ENGLISH TEXTS
G. Did he teach you the art of business too?
L. B. In a way, yes. He always encouraged me toward it. He’ s good at it, charming, with an old-school style. Money was never a limit for him. When he wanted something, he made it happen; even if he didn’ t quite have the means at the time( laughs). His self-confidence is incredible. He’ s driven by results.
G. Would you say the Dubois are a clan?
L. B. In any case, I find that rather flattering. It means we’ re a close-knit family. My grandfather stays connected to the family in his own way. He’ s always thinking of us with kindness.
G. What’ s it like having a grandfather who’ s a living legend?
L. B. I can confirm it, he’ s a living legend. We’ re all very proud of what he’ s accomplished. He truly commands respect and admiration. When we go abroad, everyone knows him. I’ m very lucky to be his grandson.
G. People say you’ re his heir, how does that make you feel?
L. B. He doesn’ t like playing favorites among his relatives. I try to follow in his footsteps, but not necessarily to copy him. If I come close, all the better, but he’ s one of a kind. He’ s an inspiration to me. He’ ll always be unique.
G. So, to be clear: you maintain he’ s not quite retiring?
L. B. Maybe when he said“ I’ m stopping,” it was a moment of frustration, or fatigue. But his spirits usually bounce back fast. He’ ll still have a few horses around.
MAURIZIO GROSSO
Famous coach of Italian origin, known especially for having trained the Dubois-bred champion Daguet Rapide, Maurizio Grosso— with his charming, lilting Italian accent— shared with us his vision of what it means to be a“ leader.”
“ You hadn’ t even finished your lap yet, or the 1,400-meter straight at La Beauvoisinière, that he had already finished everything, done 10 laps and made four phone calls. He’ s different from the others: he moves faster and sees further. By looking everywhere, he compared the good things and figured things out on his own. He has something extra in his hands, a sixth sense for horses. When he touches a horse, he sees into it. He has always worked hard, diligently, but his mindset has always been oriented first toward breeding. He was a visionary in the United States, but also in Italy: he had seen Franco-American horses there that were correct, and he had the idea of sending his best mares to be bred with top American stallions. He was a pioneer, and Italy allowed him to start his offspring early, confirming his vision. He revolutionized the Italian market, and the French one too.”
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By Serge Okey
“ WE WON’ T SEE ANOTHER MAN LIKE HIM ANYTIME SOON”
ALAIN PAGÈS
If there’ s one person who shares Jean-Pierre Dubois’ s racing knowledge, it’ s undoubtedly Alain Pagès, former driver and race steward, eternal curator of the Trot Museum in Grosbois and a living archive of horse racing.
Galorama. Your first encounter with Jean-Pierre Dubois?
Alain Pagès. He was very young, and I was even younger. It was in Écommoy, back in the 1950s. His first official win. He was already riding with real energy. His horse was named Faon Kairos and he already had American blood.
G. Do you two often talk about the past?
A. P. He always says to me with a twinkle in his eye,“ You sure know a lot.” But Jean-Pierre has an incredible memory, an amazing eye for detail. We can have very specific conversations
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