History
The event was established in 1922, and it was originally contested over 1,400 metres. It was named in memory of Maurice de Gheest (1850–1920), a member of the Société des Courses de Deauville, a former governing body at the venue.
Deauville Racecourse was closed during World War II, and the Prix Maurice de Gheest was cancelled in 1940. For the remainder of this period it was switched between Maisons-Laffitte (1941–43, 1945) and Auteuil (1944). It returned to Deauville in 1946, and it was cut to 1,300 metres in 1966.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Prix Maurice de Gheest was initially classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 status in 1980, and to the highest level, Group 1, in 1995.
The Prix Maurice de Gheest was included in the Turf Sprint division of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series in 2009, but it was removed from the series the following year.
The race was sponsored by Wertheimer et Frère in 2011, and its title featured the name of Goldikova, a successful mare owned and bred by the Wertheimers.
Read more about this topic: Prix Maurice De Gheest
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“The history of this country was made largely by people who wanted to be left alone. Those who could not thrive when left to themselves never felt at ease in America.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)
“It gives me the greatest pleasure to say, as I do from the bottom of my heart, that never in the history of the country, in any crisis and under any conditions, have our Jewish fellow citizens failed to live up to the highest standards of citizenship and patriotism.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“When the history of guilt is written, parents who refuse their children money will be right up there in the Top Ten.”
—Erma Brombeck (20th century)