Nijinsky (February 21, 1967 - April 15, 1992), commonly known in the United States as Nijinsky II , is a Canadian-ruled Thoroughspred racetrack, and trained by the English. He was a remarkable two-year-old in Europe in 1969 when he was unbeaten in five races. The following season, he became the first horse for thirty-five years to win the British Three Crowns. He was regarded by many experts as the largest flat racehorse in Europe during the 20th century.
He is also historically important for building his international reputation of North Dancers, although Nijinsky is atypical of North Dancer's descendants in size and conformation. Retired for stud, he became the leading man in the United Kingdom & amp; Ireland and the leading male parent in North America. Winning the top-class race from 6-14 furlong, Nijinsky is considered the most versatile horse of the 20th century.
Video Nijinsky (horse)
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Nijinsky, a horse bay with white stars and three white legs, was bred in Farm Windfields E. P. Taylor in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. He comes from a plant of two foals cherished by Northern Dancer, winner of the 1964 Kentucky Derby which later became one of the most influential stud in the 20th century. The Dam, the Flaming Page, by Bull Page, was a very successful race, winning the Queen's Plate in 1962. In the stud, he produced only two other foals; one of whom is Fleur, who produced the 1977 winner of Epsom Derby The Minstrel, the other being Minsky, the 2-year-old Irish champion in 1970. Nijinsky is a big, strong and handsome horse with a large standing presence of 16.3 hands (67 inches, 170 cm ) high, resembling a dam rather than his father in his stature and conformation, the qualities he tends to give to his descendants.
He is offered for sale at Annual Annual Windfields Farm where he was purchased for $ 84,000 by American mineral king and industrialist Charles W. Engelhard, Jr., acting on the advice of Irish coach Vincent O'Brien. It was Engelhard's wife, Jane, who decided that the horse should be named after the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. Nijinsky was sent to Ireland, where he was trained by O'Brien at Ballydoyle, County Tipperary.
Maps Nijinsky (horse)
Racing career
1969: season two years
The first four Nijinsky races are all at the Curragh. In June, he started with a 4/11 odds and won a six-quarters long half-length girl race. He followed up with victories on Anglesey Stakes and Stake Railway. On his fourth appearance, he extended for the first time at Beresford Stakes. He won convincingly from Decies, a stallion who later won the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1970. After proving himself to be the best of two-year-old Irish boys, he was sent to England in October to fight Dewhurst's stake in Newmarket. Driven for the first time by Lester Piggott, he was held behind a six-horse field before moving on to lead in the final round, earning a top spot in the English Free Handicap.
1970 : three-year season
Spring
In his first appearance as a three-year-old, Nijinsky won his preparation race by beating Deep Run at Stakes Gladness at Curragh in April and then being sent back to Newmarket for 2000 Guineas over a mile. He started 4/7 favorites against thirteen opponents. Nijinsky led two rounds from the finish line, and without being pressured by Piggott, he drew a two and a half-long victory from the Yellow God.
Summer
Nijinsky's opposition at Derby at Epsom was stronger, and he began to dispute 11/8. His rival is led by French-trained colt Gyr. France's veteran coach Etienne Pollet has delayed his year-long retirement to guide Gyr, the son of the Sea-Bird champion, through his three-year season. Nijinsky was held by Piggott as usual before moving forward in the right time where Gyr was ahead and moving clearly. Two furlongs from the finish, Piggott used his whip on Nijinsky. The favorites respond instantly, catching Gyr in a few steps and pulling a two and a half meter win. The winning time of 2: 34.68 is the fastest Epsom Derby since 1936. Piggott claims that he "always runs" while Bill Williamson, who rides Gyr, says that "Nijinsky is too good."
On June 27, Nijinsky followed Epsom's victory by taking the Irish Derby at the Curragh. Driven by Liam Ward, he started with a 4/11 odds and accelerated late to win with three lengths from Meadowville. In July, Nijinsky ran against an older horse for the first time at King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in Ascot. His five opponents include winners from major races including Blakeney (1969 Epsom Derby), Karabas (Washington, D.C. International Stakes), Crepellana (Prix de Diane), and Caliban (Coronation Cup). Without being extended, Nijinsky moves to lead round rounds from the finish and is won by two lengths from Blakeney despite being dimmed to the canter at the closing stages.
In August, Nijinsky had ringworm, which delayed his training schedule.
Autumn
Nijinsky seems to be fully recovering after a "rich" diet including raw eggs and Irish Stout, and sent to Doncaster for St. Leger in September. In a one-mile and six-furlong race, he tries to become the first horse since Bahram 35 years earlier to complete the Three English Crowns. He started 2/7 favorites and won comfortably, though his margin of victory over Meadowville was just one long. In 2017, he was the last horse to achieve the sweeping achievement of the British Crown Kingdom: since 1970 only Reference Point (1987), Nashwan (1989), Sea The Stars (2009) and Camelot (2012) have won two of the three races, but Oh So Sharp won the filly version of Triple Crown in 1985.
