Royal Stables, Chantilly, France - Horses Going to the Start These palatial stables were designed by Jean Aubert and built under his supervision during the years 1719-1740 for Prince de Condé. Adjacent to the famed Chantilly Race Course, where racing has been held each year since 1836, this magnificent structure contains stalls for 240 horses and now houses a museum dedicated to the horse. The two most important French classic races, the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and the Prix de Diane (French Oaks), are annually contested at Chantilly. This painting shows a field of Thoroughbreds on their way to the starting gate. The silks worn by the jockeys are the racing colors of nine of the owners of distinguished French Derby winers. From left to right: H.H. Aga Khan (Charlottesville 1960, Top Ville 1979, Darshaan 1984, Mouktar 1985, and Natroun 1987), Mme Alec Head (Bering 1986), Mme Jean Couturié (Right Royal 1961), Marcel Boussac (Ramus 1922, Tourbillon 1931, Thor 1933, Cillas 1938, Pharis 1939, Ardan 1944, Coaraze 1945, Sandjar 1947, Scratch 1950, Auriban 1952, Philius 1956, Acamas 1978), Robert Sangster (Assert 1982, Caerleon 1983), J. Wertheimer (Val de l’Orne 1975), Baron Guy de Rothschild (Crystal Palace 1977), Sheikh Mohamed Al Maktoum (Old Vic 1989), and Stavros Niarchos (Hernando 1993). The horses represented are not necessarily portraits of French Derby winners.