Plucky Liege
Encyclopedia
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 England
, Plucky Liege was bred by Lord Michelham
. She was sired by Spearmint
, a winner of the two major races in England and France at the time, the 1906 Epsom Derby
and the Grand Prix de Paris
. Her dam, Concertina, was un-raced daughter of the leading sire
, St. Simon
who was one of the most successful sires in history. Concertina was the dam of nine winners, but none of them were top class racehorses. Plucky Liege had three crosses of Stockwell
and four crosses of Touchstone
in her pedigree.
and retired to broodmare duty at Cohn's Haras du Bois-Roussel in Alençon, France
. Here Plucky Liege produced twelve foals of which eleven were winners. According to Thoroughbred Heritage, "nearly every major runner in the world today carries at least one strain of Plucky Liege."
Plucky Liege produced the following important progeny:
In October 1933, Jefferson Davis Cohn sold his racing operations, including Plucky Liege, to Leon Volterra. In 1933 Plucky Liege had reached the mature age of twenty-three before producing Bois Roussel. She died in 1937 at age twenty-five.http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1787&dat=19331006&id=HuMhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TmQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5227,1592270
Plucky Liege was recorded as French Star Mare, by Denis Craig in his book, Breeding Racehorses from Cluster Mares.
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...
racemare
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 produced eleven winners, including an 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...
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 England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Plucky Liege was bred by Lord Michelham
Herbert Stern, 1st Baron Michelham
Herbert Stern, 1st Baron Michelham , known as Sir Herbert Stern, Bt, between July and December 1905, was a British financier and philanthropist.-Background:...
. She was sired by Spearmint
Spearmint (horse)
Spearmint was a classic winning English Thoroughbred racehorse and a good sire. He sired classic winners in three countries: Great Britain, Ireland and the United States. His daughters produced the winners of eight classic races...
, a winner of the two major races in England and France at the time, the 1906 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...
and 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:...
. Her dam, Concertina, was un-raced daughter of the leading sire
Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
The list below shows the leading sire of racehorses in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1751. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
, St. Simon
St. Simon (horse)
St. Simon was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and one of the most successful sires in the history of the Thoroughbred. In May 1886 The Sporting Times carried out a poll of one hundred experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th Century. St...
who was one of the most successful sires in history. Concertina was the dam of nine winners, but none of them were top class racehorses. Plucky Liege had three crosses of Stockwell
Stockwell (horse)
Stockwell was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland seven times; he was second on the sires' list a further four times during a 14-year period.-Breeding:...
and four crosses of Touchstone
Touchstone (horse)
Touchstone was a good British bred Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland on four occasions. He was owned and bred by Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster....
in her pedigree.
Racing career
Plucky Liege was purchased by Jefferson Davis Cohn for whom she had thirteen race starts, winning four two-year-old races for earnings of £1,811.Stud record
In 1930 she was exported to Lower Normandy in FranceFrance
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...
and retired to broodmare duty at Cohn's Haras du Bois-Roussel in Alençon, France
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:...
. Here Plucky Liege produced twelve foals of which eleven were winners. According to Thoroughbred Heritage, "nearly every major runner in the world today carries at least one strain of Plucky Liege."
Plucky Liege produced the following important progeny:
- Admiral Drake (1931) won French Grand Prix de ParisGrand Prix de ParisThe 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:...
, sired Phil DrakePhil DrakePhil Drake was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a brief racing career which lasted from May to July 1955, Phil Drake ran five times and won three races, becoming the fifth and last horse to win both the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris.-Background:Phil Drake, a brown horse with...
(Epsom Derby) - Bois RousselBois RousselBois Roussel was an French-bred Thoroughbred champion racehorse and a leading broodmare sire. He won the 1938 Epsom Derby on his second racecourse appearance.-Background:...
(b. 1935) - English Champion Three-Year-Old Colt, won the Epsom Derby, was Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & IrelandLeading broodmare sire in Great Britain & IrelandThe 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:*...
. Among others, he was the sire of Tehran and 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...
. - Bull DogBull Dog (horse)Bull Dog was an French Thoroughbred racehorse who became a North American Champion sire and Champion broodmare sire.Owned and bred by American Jefferson Davis Cohn at his Haras du Bois-Roussel in Alençon in France's Lower Normandy region, Bull Dog was sired by Teddy who had been the Leading sire...
(b. 1927) - Leading sire in North America (1943), Leading broodmare sire in North America (1953, 1954, 1956) - Diane de Poitiers who was her only non-winner, dam of winners in U.S.A
- Marguerite de Valois (1919, four wins and dam of winners in France and U.S.A.);
- Noble Lady (two wins);
- Noor Jahan (three wins in France, dam and grandam of good winners);
- Sir Gallahad IIISir Gallahad IIISir Gallahad III was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and a very important Sire in the United States.Racing at age two in France for his British breeder/owner, Jefferson Davis Cohn, Sir Gallahad earned victory in three of his five starts but was overshadowed by the 1922 Champion colt, Epinard...
(b. 1920) - Leading sire in North AmericaLeading sire in North AmericaThe list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
(1930, 1933, 1934, 1940), Leading broodmare sire in North AmericaLeading broodmare sire in North AmericaThe 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:* *...
, (1939, 1943–1952, 1955) .
In October 1933, Jefferson Davis Cohn sold his racing operations, including Plucky Liege, to Leon Volterra. In 1933 Plucky Liege had reached the mature age of twenty-three before producing Bois Roussel. She died in 1937 at age twenty-five.http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1787&dat=19331006&id=HuMhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TmQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5227,1592270
Plucky Liege was recorded as French Star Mare, by Denis Craig in his book, Breeding Racehorses from Cluster Mares.