Three Troikas
Encyclopedia
Three Troikas was a French
Thoroughbred
Champion Filly
racehorse
who was owned, trained, and raced by the three members of the famous Head family.
A granddaughter of Northern Dancer
, the filly was purchased by Alec Head's
Haras du Quesnay
from the South Africa
n construction magnate, Artur Pfaff. She was raced under wife Ghislaine Head's name, was trained by their daughter Criquette
, and ridden by their son Freddy
.
Racing as a three-year-old, Three Troikas dominated French racing, beating both male and female horses. She capped off her season with a win against older horses in France's most prestigious race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
. The victory made Criquette Head the first, and still only, woman in history to train an Arc winner. Three Troikas' 1979 performance earned her Horse of the Year
honors in France and was rated the Three-Year-Old Champion of Europe.
At age four, Three Troikas had reasonable success, winning the Prix d'Harcourt
. Retired to broodmare service, she was the Dam of seven foals of which six raced and four were winners.
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 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...
who was owned, trained, and raced by the three members of the famous Head family.
A granddaughter of 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"....
, the filly was purchased by Alec Head's
Alec Head
Alec Head was a prominent French horseman and breeder and the owner of Haras du Quesnay near Deauville. A descendant of the great trainers who founded the English Racing Colony in Chantilly, Oise, Head's grandfather was a jockey-turned-trainer, as was his father William Head who was a very...
Haras du Quesnay
Haras du Quesnay
Haras du Quesnay, known as "Le Quesnay", is a thoroughbred horse breeding farm in France about four miles outside the city of Deauville on 3 km², established in 1907 by wealthy American sportsman William Kissam Vanderbilt. He sold the property to another American horseman, A. Kingsley Macomber,...
from the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n construction magnate, Artur Pfaff. She was raced under wife Ghislaine Head's name, was trained by their daughter Criquette
Criquette Head-Maarek
Christiane "Criquette" Head is considered to be the leading female racehorse trainer in the world.Known as Criquette, she was born into the Thoroughbred horse racing business...
, and ridden by their son Freddy
Freddy Head
Freddy Head is a retired champion jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing and currently a horse trainer. Known also as "Freddie", his grandfather was a jockey as was his father Alec Head who also became a successful trainer and owner of Haras du Quesnay near Deauville...
.
Racing as a three-year-old, Three Troikas dominated French racing, beating both male and female horses. She capped off her season with a win against older horses in France's most prestigious race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The 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...
. The victory made Criquette Head the first, and still only, woman in history to train an Arc winner. Three Troikas' 1979 performance earned her Horse of the Year
Horse of the Year
Horse of the Year is an honor given by various organizations worldwide in harness racing and thoroughbred horse racing.Some of the awards include:* Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year* Breeders' Cup World Championships Poll* European Horse of the Year...
honors in France and was rated the Three-Year-Old Champion of Europe.
At age four, Three Troikas had reasonable success, winning the Prix d'Harcourt
Prix d'Harcourt
The Prix d'Harcourt is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.-History:...
. Retired to broodmare service, she was the Dam of seven foals of which six raced and four were winners.