Prix Du Pin - History

History

The event takes its name from France's oldest horse breeding establishment, located at Le Pin-au-Haras in Orne. The stud farm's construction was authorised by Louis XIV in 1715, and the first horses it accommodated were transferred from the previous Royal Stud at Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines in 1717.

The Prix du Pin was introduced at Chantilly in 1883. It was run over 3,000 metres in late October, and was initially designed to test the aptitudes of horses for carrying unusually high weights. The burden for four-year-olds was 78½ kg (173 lb), while that for older horses was 80 kg (176 lb). It was cut to 2,000 metres in 1904.

The event was cancelled in 1906 as an indirect result of public disorder at Longchamp. Three meetings were switched to Chantilly, and to make way for the extra races the Prix du Pin was dropped. It was moved to Longchamp and restored to 3,000 metres the following year. It was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1914 to 1918.

The original conditions were maintained until 1928. From this point the basic weight for horses aged four or older was 60 kg (132 lb). The race was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was held at Maisons-Laffitte in 1943 and Le Tremblay in 1944.

The distance of the Prix du Pin remained at 3,000 metres until 1949. It was subsequently contested over 2,500 metres (1950–51), 1,850 metres (1952–55), 2,600 metres (1956) and 2,000 metres (1957–59). In the 1960s, it was run over 1,850 metres (1960–61), 2,100 metres (1962–63), 2,000 metres (1964) and 1,800 metres (1965–69). It was shortened to 1,400 metres in 1970.

For a period the Prix du Pin held Listed status. It was promoted to Group 3 level in 2004.