Shahrastani

This article is about the racehorse. For the 12th century Islamic scholar, see al-Shahrastani.

Shahrastani
Sire	Nijinsky
Grandsire	Northern Dancer
Dam	Shademah
Damsire	Thatch
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1983
Country	United States
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	HH Aga Khan IV
Owner	HH Aga Khan IV
Trainer	Michael Stoute
Record	7: 4-1-0
Earnings	US$987,692 (equivaklent)
Major wins
Sandown Classic Trial (1986) Dante Stakes (1986) Irish Derby (1986) British Classic Race wins: Epsom Derby (1986)
Awards
Timeform rating: 135
Horse (Equus ferus caballus)
Last updated on May 13, 2007

Shahrastani (1983–2011) was a Kentucky-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He won four of his seven races between 1986 and 1987, including the Epsom Derby, in which he defeated Dancing Brave, and the Irish Derby. Owned and bred by HH Aga Khan IV, he was sired by the Triple Crown winner Nijinsky and out of the mare Shademah, a half sister to the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Shakapour.

Racing career

Trained at Newmarket by Michael Stoute, and ridden by Walter Swinburn, in 1986 Shahrastani won April's Sandown Classic Trial and May's Dante Stakes. He then won June's Epsom Derby by a neck over a field that included Dancing Brave. Sent to the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland, Shahrastani won his fourth straight race in capturing the Irish Derby by eight lengths.

After his win in the Irish Derby, Shahrastani was never the same. In July, the colt finished fourth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and fourth in October's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Retirement and stud

At the end of the 1986 racing season, Shahrastani was retired to stud. He has stood with limited success at Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky as well as at Clashmore Stud in Ireland and breeding farms in France and Japan. His best runner on the flat was probably Dariyoun who won some good races in Spain including the domestic Group I Gran Premio Madrid. Shahrastani also sired the good hurdler Zabadi who won the Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle He is also the damsire of Alamshar, whose victories include the 2003 Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. Shahrastani was put down in December 2011 at Walton Fields Stud in Grimston, Leicestershire because of deteriorating health, having retired from stallion duties a year earlier.He was twenty-eight years old, an advanced age for a thoroughbred..

References

• Shahrastani's pedigree and partial racing stats
• Shahrastani at Walton Fields Stud
• YouTube video of Shahrastani's win in the 1986 Epsom Derby

Footnotes

Pedigree of Shahrastani

Sire Nijinsky II	Northern Dancer	Nearctic	Nearco
			Lady Angela
		Natalma	Native Dancer
			Almahmoud
	Flaming Page	Bull Page	Bull Lea
			Our Page
		Flaring Top	Menow
			Flaming Top
Dam Shademah	Thatch	Forli	Aristophanes
			Trevisa
		Thong	Nantallah
			Rough Shod
	Shamim	Le Haar	Vieux Manoir
			Mince Pie
		Diamond Drop	Charlottesville
			Martine