Miesque
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Miesque (pronounced MEE-esk; March 14, 1984 – January 20, 2011) was a champion Thoroughbred racemare, best known as the first horse to win two consecutive Breeders' Cups and racing awards in Europe and America. She was a Group one (G1) winner at two, three and four-years-old, for a total of 10 G1 wins. She produced five stakes winners.
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[edit] Breeding
Miesque was foaled in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. She was sired by Nureyev, (by Northern Dancer) from Pasadoble, by Prove Out. Miesque was owned by Greek shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos, and did most of her racing in Europe. Miesque was sister to Massaraat and Bravemie and a half sister to the mares, Yogya by Riverman and One Life by L'Emigrant.[1]
[edit] Racing record
Stabled in France and trained by François Boutin, Miesque won three of her four races as a two year old, including two Grade 1 Stakes Races and was voted the 1986 Champion Two-year-old filly in France.
Under jockey Freddy Head, at age three Miesque won the 1,000 Guineas in England and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (the French 1,000 Guineas). Miesque achieved international stardom when she defeated a talented field of mostly male horses in the prestigious 1987 Breeders' Cup Mile, in the process setting a Hollywood Park track record. Her powerful performance earned her the 1987 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Female Turf Horse plus she was named Champion three-year-old Filly and Champion Miler in both France and England.
The following year, Miesque raced only four times, winning three and finishing second once. She returned to the U.S. to defend her Breeders Cup title at Churchill Downs in Kentucky and once again was up against a very strong field of older males including Belmont Stakes winner Bet Twice and the Daniel Wildenstein-owned champion, Steinlen. Despite the fierce competition, the filly won the race by four lengths, making her the first ever back-to-back winner in Breeders Cup history. The performance earned her a second straight Eclipse Award for Outstanding Female Turf Horse for 1988 and she was again voted France's Champion Miler of the year plus was named that country's Champion Older Mare.
Miesque retired after the 1988 season. Of her sixteen lifetime races, the filly won twelve, finished second three times, and third once.
[edit] Breeding record
She was a successful broodmare at the Niarchos stud farm in Kentucky, producing several stakes winners with sires such as Mr. Prospector. Miesque's offspring include:
- Kingmambo - winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, Prix Djebel and St. James's Palace Stakes and a leading second crop sire in North America; sired Lemon Drop Kid, Henrythenavigator, King's Best, El Condor Pasa, Russian Rhythm, and Divine Proportions.
- Miesque's Son - stakes winner and successful sire in the U.S.; sired Miesque's Approval, winner of the 2006 Sunshine Millions Turf and the Breeders' Cup Mile and voted the 2006 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Male Turf Horse. He was also voted 2006 Florida-bred Horse of the Year.
- East of the Moon - Champion three year old filly in France.
Miesque was euthanized at Lane's End Farm on January 20, 2011.[2]
[edit] Honors
In the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Miesque was ranked #82. She was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1999.
The annual Prix Miesque at the Hippodrome in Maisons-Laffitte, Yvelines and the Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California are held in her honor.
[edit] Tabulated pedigree
| Sire Nureyev |
Northern Dancer (CAN) | Nearctic | Nearco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lady Angela | |||
| Natalma | Native Dancer | ||
| Almahmoud | |||
| Special 1969 |
Forli (ARG) | Aristophanes | |
| Trevisa | |||
| Thong | Nantallah | ||
| Rough Shod II | |||
| Dam Pasodoble 1979 |
Prove Out | Graustark | Ribot |
| Flower Bowl | |||
| Equal Venture | Bold Venture | ||
| Igual | |||
| Santa Quilla (FR) 1970 |
Sanctus | Fine Top | |
| Sanelta | |||
| Neriad | Princequillo | ||
| Sea-Change |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Australian Stud Book: Pasadoble (USA) Retrieved 2011-1-22
- ^ David Carr (January 20, 2011). "Mould breaking filly Miesque dies aged 27". racingpost.com. http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/mould-breaking-filly-miesque-dies-aged-27/810624/top/.
- 1984 racehorse births
- 2011 racehorse deaths
- Thoroughbred racehorses
- Individual mares
- Racehorses bred in the United States
- Racehorses bred in Kentucky
- Northern Dancer bloodline
- French racehorses
- Racehorses trained in France
- British Classic Race winners
- Breeders' Cup Mile winners
- United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees
- French Horse Racing Hall of Fame
- Eclipse Award winners
