L'Alezane
Encyclopedia
L'Alezane was a Canadian
Champion
Thoroughbred
filly
racehorse
. The daughter of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee Dr. Fager
, her dam, Northern Willow, was a daughter of breeder E. P. Taylor's
great international sire, Northern Dancer
.
L'Alezane was purchased as a yearling by prominent Quebec
businessman and major Thoroughbred racing stable owner, Jean-Louis Levesque
. Conditioned for racing by future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
trainer Yonnie Starr
, at age two L'Alezane followed a similar path as owner Levesque's U.S & Canadian Hall of Fame filly La Prevoyante
had undertaken three years earlier by competing in both Canada and the United States
. A winner of three important stakes races
in each country, L'Alezane's 1977 performances earned her the Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
title, and joined La Prevoyante in being voted Canadian Horse of the Year honors.
Much was expected of L'Alezane at age three but she did not achieve the results anticipated. Although she did win the Selene Stakes
, she finished second in Canada's top race for three-year-old fillies, the Woodbine Oaks
, and was third in a field with colt
s in her country's most prestigious race, the Queen's Plate
.
L'Alezane returned to racing in 1979 but suffered an injury that led to the valuable future broodmare
having to be euthanized
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Champion
Sovereign Award
The Sovereign Award is given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canadian Thoroughbred racing.The most prestigious award for horses is Sovereign Horse of the Year....
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...
filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
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...
. The daughter of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
inductee Dr. Fager
Dr. Fager
Dr. Fager was an American a thoroughbred racehorse who had what many consider one of the greatest single racing seasons by any horse in the history of the sport. "The Doctor" was the only horse who ever held four titles in one year...
, her dam, Northern Willow, was a daughter of breeder E. P. Taylor's
E. P. Taylor
Edward Plunket Taylor was a Canadian business tycoon and famous breeder of thoroughbred race horses. Known to his friends as "Eddie", he is universally recorded as "E. P...
great international sire, Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire of the 20th Century. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls him "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history"....
.
L'Alezane was purchased as a yearling by prominent Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
businessman and major Thoroughbred racing stable owner, Jean-Louis Levesque
Jean-Louis Lévesque
Jean-Louis Lévesque, was a Canadian entrepreneur, thoroughbred racehorse owner, and philanthropist....
. Conditioned for racing by future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
trainer Yonnie Starr
Yonnie Starr
Joseph "Yonnie" Starr was a Canadian Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse trainer about whom the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame says has a "record unmatched in Canadian racing history."...
, at age two L'Alezane followed a similar path as owner Levesque's U.S & Canadian Hall of Fame filly La Prevoyante
La Prevoyante
La Prevoyante was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred race horse elected to the Racing Halls of Fame in the United States and Canada. A filly, she was bred and owned by Jean-Louis Lévesque...
had undertaken three years earlier by competing in both Canada and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A winner of three important stakes races
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
in each country, L'Alezane's 1977 performances earned her the Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
Sovereign Award for Champion 2-Year-Old Filly
The Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing honor. Created in 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada, it is part of the Sovereign Awards program and is awarded annually to the top 2-Year-Old Filly Thoroughbred horse competing in Canada.Past winners: -References:*...
title, and joined La Prevoyante in being voted Canadian Horse of the Year honors.
Much was expected of L'Alezane at age three but she did not achieve the results anticipated. Although she did win the Selene Stakes
Selene Stakes
The Selene Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Held during the third week of May, the Grade III event is open to three-year-old fillies...
, she finished second in Canada's top race for three-year-old fillies, the Woodbine Oaks
Woodbine Oaks
The Woodbine Oaks is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Inaugurated in 1956, it is the premier event for Canadian-foaled three-year-old fillies and the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara series....
, and was third in a field with 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 in her country's most prestigious race, the Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
.
L'Alezane returned to racing in 1979 but suffered an injury that led to the valuable future broodmare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
having to be euthanized
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
.