Blushing John
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| Blushing John | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Blushing Groom |
| Grandsire | Red God |
| Dam | La Griffe |
| Damsire | Prince John |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1985 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | North Ridge Farm |
| Owner | Allen E. Paulson |
| Trainer | Francois Boutin (France) Richard J. Lundy (USA) |
| Record | 19: 9-1-2 |
| Earnings | $1,548,081 |
| Major Racing Wins, Awards and Honours | |
| Major Racing Wins | |
| Prix Saint-Roman‎ (1987) Prix de Fontainebleau (1988) Poule d'Essai des Poulains (1988) Razorback Handicap (1989) Washington Park Handicap (1989) Hollywood Gold Cup (1989) Pimlico Special (1989) |
|
| Racing Awards | |
| American Champion Older Male Horse (1989) | |
| Infobox last updated on: 15:31, Tuesday June 10, 2008 (UTC). | |
Blushing John (foaled March 9, 1985 in Kentucky) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in France and in the United States. He was bred by Franklin Groves' North Ridge Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Out of the mare La Griffe, he was a son of the very influential Champion sire, Blushing Groom.
Blushing John was purchased by American horseman Allen E. Paulson who maintained racing operations both in France and the United States. Paulson sent the colt to trainer Francois Boutin at the Chantilly Racecourse training center.
Sent to the track as a two-year-old, Blushing John won his debut in September of 1987 at Longchamp Racecourse under regular jockey Freddy Head. His most important win of 1987 came next under substitute jockey Yves Saint-Martin in the Prix Saint-Roman. He then ran third for Freddy Head in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud.
At age three, he won the Group One Poule d'Essai des Poulains and was then sent to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky to compete in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Mile. With his regular jockey Freddy Head riding stablemate Miesque, Blushing John was ridden by American jockey Pat Day. Never in contention, the colt finished in tenth place.
Following the Breeders' Cup, Blushing John's owner decided to leave him to race in the United States and turned him over to trainer Dick Lundy. Racing on dirt for the first time, Blushing John responded by winning the Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park, the Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park, the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park Racetrack, and then in track record time, the Grade I Pimlico Special at Pimlico Race Course. In his final race of 1989, Blushing John ran third behind winner Sunday Silence and runnerup Easy Goer in the 1989 Breeders' Cup Classic. Blushing John's 1989 performaces earned him the Eclipse Award for American Champion Older Male Horse.
Retired to stud, in the United States Blushing John notably sired the filly Blushing K.D., a multiple stakes winner including the Grade I Kentucky Oaks. He eventually was exported to Japan where he stood at Maruzen Hashimoto Farm until 2004 when he was pensioned.
