Show French Minister Leaves Pupil Once Each Year to Ride in Race i Dons DOllS Bright Silks and Roars Down Dorn Home Stretch Has Sound Knowledge of Horseflesh By HENRY McLEMORE l United Press Sports ports Writer WIMBLEDON England July 26 For 26 For days of ot the year John Jennings Jennings Jennings Jen Jen- goes about the little town of l Matson Maison lson Lafitte on the outskirts o of Paris comforting the sick advising the troubled and aiding the needy Maison Matson Lafitte needs John Jennings Episcopal minister for Maison Matson Lafitte Lafitte La La- fitte itte is 15 a racing town T Pitched a almost in the center of town own racing is the premier industry with a lavish two-mile two track It Is a matter of record that wherever I ponies run you 0 will always find I plenty to share shan sadness and distress John Jennings' Jennings are nearly always men of the turf When hen he looks out over oer his bis conr congregation congregation con con- r Sunday mornings he sees for the most part owners Jockeys trainers stable bandsmen hands hands- men women and children who when a race is on crowd the rail with tickets clutched in their hands But John Jennings is not satisfied with only knowing the unhappy side of his lives As their counselor he believes it his duty dub to share hare their joys jOS as well as their sor- sor rows So that Is why one day each year John Jennings steps down and way the pulpit discarding the churchs church's sober cloth dons the bright silks of f a jockey and goes to the post poston on n the back of a thoroughbred John Jennings' Jennings once a year ride is not the act of a publicity seeking evangelist He isn't grandstanding He has been doing it for 20 years and anda a glance at the record books shows that hat during that period he has won many o of Frances France's most important stake races John Jennings Jenning rode this year and although in his middle fifties a stranger would have found it diff difficult cult to distinguish the minister amon among the jockeys as the horses paraded tc to the post His figure in bright re red silks was as trim as ever his sea seat scat as sure He finished second this year ear losin losing by a length or two in the rush down down dow the stretch When entries entries' for th the next race came out John Jennings had hung up his tack and gone from the noise of the track More tha than that no one will ever ver tell you ou in Maison Lafitte More forc than one owner will tell you in Maison Malson Lafitte Lafite that he be behas I has attempted to persuade John Jennings to forsake the church and train a string of horses so sound is his knowledge of horse horse- flesh But he has always al refused lie He does docs however lend a hand band bandIn handIn In training the horse he is to ride ride In his annual trip to the post |