Youth (horse)

Youth (foaled 1973 in Maryland) was an American-bred French Thoroughbred racehorse.

Background

Youth was a chestnut horse bred and owned by Texas oilman, Nelson Bunker Hunt. Youth was sired by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Ack Ack. His dam was Hunt's French-bred mare Gazala, a daughter of the 1953 Kentucky Derby winner, Dark Star.

Youth was sent to race in Europe where he was trained from a base at Chantilly Racecourse by Maurice Zilber,

Racing career

Youth's best result in a conditions race at age two was a runnerup position in the 1975 Prix Saint-Roman at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. At age three, Youth developed into a major star on the turf both in France and in North America. In 1976, he won five important races in France including the Prix Lupin and the French Derby. On October 3, he ran third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to winner Ivanjica, after which he was shipped to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada, where under Hall of Fame jockey Sandy Hawley he won the October 23 Canadian International Championship Stakes.^[2] Youth then was sent to Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland for the November 6 Washington, D.C. International Stakes. Again ridden by Sandy Hawley, the colt defeated Arc winner Ivanjica to take the prestigious event by ten lengths.^[3] Youth's performances earned him the Eclipse Award as the American Champion Male Turf Horse of 1976.

Stud record

Youth was retired to stud duty in 1977 at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky ^[4] where he most notably sired Teenoso, winner of England's Epsom Derby (1983), King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (1984), and France's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1984).

In 1987, Youth was sent to breeders in Brazil.

References