Nureyev (horse)
| Nureyev | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Northern Dancer |
| Grandsire | Nearctic |
| Dam | Special |
| Damsire | Forli |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1977 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Claiborne Farm |
| Owner | Stavros Niarchos |
| Trainer | Francois Boutin |
| Record | 3: 2-0-0 |
| Earnings | $42,018 |
| Major wins | |
| Prix Thomas Bryon (1979) Prix Djebel (1980) |
|
| Awards | |
| Leading sire in France (1987) Leading broodmare sire in Britain & Ireland (1997) |
|
| Horse (Equus ferus caballus) | |
| Last updated on May 30, 2011 | |
Nureyev (1977-2001) was a Kentucky-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and champion sire. As a racehorse he was best known as the disqualified "winner" of the 2000 Guineas in 1980.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Nureyev was sired by Northern Dancer out of the mare Special, making him a half brother of to several winners including Fairy Bridge, the dam of Sadler's Wells.[1] He was bought in 1978 at the Keeneland yearling sale by Stavros Niarchos for US$1.3 million and raced in France and the United Kingdom. Niarchos named the colt in honor of the famous ballet dancer, Rudolf Nureyev.
[edit] Racing career
Trained by Francois Boutin, in November 1979 Nureyev made his two-year-old racing debut in France. He easily outdistanced the field in the Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud Racecourse, winning by six lengths. The following spring of 1980 he won the Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse in his 3-year-old debut. He was then shipped to Newmarket Racecourse in the United Kingdom for the 2,000 Guineas. It seems that Nureyev had little patience with the rest of the field; in the race, he pushed his way between horses to get to the lead and to victory. However, his win would be overturned by the racing stewards, the first time a winner of the 2,000 Guineas Classic was disqualified. Scheduled to compete in June's Epsom Derby, Nureyev came down with a virus and never raced again.[2]
[edit] Retirement
Nureyev was sent to stand at stud at his owner's Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard in Neuvy-au-Houlme in Lower Normandy. Renowned French horseman Alec Head recommended Nureyev to Lexington, Kentucky breeder John T. L. Jones, Jr. and in mid-1981 put together a syndicate that purchased Nureyev for US$14 million. Nureyev was brought to Jones' Walmac-Warnerton Farm partnership near Lexington and then under Jones' wholly owned Walmac International.
In 1987 Nureyev suffered a life-threatening fracture to his right hind leg in a paddock accident during breeding season, but veterinary surgeons were able to save his life.[3]
[edit] Sire
Some of Nureyev's prominent offspring are:
- Theatrical (b. 1982) - winner of the 1987 Breeders' Cup Turf. Voted U.S. Champion Male Turf Horse and Champion Older Horse in Ireland
- Miesque (b. 1984) - twice won the Breeders' Cup Mile (1987 & 1988) and earned two United States Champion Turf Horse as well as seven championships in France and the United Kingdom
- Zilzal (b. 1986) - United Kingdom Horse of the Year (1989)
- Spinning World (b. 1993) - a Champion in France and Ireland, he won the 1996 Irish 2,000 Guineas, the 1996 & 1997 Prix Jacques Le Marois, and the 1997 Breeders' Cup Mile
- Peintre Celebre (b. 1994) - won the 1997 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, voted European Horse of the Year
- Reams of Verse (b. 1994) - United Kingdom Champion 2-year-old filly, won 1997 Epsom Oaks
- Unusual Heat (b. 1990) - California leading sire and with combined progeny earnings of over $24 Million.
- Crystal Music (b. 1998) – winner of 2000 Fillies' Mile at Ascot
- Fasliyev (1997)- unbeaten European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt
- Stravinsky (1996) European Champion Sprinter
During his breeding career Nureyev sired 135 stakes winners and more than twenty champions, despite fertility problems.[4][5] In 1998, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum set a European sales record when he paid three million guineas for a yearling colt by Nureyev at the Newmarket sales.
[edit] Grandsire
Nureyev is the grandsire of:
- Gentlemen - 1995 Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in Argentina
- Royal Anthem - winner of the 1998 King Edward VII Stakes and Canadian International Stakes and the 1999 International Stakes
[edit] Great-grandsire
Nureyev is also the great-grandsire of the famous Hungarian Overdose (foaled in 2005).
[edit] Damsire
Nureyev is also the damsire of several top international horses, including:
- Peteski - the 1993 Canadian Triple Crown champion
- Bago - the 2004 European Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt
- Spinning Queen - sold in November 2006 for three million guineas, becoming the most expensive filly ever sold at public auction in Europe [6]
- Desert King - winner of the 1996 National Stakes, the 1997 Irish 2,000 Guineas and Irish Derby Stakes
- Zabeel - won 1989 MRVC Stakes (1989), the 1990 Australian Guineas and Craiglee Stakes. Twice Champion Australian sire and four-time Champion New Zealand sire
- Big Brown - 2008 Kentucky Derby winner and the 2008 Preakness Stakes winner
- Manistique - California millionaire mare who won three Grade 1 races.
Nureyev died at the age of 24 on October 29, 2001. He is buried at Walmac International in Lexington, Kentucky.
[edit] References
- ^ "Special Offspring". Pedigreequery.com. http://www.pedigreequery.com/progeny/special. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
- ^ "Remembering Nureyev". The Blood-Horse, November 10, 2001. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
- ^ "A Look Back: Saving Nureyev". The Blood-Horse, October 10, 1987. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
- ^ Frances J. Karon, "An Inspiration". Bloodhorse.com, November 13, 2001. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
- ^ Nureyev's five-generation pedigree and race record. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
- ^ John Cobb, "Racing: Spinning Queen breaks sales record". The Independent, 28 November 2006. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
