Mahmoud was an 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...

-bred 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 in 1936 won 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...

 and who became a Champion sire in the United States.

Bred and raced by the Aga Khan

Aga Khan III

Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO, PC was the 48th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. He was one of the founders and the first president of the All-India Muslim League, and served as President of the League of Nations from 1937-38. He was nominated to represent India to...

, Mahmoud was trained by Frank Butters

Frank Butters

Frank Joseph Arthur Butters was a racehorse trainer specialising in flat racing who trained in Austria, Italy and England in the first half of the 20th century...

. At age two, the 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....

 won the Champagne Stakes and Richmond Stakes

Richmond Stakes

The Richmond Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August....

. At three, competing in all of the English Triple Crown races, Mahmoud ran second in the 2,000 Guineas, won 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...

, and was third in the St. Leger Stakes

St. Leger Stakes

The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...

.

Retired to stud

Stud (animal)

A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...

, he notably sired Majideh, the 1942 Champion 3-year-old filly in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 and dam of U.S. racing Hall of Fame inductee, Gallant Man

Gallant Man

Gallant Man was a thoroughbred racehorse, named for a horse in a Don Ameche movie.- Career at Kentucky Derby:Gallant Man is remembered primarily for his upset loss in the 1957 Kentucky Derby...

. Another daughter, Donatella

Donatella

Donatella is a 1956 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli. At the 6th Berlin International Film Festival Elsa Martinelli won the Silver Bear for Best Actress.-Cast:* Elsa Martinelli - Donatella* Gabriele Ferzetti - Maurizio...

, was the 1941 Champion 2-year-old filly in Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

.

In 1940, Mahmoud was sold for US$85,000 to prominent American horseman Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney

Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney

Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney was an American businessman, film producer, writer, and government official, as well as the owner of a leading stable of thoroughbred racehorses....

 for whom he would become a very influential sire. Mahmoud was sent to stand at Whitney's stud near 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 he sired seventy stakes winners, including First Flight

First Flight

First Flight may refer to:* "First Flight" * First Flight , an animated short film* First Flight Airport, in North Carolina, United States* First Flight Handicap, a horse race...

, Oil Capitol

Oil Capitol

Oil Capitol was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Bred by the Widener family's Elmendorf Farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, he was sired by the French-bred runner Mahmoud, the 1936 winner of England's Epsom Derby...

, The Axe II, Cohoes, and Vulcan's Forge

Vulcan's Forge (horse)

Vulcan's Forge was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1947 Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old, the 1948 Withers Stakes, and in 1949 the prestigious Santa Anita and Suburban Handicaps....

. In 1946, Mahmoud earned Leading sire in North America

Leading sire in North America

The 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...

 honors.

Mahmoud was the damsire of Career Boy

Career Boy

Career Boy was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was bred and raced by Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, a member of the prominent horse-racing Whitney family...

, Gallant Man

Gallant Man

Gallant Man was a thoroughbred racehorse, named for a horse in a Don Ameche movie.- Career at Kentucky Derby:Gallant Man is remembered primarily for his upset loss in the 1957 Kentucky Derby...

, Determine

Determine

Determine , was a multiple stakes winning American Thoroughbred race horse. By Alibhai . Determine's dam was Koubis, born with a cleft palate. Her breeder, Dr...

, Grey Dawn

Grey Dawn II

Grey Dawn was an French Thoroughbred Champion racehorse who was the only horse to ever beat the great Sea Bird. Grey Dawn was bred and raced by American Gertrude Widener, a member by marriage of the prominent racing Widener family...

, Silver Spoon

Silver Spoon (horse)

Silver Spoon , a multiple stakes winning American Thoroughbred race horse, was well named. She was a daughter of the great Triple Crown winner Citation. Citation was by Bull Lea, the foundation sire of Calumet Farm...

, Avatar

Avatar (horse)

Avatar was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1975 Belmont Stakes. He was bred and raced by San Antonio, Texas businessman Arthur A. Seeligson, Jr. and trained by Tommy Doyle.-Pedigree:...

, and most importantly to breeding, of Natalma

Natalma

Natalma was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the Blue Hen Dam of the most important sire, and sire of sires, of the 20th Century, Northern Dancer. Bred in Virginia, she was purchased by Canadian business mogul E. P...

, a 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....

 inductee and dam 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"....

. In 1957, Mahmoud earned Leading broodmare sire in North America

Leading broodmare sire in North America

The 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:* *...

.

Mahmoud died at the age of twenty-nine on September 18, 1962. He is buried in the equine cemetery on C. V. Whitney's farm, now part of Gainesway Farm

Gainesway Farm

Gainesway Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding business in Lexington, Kentucky. It was originally called Greentree Farms.The 1,500 acre property has been home to sires such as Youth and Exceller and numerous others who are buried on the property...

.