Grey Dawn II
Encyclopedia
Grey Dawn was an French
Thoroughbred
Champion racehorse
who was the only horse to ever beat the great Sea Bird
. Grey Dawn was bred and raced by American Gertrude Widener
, a member by marriage of the prominent racing Widener family
. She maintained homes and racing stables in New York City
and Paris
.
Trained by Etienne Pollet, in 1964 Grey Dawn defeated Sea Bird to win the Grand Critérium
. Combined with wins in the Prix de la Salamandre
and Prix Morny
, he earned French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors.
At age three, Grey Dawn won the Prix de Fontainebleau
and notably ran second in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains
(French 2000 Guineas). He was sent to the United States to race in 1966 where he was required to be registered as Grey Dawn II. Under trainer Horatio Luro
, Grey Dawn won a division of the Brandywine Turf Handicap at Delaware Park Racetrack and was third in the Tidal Handicap
.
at Domino Stud Farm in Lexington, Kentucky
, Grey Dawn was a successful sire
of seventy-three stakes winners. The broodmare sire of more than one hundred and twenty-five stakes winners, in 1990 he was the Leading broodmare sire in North America
.
Grey Dawn was the sire of:
Grey Dawn was the damsire of:
Grey Dawn died in 1991 at age twenty-nine, and a rarity, was still active in the breeding shed. He was buried in the equine cemetery at Domino Stud Farm.
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...
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...
who was the only horse to ever beat the great Sea Bird
Sea Bird II
Sea Bird II is considered by many to be the greatest post-war European flat racehorse. His Timeform rating of 145 is still the highest ever flat figure awarded by that publication. Sea Bird II is most famous for his breathtaking victories in two of Europe's most prestigious races: the Epsom Derby...
. Grey Dawn was bred and raced by American Gertrude Widener
Gertrude T. Widener
Gertrude T. Douglas Widener was an American socialite and a successful Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. Born in Albany, New York, she was the daughter of New York State Senator, Curtis N...
, a member by marriage of the prominent racing Widener family
Widener family
The American Widener family of Peter Arrell Brown Widener and his wife Hannah Josephine Dunton were from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and were one of the wealthiest families in the United States...
. She maintained homes and racing stables in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Paris
Paris
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...
.
Trained by Etienne Pollet, in 1964 Grey Dawn defeated Sea Bird to win the Grand Critérium
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère
The Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.It is the oldest and most prestigious race in France...
. Combined with wins in the Prix de la Salamandre
Prix de la Salamandre
The Prix de la Salamandre was a Group 1 flat horse race in France which was open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It was run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres , and it was scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1872, and it was...
and Prix Morny
Prix Morny
The Prix Morny is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
, he earned French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors.
At age three, Grey Dawn won the Prix de Fontainebleau
Prix de Fontainebleau
The Prix de Fontainebleau is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.-History:...
and notably ran second in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains
Poule d'Essai des Poulains
The Poule d'Essai des Poulains, sometimes referred to as the French 2,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts...
(French 2000 Guineas). He was sent to the United States to race in 1966 where he was required to be registered as Grey Dawn II. Under trainer Horatio Luro
Horatio Luro
Horatio A. Luro was a thoroughbred horse racing trainer in the United States.Born in Argentina into a wealthy family that had been involved with horses for several generations, a suave young Horatio Luro grew up as something of a playboy and maintained this lifestyle after moving to the United...
, Grey Dawn won a division of the Brandywine Turf Handicap at Delaware Park Racetrack and was third in the Tidal Handicap
Tidal Handicap
The Tidal Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race contested on turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Run in early July, the Grade II event was open to horses aged three and older....
.
As a sire
Retired to 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...
at Domino Stud Farm in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, Grey Dawn was a successful 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...
of seventy-three stakes winners. The broodmare sire of more than one hundred and twenty-five stakes winners, in 1990 he was the Leading broodmare sire in North America
Leading broodmare sire in North America
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of broodmares in North America for each year since 1924. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:* *...
.
Grey Dawn was the sire of:
- VigorsVigors (horse)Vigors was an American Thoroughbred racehorse known as "The White Tornado." Called by Bloodhorse.com in a 2011 article "the great California closer," Vigors earned the affection of racing fans because of his dramatic come-from-behind running style.Vigors was bred in Kentucky by William R...
(b. 1973) - wins include the 1977 Hollywood Invitational Turf HandicapCharles Whittingham Memorial HandicapThe Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...
and 1978 Santa Anita HandicapSanta Anita HandicapThe Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season... - Heavenly CauseHeavenly CauseHeavenly Cause was an American Thoroughbred Champion filly racehorse. Bred by Adele W. Paxson, she was sired by Grey Dawn, the 1964 French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and 1990 Leading broodmare sire in North America...
(b. 1978) - American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (1980) - Christmas PastChristmas PastChristmas Past was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse bred and raced by Cynthia Phipps of the famous Phipps racing family. She was out of the mare Yule Log, a daughter of eight-time leading sire in North America and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee...
(b. 1979) - American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly (1982) - Bounding Basque (b. 1980) - career earner of $1,256,258. Wins include Wood Memorial StakesWood Memorial StakesThe Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, New York. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt....
and Brooklyn HandicapBrooklyn HandicapThe Brooklyn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to three-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt.... - Grey ClassicGrey ClassicGrey Classic was a Canadian Thoroughbred Champion racehorse.Bred and raced by Ernie L. Samuel's Sam-Son Farm of Milton, Ontario, Grey Classic was conditioned for racing by Olympic equestrian Gold Medalist and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Jim Day.Ridden by Irwin Driedger, as a...
(b. 1983) - Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Colt
Grey Dawn was the damsire of:
- WaquoitWaquoitWaquoit was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won races at short and long distances en route to career earnings of more than $2.2 million. Standing close to seventeen hands, Waquoit was sired by Relaunch, a multiple stakes winner who sired several top runners including two Breeders' Cup winners...
(b. 1983) - multiple stakes winner in the United States with career earnings in excess of US$2.2 million - Opening VerseOpening VerseOpening Verse was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in England and the United States. Bred in Kentucky, his sire was the 1977 Epsom and Irish Derby winner, The Minstrel...
(b. 1986) - won 1991 Breeders' Cup MileBreeders' Cup MileThe Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's inception in 1984... - ItsallgreektomeItsallgreektomeItsallgreektome was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Sired by Sovereign Dancer, who also sired Preakness Stakes winners Gate Dancer and Louis Quatorze, he was out of the mare Sans Supplement, a daughter of Grey Dawn, who was a multiple stakes winner in France.The winner of top stakes...
(b. 1987) - 1990 American Champion Male Turf Horse - Silver PatriarchSilver PatriarchSilver Patriarch was a racehorse, winner of the 1997 St Leger and of seven other races. He was ridden by Pat Eddery in all but three of his races....
(b. 1994) - won 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...
, 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....
, Gran Premio del Jockey ClubGran Premio del Jockey ClubThe Gran Premio del Jockey Club is a Group 1 flat horse race in Italy which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at San Siro, Milan, over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.Past winners of the event include Tenerani and...
Grey Dawn died in 1991 at age twenty-nine, and a rarity, was still active in the breeding shed. He was buried in the equine cemetery at Domino Stud Farm.