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Schapiro Sailing for Europe Today To Visit Leading Tracks and Farms Will Witness Epsom Derby 1 And Oaks; To See Prospects For International Perform LAUREL. Md., May 9.— John D. Schapiro, president of Laurel Race Course and originator of the Washington, D. C, International, will sail for Europe Tuesday aboard the S. S. Flandre of the French line to visit the leading race courses and breeding centers of England and France. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Schapiro. The Washington, D. C, International, rapidly becoming one of the world best known races, will be staged at Laurel for the fourth time on Friday, November 11 Veterans Day. It will be preceded on the night of November 10 by a gala International ball for charity at the Statler Hotel in Washington. Ambassadors and dignitaries from the various nations of the world will be present in addition to leading sporting figures from throughout the four corners "of the globe. The Schapiros will visit England first, their chief objective being the running of the famed English Derby at Epsom Downs on May 25. During his stay Schapiro will also witness the English Oaks and the Coronation Cup, also at Epsom, and the principal races at York, Hurst Park, Haydock and Doncaster, in addition to brief visits to the breeding and training centers of Newmarket, Lambourn and Wiltshire. While in Great Britain, Schapiro will view the races involving a group of the countrys leading three-year-old candidates for next falls International. Among these are David Robinsons Our Babu, winner of the Two Thousand Guineas; Lord Port-chesters Tamerlane, second in the same race; Alice Lady Derbys Acropolis, hero of the Thirsk Classic Trial; Queen Elizabeths Alexander, a Kempton Park winner; Stav-ros Niarchos True Cavalier, victor in Newmarkets Craven Stakes; Jack Gerbers Royal Palm; F. Ellisons Precast, the Gim-crack winner last year; Lord Astors Counsel, Lord Roseberys Rowland Ward, Lord Carnarvons Solarium and H. J. Joels State Trumpeter. Of the older horses in training in England considered possibilities for the Washington, D. C. International are Jack Gerbers By Thunder, Sir Percy Loraines Darius, Walter M. Jeffords Blue Prince II.; Major L. B. Hollidays Narrator; Sir Victor Sassoons Elopement, the Begum Aga Khans Military Court, winner of this years Lincolnshire Handicap; Mrs. F. L. Vickermans Chamier, a competitor in the 1953 Washington D. C. International and victor in this years Coronation Stakes renewal; G. H. Doughertys Babylonian, hero of the Great Metropolitan Handicap; and Coronation Year, the City and Suburban ■winner. Upon leaving England, Mr. and Mrs. Schapiro will proceed to France to attend the racing at Longchamp, Saint Cloud, and Chantilly. At the last named course, they will witness the running of the Prix du Jockey Club, better known as the French Derby. Maison-Laffitte. a leading breed- ► ing and training center near Paris, also will be visited by the Laurel president. Some of the candidates for the French classics and prominent Washington, D.C. eligibles include Francois Dupres Relance, Datour, Polar and Reinata; Georges Wild-ensteins Beau Prince n., top two-year-old of last season; Jean Sterns Belebat, Fauchelevent, and Senones; the Aga Khans Haf iz, Ralph Strassburgers Americ; Marcel Boussacs Macip; Mme. Jean Courteries Soleil Royal; E. Cruz-Valers Walhalla, Jorge de Atuchas Glad-iador, Pierre Wetheimers Chingacgook, Claude Pueraris Fersen and the Vicomte de la Grandieres Soya. Of the older horses in Fiance, Julien Decrions Banassa continues to maintain her classic form. The five-year-old mare, so vividly remembered by Americans for her stretch -running second to Fisherman in last Novembers third Washington D. C. International, recently won the Prix Jean Bart at Longechamp, beating among others Sica Boy, a four -year-old forced to pass up the International last year because of injuries. He is again a strong hope for the Laurel classic this year. Another early season winner with Laurel possibilities is Mistralor, a four-year-old owned by Mme. Leon Volterra. He has won the Prix Boiard and the Prix de Lln-auguration this year at Saint Cloud. Prince Rouge, a leading four-year-old who was second to Banassa in the Jean Bart, is another Laurel possibility.
