Bois Roussel
Encyclopedia
Bois Roussel was an French
-bred Thoroughbred
champion racehorse
and a leading broodmare sire
. He won the 1938 Epsom Derby
on his second racecourse appearance.
farm in Alençon
where he was foaled. His breeder was Leon Volterra who acquired his sire, Vatout, and his dam as part of his purchase of Haras du Bois Roussel from American, Jefferson Davis Cohn. According to Thoroughbred Heritage, his dam, Plucky Liege
, was one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century. At the time of foaling Bois Roussel Plucky Liege was 23 years old.
, winning the Prix Juigne
, an event for unraced colt
s and gelding
s. Shortly thereafter, Volterra sold Bois Roussel for £8,000 to the Hon. Peter Beatty, son of Admiral David Beatty
and grandson of Chicago
department store
magnate, Marshall Field
.
His new owner sent Bois Roussel to England to run in June's Epsom Derby
. Making just the second start of his career, bettors
sent the colt off at 20/1 odds. Ridden by jockey
Charlie Elliott Bois Roussel scored an upset victory in England's most prestigious race. He was slowly away and among the back markers entering the straight. In the final quarter mile he produced what the Glasgow Herald described as "an astonishing burst of speed" to come from well off the pace and take the lead inside the final furlong. He won going away by four lengths from Scottish Union and the favourite Pasch. In winning, he earned more in prize money than Beatty had paid for him.
In his only other race start, Bois Roussel ran third to the undefeated Nearco
in the Grand Prix de Paris
.
duty in England, in 1940 at a fee of 300 guineas. His stud career was satisfactory without being spectacular. Among his progeny were:
He was not a leading sire but was second on the list of sires of winners in both 1947 and 1949. Bois Roussel's daughters were also outstanding producers who made him the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
in 1959 and 1960.
Bois Roussel died in October 1955, in France at age 20 because of severe laminitis
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-bred Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
champion racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
and a leading broodmare sire
Sire
Sire may refer to:* Father, the counterpart of a dam, particularly in animal breeding. See also stallion* James W. Sire, author on worldviews* Sire Records, a record label* Sire Advertising, an advertising agency...
. He won the 1938 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
on his second racecourse appearance.
Background
He was named for Haras du Bois-Roussel, the breedingHorse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
farm in Alençon
Alençon
Alençon is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon .-History:...
where he was foaled. His breeder was Leon Volterra who acquired his sire, Vatout, and his dam as part of his purchase of Haras du Bois Roussel from American, Jefferson Davis Cohn. According to Thoroughbred Heritage, his dam, Plucky Liege
Plucky Liege
Plucky Liege was a British Thoroughbred racemare who produced eleven winners, including an Epsom Derby winner at the age of twenty-three and three British Classic race winners. The performances of these horses led to her becoming one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century.Foaled in...
, was one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century. At the time of foaling Bois Roussel Plucky Liege was 23 years old.
Racing career
Bois Roussel did not start as a two-year-old. Raced at age three by Leon Volterra, he made his racing debut in early 1938 at Longchamp Racecourse in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, winning the Prix Juigne
Prix Juigné
The Prix Juigné is a French Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early April at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. An event for unraced three-year-old colts and geldings, it is a flat race contested on turf over a distance of 2000 meters .-Winners since 2007:-References:*...
, an event for unraced colt
Colt (horse)
A colt is a young male horse, under the age of four. The term "colt" is often confused with foal, which refers to a horse of either sex under one year of age....
s and gelding
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
s. Shortly thereafter, Volterra sold Bois Roussel for £8,000 to the Hon. Peter Beatty, son of Admiral David Beatty
David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO was an admiral in the Royal Navy...
and grandson of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
magnate, Marshall Field
Marshall Field
Marshall Field was founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores.-Life and career:...
.
His new owner sent Bois Roussel to England to run in June's Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. Making just the second start of his career, bettors
Parimutuel betting
Parimutuel betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and the "house-take" or "vig" is removed, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning bets...
sent the colt off at 20/1 odds. Ridden by jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
Charlie Elliott Bois Roussel scored an upset victory in England's most prestigious race. He was slowly away and among the back markers entering the straight. In the final quarter mile he produced what the Glasgow Herald described as "an astonishing burst of speed" to come from well off the pace and take the lead inside the final furlong. He won going away by four lengths from Scottish Union and the favourite Pasch. In winning, he earned more in prize money than Beatty had paid for him.
