Nureyev (horse)
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| Nureyev | ||
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| Sire: | Northern Dancer | |
| Grandsire: | Nearctic | |
| Dam: | Special | |
| Damsire: | Forli | |
| Sex: | Stallion | |
| Foaled: | 1977 | |
| Country: | USA | |
| Colour: | Bay | |
| Breeder: | Claiborne Farm | |
| Owner: | Stavros Niarchos | |
| Trainer: | Francois Boutin | |
| Record: | 3: 2-0-0 | |
| Earnings: | $42,018 | |
| Major Racing Wins & Honours & Awards | ||
| Major Racing Wins | ||
| Prix Thomas Bryon (1979) Prix Djebel (1980) |
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| Racing Awards | ||
| Leading sire in France (1987) Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain/Ireland (1997) |
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Infobox last updated on: February 5, 2007. |
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Nureyev (1977-2001) was a Kentucky-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion sire who 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.
Trained by Francois Boutin, in November of 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 Two Thousand Guineas. It seems that Nureyev had little patience with the rest of the field and 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 Two Thousand Guineas Classic was disqualified. Scheduled to compete in June's Epsom Derby, Nureyev came down with a virus and never raced again.
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.
Some of Nureyev's prominent offspring includes:
- 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 2000 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
During his breeding career, Nureyev sired 135 stakes winners and more than twenty champions. 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.
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
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 of 2006 for three million guineas, becoming the most expensive filly ever sold at public auction in Europe[1]
- Desert King - winner of the 1996 National Stakes, the 1997 Irish 2000 Guineas and Irish Derby Stakes
- Zabeel - won 1989 MRVC Stakes (1989), the 1990 Australian Guineas and Craiglee Stakes. Two-time Champion Australian sire and four-time Champion New Zealand sire
Nureyev died at age 24 on October 29, 2001 and is buried at Walmac International in Lexington, Kentucky.
