Gold River was a French

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...

 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...

 best known for winning 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...

. Owned and bred by Jacques Wertheimer

Jacques Wertheimer

Jacques Guy Wertheimer was a prominent French businessman who inherited and ran the renowned House of Chanel perfume company...

, the president of the renowned French perfumery, Chanel

Chanel

Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...

, Gold River was sired by Riverman

Riverman

This article is about the racehorse. For the song by Nick Drake, see Five Leaves Left.Riverman was a French Thoroughbred racehorse. Foaled in Kentucky, he was bred by Harry F. Guggenheim of the prominent American Guggenheim family...

, owned by Germaine Wertheimer

Pierre Wertheimer

Pierre Wertheimer was a French businessman.In October 1910, Pierre Wertheimer married Germaine Revel, a daughter of a stockbroker and a member of the Lazard family of investment bankers....

. Her grandsire was Never Bend

Never Bend

Never Bend was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse and a leading sire in England.-Two-Year-Old Champion:Foaled at Claiborne Farm for owner/breeder Harry F. Guggenheim, Never Bend was the dominant two-year-old racing in the United States in 1962...

, a son of Nasrullah from 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 ,...

.

Gold River's first Group One

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 win came in the 1980 Prix Royal-Oak

Prix Royal-Oak

The Prix Royal-Oak 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 3,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.-History:The event was established in 1861, and it was initially...

. The following year she finished third in the Royal-Oak but won the Prix Jean Prat

Prix Vicomtesse Vigier

The Prix Vicomtesse Vigier is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....

 and the Prix du Cadran

Prix du Cadran

The Prix du Cadran is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 4,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October....

. In the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Gold River was ridden to victory by jockey Gary W. Moore. In her Arc win, Gold River defeated Bikala and the excellent American 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....

, April Run

April Run

April Run was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed internationally and who in 1982 was voted a Champion both in France and the United States....

.

Gold River's 1981 performances earned her French Champion Older Mare honors.

Following her retirement from racing, Gold River served as a broodmare at Hagyard 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...

 where her offspring included Riviere d'Or, a multiple stakes winner in France including the Group One Prix Saint-Alary

Prix Saint-Alary

The Prix Saint-Alary is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....

.

Gold River died in 1986 and is buried in Hagyard Farm's equine cemetery.