over plans for Dracma and Cancanniere, they may, or they may not, start in the Invitation trot — now called, we believe, the American championship — but Roosevelt Raceway, reticent on other details of their trip, appears certain that the French and Italian mares will go for the two mile event. Branchini, a European horseman who enjoys the reputation comparable to that of Capovilla, Charley Mills or Chyriacos, explained to us last week that Dracma, now an eight-year-old, was no longer permitted to race in Italy, a rule of the governing body there forcing retirement of mares after the completion of the seven-year-old campaign. Abroad, she has won some 24.000,800 lira, or, roughly 8,400, and her connections believe that she still possesses c real earning capacity. According to Branchini, the mare stood the long flight very well, but he describes her as "an extremely nervous individual,- and he does not even hitch her to a road cart, as is customary, for her light work. Dracma jogs behind a groom riding a bicycle, a strange sight indeed for the railbirds at Westbury. Once she is hitched, we understand, she is convinced that it must be for a race, fights for her head and will travel at nothing less than racing pace. Walter Gibson, racing secretary and handi-capper at Roosevelt, told us that he will allow Dracma to start in one Class C Trot before any stake engagements for which she may be pointed. "In that way," Walter said. "Branchini will be able to get a line on us. and we will get a line on him." As Dracma and Cancanniere progress toward racing form, we will give you occasional bulletins, but both mares have accepted a tough assignment if they are to imitate Uraine on her trip to Milan and Vienna. Whitehead Tracks
