Wertheimer et Frère
Encyclopedia
Wertheimer et Frère is a Thoroughbred
horse racing
and breeding
business partnership between brothers Alain
and Gerard Wertheimer
of France
.
The Wertheimer brothers are the owners of the House of Chanel
in Paris
. They inherited that company and the horse racing business from their father Jacques
who had inherited a racing stable from his parents Pierre and Germaine Wertheimer
.
The brothers operate as La Presle Farm and/or Wertheimer Farm in the United States
and in France as Wertheimer et Frère where they have won numerous important Conditions races
.
Alec Head
trained
for the family in Europe until his retirement in 1984 but for a number of years continued to act as their bloodstock advisor. Head's daughter Christiane "Criquette" Head
took over as trainer in 1983 and continued to have great success until they ended their working relationship in 2006.
In the United States, the Wertheimer brothers won the 1993 Breeders' Cup Turf
and earned American Horse of the Year honors with Kotashaan
. In 2003, they won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
with Halfbridled
. Both horses were trained by Richard Mandella
.
In 2008, 2009, and 2010, their superstar filly Goldikova
won the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile
, becoming the only horse to ever win a Breeders' Cup event three times. In 2011, Goldikova competed in the event for a fourth consecutive year, finishing 3rd. Goldikova was trained by Freddy Head
who is the brother of Criquette Head.
Selected Group One
race wins:
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...
horse racing
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...
and breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
business partnership between brothers Alain
Alain Wertheimer
Alain Wertheimer is a Jewish French businessman based in France who, with his brother Gerard own the controlling interest in the House of Chanel. The son of Jacques Wertheimer and Eliane Fischer, it was his grandfather Pierre who co-founded the Chanel business...
and Gerard Wertheimer
Gerard Wertheimer
Gerard Wertheimer is a Jewish French businessman based in France who owns and controls the House of Chanel perfume company in partnership with his brother, Alain....
of France
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...
.
The Wertheimer brothers are the owners of the House of 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...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. They inherited that company and the horse racing business from their father Jacques
Jacques Wertheimer
Jacques Guy Wertheimer was a prominent French businessman who inherited and ran the renowned House of Chanel perfume company...
who had inherited a racing stable from his parents Pierre and 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....
.
The brothers operate as La Presle Farm and/or Wertheimer Farm in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and in France as Wertheimer et Frère where they have won numerous important Conditions races
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
.
Alec Head
Alec Head
Alec Head was a prominent French horseman and breeder and the owner of Haras du Quesnay near Deauville. A descendant of the great trainers who founded the English Racing Colony in Chantilly, Oise, Head's grandfather was a jockey-turned-trainer, as was his father William Head who was a very...
trained
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...
for the family in Europe until his retirement in 1984 but for a number of years continued to act as their bloodstock advisor. Head's daughter Christiane "Criquette" Head
Criquette Head-Maarek
Christiane "Criquette" Head is considered to be the leading female racehorse trainer in the world.Known as Criquette, she was born into the Thoroughbred horse racing business...
took over as trainer in 1983 and continued to have great success until they ended their working relationship in 2006.
In the United States, the Wertheimer brothers won the 1993 Breeders' Cup Turf
Breeders' Cup Turf
The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current title sponsor is Emirates Airlines.The forerunner...
and earned American Horse of the Year honors with Kotashaan
Kotashaan
Kotashaan was an Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in France and earned Champion honors in the United States. He was bred and raced by brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, owners of the House of Chanel in Paris. Kotashaan was sired by Darshaan, winner of the 1984 French Derby and the Leading...
. In 2003, they won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a 1 1/16-mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.-Automatic Berths:Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup...
with Halfbridled
Halfbridled
Halfbridled is a dark bay or brown Thoroughbred filly bred by Wertheimer et Frere of France.Following a victorious debut in a Maiden Special Weight race at Del Mar Racetrack, Halfbridled contested the Grade I Del Mar Debutante Stakes where she defeated five opponents including Hollywood Story and...
. Both horses were trained by Richard Mandella
Richard Mandella
Richard Eugene Mandella is a Thoroughbred horse trainer and a member of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame....
.
In 2008, 2009, and 2010, their superstar filly Goldikova
Goldikova
Goldikova is a champion Thoroughbred racemare based in France, although she has raced in North America and England. She has won fourteen group one races, with nine victories over colts and geldings. This puts her above the great Miesque as the only European-trained horse to have won more than 10...
won the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile
Breeders' Cup Mile
The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's inception in 1984...
, becoming the only horse to ever win a Breeders' Cup event three times. In 2011, Goldikova competed in the event for a fourth consecutive year, finishing 3rd. Goldikova was trained by Freddy Head
Freddy Head
Freddy Head is a retired champion jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing and currently a horse trainer. Known also as "Freddie", his grandfather was a jockey as was his father Alec Head who also became a successful trainer and owner of Haras du Quesnay near Deauville...
who is the brother of Criquette Head.
Racing Background:
An interest in racing goes back two generations in a family which has been responsible for the development of a number of top stallions, including Lyphard, Riverman and Green Dancer ... Alain and Gerard’s grandfather, Pierre, was a bastion of the European turf, winning English classics such as the 1956 Epsom Derby. His death in 1965 saw the famous blue and white silks passed on to his widow, who was France’s leading owner in 1972, and when she died in 1974, on again to Jacques … Father Jacques Wertheimer was champion owner in his first full season, sweeping the 1975 French 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas and Prix du Jockey-Club with Ivanjica, Green Dancer and Val de L’Orne. Ivanjica went on to win the 1976 Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe, an event which fell to Wertheimer again in 1981, courtesy of another filly, Gold River, who had won the Prix Royal Oak (French St Leger) the previous yearSelected 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...
race wins:
- Breeders' Cup TurfBreeders' Cup TurfThe Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current title sponsor is Emirates Airlines.The forerunner...
: KotashaanKotashaanKotashaan was an Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in France and earned Champion honors in the United States. He was bred and raced by brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, owners of the House of Chanel in Paris. Kotashaan was sired by Darshaan, winner of the 1984 French Derby and the Leading...
(1993) - Critérium de Saint-CloudCritérium de Saint-CloudThe Critérium de Saint-Cloud is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in November....
: Special Quest (1997), Goldamix (2000) - Prix Marcel BoussacPrix Marcel BoussacThe Prix Marcel Boussac is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October....
: Juvenia (1998) - Prix Saint-AlaryPrix Saint-AlaryThe 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....
: Fidélité (2003) - Breeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesThe Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a 1 1/16-mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.-Automatic Berths:Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup...
:HalfbridledHalfbridledHalfbridled is a dark bay or brown Thoroughbred filly bred by Wertheimer et Frere of France.Following a victorious debut in a Maiden Special Weight race at Del Mar Racetrack, Halfbridled contested the Grade I Del Mar Debutante Stakes where she defeated five opponents including Hollywood Story and...
(2003)