In the next race, Nijinsky was sent to France for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris in October. Piggott produced Nijinsky in a straight line to make his challenge but was scorned twice before running out wide. However, 150m from the finish he catches the front runner Miss Dan and Sassafras and leads a bit. In the final move, Nijinsky seemed to veer away from Piggott's whip, and Sassafras, who was driven by Yves Saint-Martin, produced a new effort to regain his lead and win with a head. While many, including his coach Vincent O'Brien, feel that Piggott has given Nijinsky too many reasons to surrender and has left his challenge too late, the jockey says that in his opinion, Nijinsky has passed his peak for this year.
Less than two weeks after his defeat at the Arc, Nijinsky ran his last race at Champion Stakes for ten furlongs at Newmarket. Although he has been known to sweat freely before several previous races, Nijinsky on this occasion seems to be very nervous and anxious before starting. In the race itself, he ran well below his best form and was beaten 3/4 long with a 4/11 odds by the five-year-old British horses Lorenzaccio. O'Brien on this occasion agreed with Piggott, saying that Nijinsky seems to have "lost his fire." Nijinsky retired to stand in a stud at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky which was syndicated in August for $ 5.440 million.
Ratings and honor
Nijinsky was rated 138 by Timeform, the second highest for Epsom Derby winners until then. This was later upgraded to 140 by Racing Post. He was the Timeform Horse of the Year for 1970. Nijinsky was also voted Britain's Horse of the Year by the Race Association, winning 38 of 40 votes. In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rate Nijinsky as the winner of the "great" Derby and the best Irish runner of the 20th century. Vincent O'Brien named Nijinsky and Sir Ivor the best horse he trained, putting Nijinsky first "for greatness." Lester Piggott agrees to say "" I think Nijinsky probably in his day was the most brilliant horse I ever drove. "Geoff Lewis who drove the Mill Reef to become second against Brigadier Gerard in 1971 2,000 Guineas felt that Nijinsky was the best Guineas winner of the 1970s decade.
In 1970, a movie was made about his racing career titled A Horse Called Nijinsky . Narrated by Orson Welles, it was released in British cinemas and in 1988 released on VHS video. Team Nijinsky was also elected 1970 The BBC Sports Personality Award Team of the Year. In a poll in 2000, readers of the British newspaper The Sun chose Nijinsky as their "Millennium Horse". Among the more unusual tributes, Cabernet Sauvignon wine and winter wheat variety have been named in honor of Nijinsky. The bronze statues of him stand on Ballydoyle and in the Curragh rink.
Nijinsky is also mentioned in Series 3 Episode 1 of Only Fools and Horses, where doctors portray 'Grandad' played by Lennard Pearce as having a "leg like Nijinsky". The doctor then explained that he was referring to a racehorse rather than a dancer.
Record notes
After being sent to stand in stud in the United States, he enrolled there as Nijinsky II.
Nijinsky became the winner of 155 Stakes/Group, and the only one to have Kentucky and Epsom Derbies winners in the same year. Its well-known pro- dles include:
- Caerleon - Three Year Old Colt Champion in France, winning Group One Prix du Jockey Club and International Stakes, Leading as a father in Great Britain & amp; Ireland (1988, 1991)
- Dancing Spree - winning the 1989 Breeders' Cup Sprint, Suburban Handicap, Carter Handicap, True North Handicap, Handicap Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship
- De La Rose - US Flyweight Champion (Eclipse Award), 1981
- Ferdinand - 1986 Kentucky Derby & amp; 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic, Horse of the United States of the Year
- Golden Fleece - won the 1982 Epsom Derby, an unbeaten Three Year Old Colt in England & amp; Ireland
- Green Dancer - won the 1974 Futur Stake, 1975 Prix Lupine, Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Leading the Sire in France in 1991
- Ile de Bourbon - won 1978 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
- Kings Lake - won 1981 Irish 2000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes, and Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes
- Lammtarra - unbeaten, winning 1995 Epsom Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
- Niniski - won 1979 Irish St Leger, Prix Royal Oak
- Princesse Lida, French filly Champion 2 years old
- Quiet Fling - won the 1976 Coronation Cup
- The Royal Academy - winning the Cup Cups and the July Breeders Cup, Sire Bullish Luck, Val Royal and Bel Esprit, masters of Black Caviar
- Seattle Dancer - in 1985 the most expensive in the world, sold for US $ 13.1 million
- Shadeed - won 1985 2,000 Guineas, father of Alydeed
- Shahrastani - won the 1986 Epsom Derby, Irish Derby
- Sky Classic - Canadian Horse Victory Race Hall, winner of the US Eclipse Award
- Solford - the winner of the 1983 Eclipse Stakes
- Whiskey Road - sire of Strawberry Road
Nijinsky in Euthanised in April 1992 as a result of "late age weakness" after suffering from laminitis since 1985. He was buried in Claiborne Farm.
Pedigree
References
Further reading
- Sampson, Lesley I. Nijinsky: Blue Riband Sire (1985) J.A. Allen & amp; Co. Ltd ISBNÃ, 0-85131-411-2
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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