Signorinetta
Encyclopedia
Signorinetta was an English bred Thoroughbred
racemare that was only the third filly to win the 1908 Epsom Derby
and Epsom Oaks
double.
Edoardo Ginistrelli (1833 - 1920), who had come to England from Italy in the early 1880s after selling his stud and stable near Mount Vesuvius
. Signorinetta's dam was called Signorina who had been unbeaten in nine races as a two-year-old including the Middle Park Plate
. Signorina won two more the following season and was runner up in the Epsom Oaks
. However she had not produced a live foal for 10 consecutive seasons, before foaling Signorino, a colt who was second in the 2000 Guineas and then third in the Derby.
At the same stables in Newmarket, Suffolk was a horse called Chaleureux, a nine guinea
stallion, which was used as a 'teaser', ie his job was to detect when mares came into season
. Ginistrelli noticed that Signorina neighed to Chaleureux each day when he passed her box on his exercise round. Mr Ginistrelli decided the two horses were in love and let them mate. In horse-breeding circles, allowing a prize mare to breed from an unregarded stallion was deemed total folly. However, Ginistrelli based his decision on the "boundless laws of sympathy and love". Signorinetta was the resultant foal.
at Newmarket. Ginistrelli's methods of training had been subject to much laughter by other racing professionals.
dreamt that Signorinetta would win and so a placed a five pound bet on her, despite friends telling him not to. Despite much scoffing at Ginistrelli's optimism, on 3 June 1908, ridden by William Bullock, she won the Epsom Derby
by two lengths in 2min 39.8sec at odds of 100 to 1. Signorinetta's time in the Derby was considerably faster than that which was recorded by the Derby winners, Ard Patrick
, Diamond Jubilee and Rock Sand
. To date Ginistrelli, along with Arthur Budgett
are the only two successful owner/breeder/trainers of the Derby winner. Signorinetta was only the fourth filly to win the race and to date only two fillies have won since. In 2002 The Observer rated her win as one of the ten greatest shocks in sporting history and she is only one of the three 100-1 Derby winners.
Two days after the Derby she became only the third filly to win the Derby and Epsom Oaks
double, at odds of 3-1, but never won another race after that.
By 1911 Ginistrelli was a poor man, living modestly in Newmarket. He wanted to return to Italy and was able to do this by selling 'the apple of his eye'. In December 1911 Ginistrelli sold Signorinetta to Lord Rosebery. She had been put up for auction before but did not make her reserve price of 7,500 guineas. It was said when she was sold, the reserve price was 10,000 guineas.
She died at the age of 23 in 1928.
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...
racemare that was only the third filly to win the 1908 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 Epsom Oaks
Epsom Oaks
The 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....
double.
Origins
She was bred, owned and trained by CavaliereItalian orders of merit
There are five orders of knighthood awarded in recognition of service to the Italian Republic. Below these sit a number of other decorations, associated and otherwise, that do not confer knighthoods...
Edoardo Ginistrelli (1833 - 1920), who had come to England from Italy in the early 1880s after selling his stud and stable near Mount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting...
. Signorinetta's dam was called Signorina who had been unbeaten in nine races as a two-year-old including the Middle Park Plate
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...
. Signorina won two more the following season and was runner up in the Epsom Oaks
Epsom Oaks
The 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....
. However she had not produced a live foal for 10 consecutive seasons, before foaling Signorino, a colt who was second in the 2000 Guineas and then third in the Derby.
At the same stables in Newmarket, Suffolk was a horse called Chaleureux, a nine guinea
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
stallion, which was used as a 'teaser', ie his job was to detect when mares came into season
In Heat
In Heat is Black 'n Blue's fourth album. It was produced by Kiss bassist Gene Simmons.-Track listing:# "Rock On" # "Sight For Sore Eyes"...
. Ginistrelli noticed that Signorina neighed to Chaleureux each day when he passed her box on his exercise round. Mr Ginistrelli decided the two horses were in love and let them mate. In horse-breeding circles, allowing a prize mare to breed from an unregarded stallion was deemed total folly. However, Ginistrelli based his decision on the "boundless laws of sympathy and love". Signorinetta was the resultant foal.
Racing record
Before the Derby Signorinetta was unplaced in her first five races as a juvenile. Her only win was as a two-year-old in a nursery handicapNursery Stakes
The Nursery Stakes, or other designations incorporating the word "Nursery," refers to a Thoroughbred horse race used by racetracks worldwide to identify it as a novice race exclusively for two-year-olds, the age a horse is first legally allowed to compete....
at Newmarket. Ginistrelli's methods of training had been subject to much laughter by other racing professionals.
The 1908 Derby
A week before the Derby Lord Alfred DouglasLord Alfred Douglas
Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas , nicknamed Bosie, was a British author, poet and translator, better known as the intimate friend and lover of the writer Oscar Wilde...
dreamt that Signorinetta would win and so a placed a five pound bet on her, despite friends telling him not to. Despite much scoffing at Ginistrelli's optimism, on 3 June 1908, ridden by William Bullock, she 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...
by two lengths in 2min 39.8sec at odds of 100 to 1. Signorinetta's time in the Derby was considerably faster than that which was recorded by the Derby winners, Ard Patrick
Ard Patrick
Ard Patrick was a British Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1902 Epsom Derby and the 1903 Eclipse Stakes.-Pedigree:...
, Diamond Jubilee and Rock Sand
Rock Sand
Rock Sand was a brown Thoroughbred race horse who was a very good young galloper, winning six of his seven starts. Always showing great courage he won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Derby which earned him the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.He was a beautifully conformed...
. To date Ginistrelli, along with Arthur Budgett
Arthur Budgett
Arthur Budgett was a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who was one of only two people to have bred, owned and trained two English Derby winners....
are the only two successful owner/breeder/trainers of the Derby winner. Signorinetta was only the fourth filly to win the race and to date only two fillies have won since. In 2002 The Observer rated her win as one of the ten greatest shocks in sporting history and she is only one of the three 100-1 Derby winners.
Two days after the Derby she became only the third filly to win the Derby and Epsom Oaks
Epsom Oaks
The 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....
double, at odds of 3-1, but never won another race after that.
By 1911 Ginistrelli was a poor man, living modestly in Newmarket. He wanted to return to Italy and was able to do this by selling 'the apple of his eye'. In December 1911 Ginistrelli sold Signorinetta to Lord Rosebery. She had been put up for auction before but did not make her reserve price of 7,500 guineas. It was said when she was sold, the reserve price was 10,000 guineas.
Stud record
Signorinetta produced several foals that won ₤5,021, including:- 1912 filly, Pasta by Thrush
- 1916 colt, Rizzio (GB) Cicero
- 1918 colt, The Winter King (by Son In Law), sire of Barneveldt (FR) won Grand Prix de ParisGrand Prix de ParisThe Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
- 1920 filly, Erycina by Lemberg
She died at the age of 23 in 1928.