The Minstrel
Encyclopedia
The Minstrel was a champion Thoroughbred
racehorse in Great Britain and Ireland. His performances led to him becoming the Horse of the Year in the United Kingdom, Horse of the Year in Ireland and being inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
.
Foaled at E.P. Taylor's Windfields Farm
in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, The Minstrel was the son of legendary sire Northern Dancer
out of Fleur, a daughter of Victoria Park
. He was a three-quarter-brother to the 1970 English Triple Crown
champion Nijinsky II
(who was by Northern Dancer out of Flaming Page, the dam of Fleur).
yearling auction by a group headed by the flamboyant British racing enthusiast Robert Sangster
(1936-2004). Shipped to Ireland under trainer Vincent O'Brien
and ridden by champion jockey Lester Piggott
, the horse entered only three races as a two-year-old but won them all, including the Dewhurst Stakes
at Newmarket.
In 1977, The Minstrel won major races at racetracks in England and Ireland
. His win in the Epsom Derby
, the most prestigious race in the United Kingdom
, brought Sangster and his partners into the racing limelight and he soon became one of the world's leading racehorse owners. In addition to the Epsom Derby, The Minstrel won the Irish Derby and the 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes; in his most impressive race against the country's best horses, he won the gruelling 1½-mile King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. His performances earned him England's Horse of the Year honours for 1977.
By the end of his brilliant career, out of his nine starts The Minstrel won seven races, finishing second and third once each.
.
Among his offspring, The Minstrel's son Palace Music
was a Grade 1 stakes winner who sired the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee Cigar
. Other Group one
winners sired by The Minstrel included:
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 in Great Britain and Ireland. His performances led to him becoming the Horse of the Year in the United Kingdom, Horse of the Year in Ireland and being inducted into the 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....
.
Foaled at E.P. Taylor's Windfields Farm
Windfields Farm
Windfields Farm is a six square kilometre thoroughbred horse breeding farm founded by businessman E. P. Taylor in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The first stable and breeding operation of E. P. Taylor originated with a property near the city of Toronto known as Parkwood Stable when it was owned by...
in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, The Minstrel was the son of legendary sire 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"....
out of Fleur, a daughter of Victoria Park
Victoria Park (horse)
Victoria Park was a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse. A grandson of American Triple Crown champion Gallant Fox, he was the first Canadian-bred horse to place in an American Triple Crown race...
. He was a three-quarter-brother to the 1970 English Triple Crown
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...
champion Nijinsky II
Nijinsky II
The racehorse Nijinsky was one of the greatest horses in Thoroughbred horse-racing history. He won the U.K. Triple Crown of racing. Retired to stud he became the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland and the Leading broodmare sire in North America.He was bred at E. P...
(who was by Northern Dancer out of Flaming Page, the dam of Fleur).
Racing career
A powerfully built, handsome chestnut colt with a white blaze, four white stockings and a gentle disposition, The Minstrel was purchased at the 1975 Keeneland SalesKeeneland Sales
The Keeneland Sales is an American Thoroughbred auction house in Lexington, Kentucky founded in 1935 as a nonprofit racing/auction entity on 147 acres of farmland west of Lexington, which had been owned by Jack O. Keene...
yearling auction by a group headed by the flamboyant British racing enthusiast Robert Sangster
Robert Sangster
Robert Edmund Sangster was a British businessman, thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. He was British flat racing Champion Owner five times and his horses won many major races, including two Epsom Derbys, four Irish Derbys, two French Derbys, three Prix de l'Arc de Triomphes and a Melbourne...
(1936-2004). Shipped to Ireland under trainer Vincent O'Brien
Vincent O'Brien
Dr. Michael Vincent O'Brien was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history, according to a worldwide vote hosted by the Racing Post newspaper...
and ridden by champion jockey Lester Piggott
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....
, the horse entered only three races as a two-year-old but won them all, including the Dewhurst Stakes
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1875, and it...
at Newmarket.
In 1977, The Minstrel won major races at racetracks in England and 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...
. His win in 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...
, the most prestigious race in the United Kingdom
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...
, brought Sangster and his partners into the racing limelight and he soon became one of the world's leading racehorse owners. In addition to the Epsom Derby, The Minstrel won the Irish Derby and the 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes; in his most impressive race against the country's best horses, he won the gruelling 1½-mile King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. His performances earned him England's Horse of the Year honours for 1977.
By the end of his brilliant career, out of his nine starts The Minstrel won seven races, finishing second and third once each.
Stud record
The Minstrel was re-acquired by Windfields Farm and syndicated for $9 million to stand at stud in Maryland. After the sale of Windfields Farm's Maryland division in 1988, The Minstrel was sent to Overbrook Farm in Lexington, KentuckyLexington, 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...
.
Among his offspring, The Minstrel's son Palace Music
Palace Music (horse)
Palace Music was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and a Champion sire who won Group/Grade 1 stakes in both Europe and the United States. Bred by Walter J. Salmon, Jr. at his Mereworth Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, he was sired by the great Northern Dancer's son, The Minstrel...
was a Grade 1 stakes winner who sired the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
inductee Cigar
Cigar (horse)
Cigar , is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, who in 1995 and 1996 became the first American racehorse racing against top-class competition to win 16 consecutive races since the Triple Crown winner, Citation did so in 1948 and 1950...
. Other 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...
winners sired by The Minstrel included:
- L'Emigrant (won 1983 Fench Two Thousand Guineas)
- Melodist (Premio Oaks d'Italia (Italian Oaks)
- Musical Bliss (1989 GB One Thousand Guineas)
- Opening Verse (1991 USA Breeders' Cup Mile)