Placid Ark
Encyclopedia
Placid Ark was an Australian thoroughbred foaled in Western Australia. His sire Arkenstone was a winning son of the Western Australian champion sire Zvornik and his dam was Northern Queen a mare bred in South Australia
by the USA imported stallion Star of the North.
Bred at Asprey Stud near Pinjarra by H.B (Pip) Dent, Placid Ark was purchased at the Sunspeed Yearling Sales for $5,000 for a novice eight-person syndicate headed by Hotelier
Barry McGrath on the recommendation of Ascot Racecourse
trainer
Wally Mitchell. Wally Mitchell was persuaded to purchase the horse by the breeder, H.B.(Pip)Dent. Pip was so convinced of the quality of the horse that he offered to give Wally his money back if the horse didn't win (cited in West Australian newspaper's obituary of Pip Dent).
Placid Ark earned number of wins as a two year old including the first ever defeat of star filly Jungle Dawn who later campaigned successfully in the United States of America and after making a promising start in his three-year-old season in Perth, Western Australia
, plans were made to take him to Melbourne
to contest the autumn sprinters treble of the Lightning Stakes
, Oakleigh Plate
& Newmarket Handicap
. Placid Ark made history when he became the first horse to win all three races in the same season. Accompanying Placid Ark on the trip was New South Wales
born jockey
John Scorse who had relocated to Perth
as stable rider for Mitchell.
Placid Ark's performances in the 1986-87 racing season resulted in him being voted a co-winner of Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year
honors.
Out of racing for a time due to an injury, Placid Ark came back in 1988 to win the Bobby Lewis Quality
before a shattered sesamoid resulted in the gelding
having to be euthanized
.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
by the USA imported stallion Star of the North.
Bred at Asprey Stud near Pinjarra by H.B (Pip) Dent, Placid Ark was purchased at the Sunspeed Yearling Sales for $5,000 for a novice eight-person syndicate headed by Hotelier
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
Barry McGrath on the recommendation of Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse, Western Australia
Ascot Racecourse is the major racecourse in Perth, Western Australia, situated approximately 8 kilometres east of the Perth central business district, with the headquarters of the Western Australian Turf Club positioned directly opposite....
trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
Wally Mitchell. Wally Mitchell was persuaded to purchase the horse by the breeder, H.B.(Pip)Dent. Pip was so convinced of the quality of the horse that he offered to give Wally his money back if the horse didn't win (cited in West Australian newspaper's obituary of Pip Dent).
Placid Ark earned number of wins as a two year old including the first ever defeat of star filly Jungle Dawn who later campaigned successfully in the United States of America and after making a promising start in his three-year-old season in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, plans were made to take him to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to contest the autumn sprinters treble of the Lightning Stakes
Lightning Stakes
The Lightning Stakes is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1000 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney is A$750,000...
, Oakleigh Plate
Oakleigh Plate
The Oakleigh Plate is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred open handicap horse race, run over a distance of 1100 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Its prizemoney in 2010 was A$351,000...
& Newmarket Handicap
Newmarket Handicap
The Newmarket Handicap is a VRC Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The event is an open handicap race over 1200 metres...
. Placid Ark made history when he became the first horse to win all three races in the same season. Accompanying Placid Ark on the trip was New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
born jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
John Scorse who had relocated to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
as stable rider for Mitchell.
Placid Ark's performances in the 1986-87 racing season resulted in him being voted a co-winner of Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year
Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year
The Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year is awarded to the Thoroughbred horse who is voted to be the champion horse within an Australian racing season. This award is open to all racehorses racing within Australia, regardless of age and sex, and includes overseas performances.This award...
honors.
Out of racing for a time due to an injury, Placid Ark came back in 1988 to win the Bobby Lewis Quality
Bobby Lewis Quality
The Bobby Lewis Quality is a VRC Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred quality handicap horse race for four year olds and upwards, over a distance of 1200 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne in September...
before a shattered sesamoid resulted in the gelding
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
having to be euthanized
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
.