Blushing Groom

Blushing Groom (1974–1992) was a French Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and sire.

Background

He was bred by American businessman John McNamee Sullivan and was raced by HH Aga Khan IV. A descendant of Nearco, Blushing Groom was sired by Red God and out of the mare Runaway Bride. He was trained by Francois Mathet in France.

Racing record

Blushing Groom raced six times in 1976 at age two. He finished third in his debut, then won the next five races, including four Group One events, capturing the Prix Robert Papin, Prix Morny, Prix de la Salamandre, and Grand Critérium. His performances earned him French Champion Two-Year-Old honors.

As a three-year-old, Blushing Groom extended his win streak to seven, winning the 1977 Prix de Fontainebleau and the GI Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Sent to England to compete in the Epsom Derby, he faced a 1½ mile challenge, a distance fifty percent longer than he had ever run before. He finished third to winner The Minstrel, a son of Northern Dancer. In his final race, Blushing Groom finished second in France's GI Prix Jacques Le Marois.

Stud record

Although Blushing Groom met with considerable success in racing, he became an even greater as a sire. He was sent to stand at stud at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, where he sired winners at major tracks in Europe, North America, Australia, Japan, and Hong Kong. Like his sire Red God, Blushing Groom had been a champion miler but many of his offspring are renowned for their stamina and have been able to win consistently at longer distances.

Blushing Groom has sired 92 stakes winners. Some of his notable progeny includes:

• Arazi - won three GI races in France in 1991 plus the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, voted 1991 European Horse of the Year and United States Champion 2-Year-Old Colt
• Baillamont - won Prix Jean Prat, Prix Ganay, Prix d'Ispahan
• Blush With Pride - won the Kentucky Oaks
• Blushing John - won Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Hollywood Gold Cup, 1989 U.S. Eclipse Award for Outstanding Older Male Horse
• Candy Stripes - sire of 2005 American Champion Male Turf Horse, Leroidesanimaux, and 2006 American Horse of the Year, Invasor
• Crystal Glitters - won Prix d'Ispahan (1983 & 1984)
• Gold Splash - won Coronation Stakes, Prix Marcel Boussac
• Groom Dancer - won Prix Lupin, sired Groom Tesse, Egerton
• Nashwan - in 1989 won 2,000 Guineas, Eclipse Stakes, Epsom Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, sire of Bago, Swain
• Nassipour - won Canadian International Stakes, sired Let's Elope, Tie the Knot
• Rahy - sire of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Serena's Song, 2001 European Horse of the Year, Fantastic Light, Mariah's Storm, Noverre, Champion 3 yr old in England, and Dreaming of Anna, 2006 U.S. 2-Year-Old Champion Filly & Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner
• Rainbow Quest - won Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Coronation Cup, the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland in 2003 & 2004
• Runaway Groom - Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
• Sky Beauty - 1993 United States' Filly Triple Crown winner voted 1994 Champion Older Female
• Snow Bride - won Epsom Oaks

Among others, Blushing Groom is the grandsire of Tawrrific, Let's Elope, Cherokee Run, Silic, Subordination, Congaree, Leroidesanimaux, Tie the Knot, Swain, Dreaming of Anna, Bago, Wekiva Springs, multiple European Champion March Groom and 2006 World Champion, Invasor. He is also the damsire of Awesome Again, Kahyasi, Lammtarra, Mayano Top Gun, 2000 Japanese Horse of the Year T M Opera O, and Goldikova.

Blushing Groom died in 1992 and is buried at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Tabulated pedigree

References

• Official website for Blushing Groom at AgaKhanStuds.com