Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. surveyed the racing grounds in front of him with admiration. It was 1872, and the Grand Prix de Paris was in full swing at the Hippodrome de Longchamp, Paris's newest racetrack. Near the starting gate were gathered some of the finest horses in all of France, the sleek animals appearing to have been carved from pure muscle. Along the course stood well-attired gentlemen and their wives, the ladies carefully coifed, dressed in colorful silks and chatting with friends beneath their parasols. Many of the spectators had arrived via steamship or private yacht by way of the River Seine.
The Grand Prix's races were certain to be exciting, but this collection of French elites was very nearly as eye-catching to Clark. The entire spectacle put him in mind of Epsom Downs, a track on the outskirts of London. Just weeks prior, Clark had attended Epsom's Derby Stakes, which had been run since 1780, and he found it a similarly prestigious race, just as impressive in its horsemanship and just as stylish.
There was no ignoring the pull. The onetwo punch of these two European horse races cemented in Clark's mind an idea that had been building there: The United States