In his only other race start, Bois Roussel ran third to the undefeated Nearco
Nearco
Nearco was an Italian bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He was not only unbeaten, winning 14 races at distances from 5 furlongs to 1 mile 7 furlongs ,...
in the Grand Prix de Paris
Grand Prix de Paris
The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
.
Stud record
Bois Roussel was rested as a four-year-old and went to stud in studStud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
duty in England, in 1940 at a fee of 300 guineas. His stud career was satisfactory without being spectacular. Among his progeny were:
- Castagnola (dam of Zucchero who won ten races value £14,837)
- Delville Wood (1942) - four wins worth £3,020, five-time leading sire in AustraliaLeading sire in AustraliaThe list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in Australia for each season since 1883–84. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
- Edie Kelly dam of St. PaddySt. PaddySt. Paddy was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned and bred by Sir Victor Sassoon, he was out of the mare Edie Kelly and sired by Aureole, a winner of the Coronation Cup and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. His grandsire, Hyperion, and his damsire, Bois Roussel, both won the Epsom...
(1957) - won Epsom DerbyEpsom DerbyThe Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
, St. Leger StakesSt. Leger StakesThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger... - Fraise du Bois II (1948) - won Irish Derby
- French Beige – won Doncaster Cup
- Hikaru Meiji (JPN) Tokyo Yushun (Derby)
- Hindostan (1946) - won Irish Derby, seven-time Leading sire in JapanLeading sire in JapanThe list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of racehorses in Japan for each year since 1924. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the season.-----References:* -See also:* Leading sire in Australia...
- MigoliMigoliMigoli was a Thoroughbred racehorse bred and raced by the Aga Khan III. Trained in England by Frank Butters, Migoli's win in the 1948 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was the first for an English-trained horse since 1923 and there would not be another until 1971.-Background:Sired by the 1938 Epsom Derby...
(1944) - won £22,950 in England plus 5,209,500 francs in France including the Prix de l'Arc de TriomphePrix de l'Arc de TriompheThe Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
, sired Belmont StakesBelmont StakesThe Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
winner Gallant ManGallant ManGallant Man was a thoroughbred racehorse, named for a horse in a Don Ameche movie.- Career at Kentucky Derby:Gallant Man is remembered primarily for his upset loss in the 1957 Kentucky Derby... - Praise du Bois II (three wins value £11,226 and second in the St. Leger
- Ridge Wood (1946) - won seven races, £21,658 including the St. Leger Stakes
- Star of Iran dam of Petite EtoilePetite EtoilePetite Etoile was a filly of the highest quality, but her success would hardly have been anticipated by those who saw her in her first race as a two-year-old when she was beaten by eight lengths in a two-horse race...
(1956) - wins included the Epsom OaksEpsom OaksThe Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early June....
, 1,000 Guineas Stakes, and the Coronation CupCoronation CupThe Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
twice - Swallow Tail (six wins value £12,440, third in the Derby and exported to Brazil)
- Tehran (1941) - won £7,258 including St. Leger StakesSt. Leger StakesThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
, leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland (1952), sired TulyarTulyar (horse)Tulyar was an Irish bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He won the Epsom Derby, the St. Leger Stakes, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Ormonde Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes setting a record for a single season's earnings in England... - Woodburn (1945) - winner of the Yorkshire CupYorkshire Cup (horse race)The Yorkshire Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
and Cesarewitch HandicapCesarewitch HandicapThe Cesarewitch Handicap is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newmarket over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs , and the latter part is on the Rowley Mile. It is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was...
.
He was not a leading sire but was second on the list of sires of winners in both 1947 and 1949. Bois Roussel's daughters were also outstanding producers who made him the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
The list below shows the leading sire of broodmares in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1899. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:*...
in 1959 and 1960.
Bois Roussel died in October 1955, in France at age 20 because of severe laminitis
Laminitis
Laminitis is a disease that affects the feet of ungulates. It is best known in horses and cattle. Symptoms include lameness, and increased temperature in the hooves...
.