Dante (horse)
Encyclopedia
Dante was a British
Thoroughbred
racehorse
who was the last horse trained in northern England
to win the English Derby
. He was sired by Nearco
, the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
in 1947 and 1949, and one of the most important sires of the 20th century. A full brother to Sayajirao
, http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Pharos.html he was out of the mare
Rosy Legend who was a granddaughter of the influential sire, Dark Ronald
.
Bred and raced by Sir Eric Ohlson, Dante was foaled and raised at Manor House Stud in Middleham
in North Yorkshire
and conditioned for racing by Matthew Peacock. At age two, the colt went undefeated in six starts, notably winning the Coventry
and Middle Park Stakes
at Newmarket Racecourse
.
At age three, after winning a prep race at the Stockton racetrack, Dante ran second by a neck in the 2,000 Guineas behind winner Court Martial
and ahead of third-place finisher and another son of Nearco, Royal Charger
. In England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby
, Dante turned the tables. Run that year at Newmarket Racecourse due to World War II
, he defeated Court Martial who finished third behind runner-up Midas. Afflicted by a degenerative disease that ultimately left him blind
, Dante never raced again.
Retired to Theakston Stud in Theakston, North Yorkshire
, Dante proved a successful sire whose offspring included:
Dante died in 1956 at Theakston Stud. The Dante Stakes
at York Racecourse
is named in his honour.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
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 last horse trained in northern 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...
to win the English 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...
. He was sired by 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 ,...
, the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
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:...
in 1947 and 1949, and one of the most important sires of the 20th century. A full brother to Sayajirao
Sayajirao
Sayajirao was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. A full brother to 1945 Epsom Derby winner, Dante, he was out of the mare Rosy Legend and sired by the great Nearco who is described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important...
, http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Pharos.html he was out of the mare
Mare (horse)
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine.In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse age three and younger. However, in Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old; in harness racing a mare is a...
Rosy Legend who was a granddaughter of the influential sire, Dark Ronald
Dark Ronald
Dark Ronald was an English bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who had a global influence on the breeding of Thoroughbreds and sport horses, with many show jumpers tracing back to him.-Breeding:...
.
Bred and raced by Sir Eric Ohlson, Dante was foaled and raised at Manor House Stud in Middleham
Middleham
Middleham is a small market town and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in Wensleydale, in the Yorkshire Dales, on the north-facing side of the valley just above the junction of the River Ure and River Cover. There has been a settlement there since Roman...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
and conditioned for racing by Matthew Peacock. At age two, the colt went undefeated in six starts, notably winning the Coventry
Coventry Stakes
The Coventry Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
and Middle Park Stakes
Middle Park Stakes
The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event was established...
at Newmarket Racecourse
Newmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
.
At age three, after winning a prep race at the Stockton racetrack, Dante ran second by a neck in the 2,000 Guineas behind winner Court Martial
Court Martial (horse)
Court Martial was a Thoroughbred racehorse bred and raced by Lord Astor best known for defeating two exceptional colts in Dante and Royal Charger for the Classic 2,000 Guineas Stakes and as a two-time Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland.He was a chestnut horse sired by the leading sire Fair...
and ahead of third-place finisher and another son of Nearco, Royal Charger
Royal Charger
Royal Charger was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who was successful in racing but even more so as a sire. He was the son of the very important sire Nearco.-Racing career:As a three-year-old, Royal Charger finished third in the 2000 Guineas...
. In England's most prestigious race, the 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...
, Dante turned the tables. Run that year at Newmarket Racecourse due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he defeated Court Martial who finished third behind runner-up Midas. Afflicted by a degenerative disease that ultimately left him blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
, Dante never raced again.
Retired to Theakston Stud in Theakston, North Yorkshire
Theakston, North Yorkshire
Theakston is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The village is situated just west of the A1 road, and is about three miles south-east of Bedale....
, Dante proved a successful sire whose offspring included:
- Toulouse Lautrec (b. 1950) - won Gran Premio d'ItaliaGran Premio d'ItaliaThe Gran Premio d'Italia is a Listed flat horse race in Italy which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at San Siro, Milan, over a distance of 2,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
, Gran Premio di MilanoGran Premio di MilanoThe Gran Premio di Milano is a Group 1 flat horse race in Italy open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Milan over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.... - Darius (b. 1951) - won Champagne Stakes (1953), July StakesJuly StakesThe July Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....
(1953), 2,000 Guineas (1954), St. James's Palace StakesSt. James's Palace StakesThe St. James's Palace Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
(1954), Eclipse StakesEclipse StakesThe Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
(1955) - Carrozza (b. 1954) - won 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....
for owner, Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,... - Discorea (b. 1956) - won 1959 Irish OaksIrish OaksThe Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....
- Derring-Do (b. 1961) - won 1965 Queen Elizabeth II StakesQueen Elizabeth II StakesThe Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is now scheduled to take place each year in October. As of 2011, it is run on Champions Day as the final race...
, sired High Top and Dominion and was a sire of significant broodmares.
Dante died in 1956 at Theakston Stud. The Dante Stakes
Dante Stakes
The Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
at York Racecourse
York Racecourse
York Racecourse is a horse racing track in the southwest of the city of York in North Yorkshire, England with a spectator capacity of 60,000. The most famous race to be held at York on an annual basis is the Ebor Handicap, which is run during the Ebor Festival meeting in August...
is named in his honour.