Prix Morny
The Prix Morny is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.
History
The event is named in memory of Auguste de Morny (1811–1865), the founder of Deauville Racecourse. It was established in 1865, and it was originally called the Prix de Morny. The inaugural race was over 1,000 metres, and the prize for the winning owner was 9,150 francs.
The second and third runnings of the Prix de Morny were contested over 1,200 metres. It was extended to 1,300 metres in 1868, and to 1,400 metres in 1870.
The race became known as the Prix de Deux Ans in 1871, and its distance was cut to 1,200 metres in 1887. It was renamed the Prix Morny, a shortened version of its original title, in 1911.
The Prix Morny was abandoned from 1914 to 1918, and again in 1940. Its usual venue was closed during World War II, so it was held temporarily at Longchamp (1941–42, 1944) and Maisons-Laffitte (1943, 1945). The first two editions at Longchamp were run over 1,000 metres, and the 1944 running was contested over 1,300 metres.