Herbager

Herbager (1956–1976) was a French Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire in both France and the United States. He was sired by Vandale, a stayer who won the 1946 Prix du Conseil Municipal and whom Herbager would help make the 1959 Leading sire in France. His dam was Flagette (by Escamillo) who was inbred to St. Leger winner Firdaussi (3m x 3f).

Owned by Simone Del Duca and trained by Pierre Pelat, Herbager made two starts at age two, finishing second once and winning the Prix Seraphine. At age three, Herbager was the best colt in his age group in France, winning important races including the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the Classic French Derby in which he earned an impressive Timeform rating of 136. In the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe he sustained a serious leg injury, but still managed to finish only two lengths from the winner. This injury ended his racing career.^[1]

Stud record

Herbager was retired to stud for the 1960 season in France and in December 1964 was sold for US$700,000 to the prominent Kentucky breeder, Bull Hancock. Hancock then syndicated Herbager to various clients of his Claiborne Farm. At Claiborne Farm, Herbager sired sixty-four stakes winners and became a major stamina influence.

Herbager was the sire of:

• Anifa (1976) - filly who won the 1980 Turf Classic Handicap
• Appiani II (1963) - won Derby Italiano, Leading sire in Germany in 1975, sire of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, Star Appeal
• Bag Of Tunes (won Kentucky Oaks)^[2]
• Big Spruce (1969) - Grade 1 winner and sire of forty-three stakes winners
• Dike (1966) - won Breeders' Futurity Stakes, Wood Memorial Stakes
• Field Cat (1977) - won G1 Pan American Handicap
• Gleaming (1968) - won Lamplighter Stakes, Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap (2x)
• Grey Dawn (1962) - won Grand Critérium, Prix de la Salamandre, Prix Morny. Sent to the United States, he was the 1990 Leading broodmare sire in North America
• Loud (1967) - won G1s Travers Stakes, Governor Stakes
• Our Mims (1974) - American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly
• Sea Hawk (1963) - unbeaten at age two in France. Won Critérium de Saint-Cloud, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Sire of Bruni.
• Tiller (1974) - multiple stakes winner on dirt and turf including the San Juan Capistrano, Tidal (2x), Sword Dancer Handicaps
• Yamanin (1972) - multiple stakes winner including the G1 Widener Handicap

Damsire: Some of Herbager's daughters who produced foals that went on to racing success include:

• Ballade (1972), was purchased as a yearling by Canadian E. P. Taylor. As a broodmare, she stood at Taylor's Windfields Farm. Ballade was voted the 1992 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Broodmare. She was the dam of major stakes winners, Glorious Song and Devil's Bag, plus Saint Ballado who in turn sired 2005 American Horse of the Year, Saint Liam as well as 2-time Eclipse Award winner, Ashado
• Bete A Bon Dieu (1964) - dam of Buckskin, winner of the Prix du Cadran (2x), Jockey Club Cup, Doncaster Cup
• I Will Follow (1975) - dam of Rainbow Quest, winner of the 1985 Coronation Cup and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Herbager died on 25 March 1976 at the age of twenty at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky and is buried in their Marchmont Farm division's equine cemetery.

References

• Herbager profile at Thoroughbred Heritage
• McLean, Ken. Designing Speed in the Racehorse (2006) Russell Meerdink Co. Ltd. ISBN 978-0-929346-80-9