Beau Genius
Encyclopedia
Beau Genius is a Canadian
Thoroughbred
racehorse
.
, Bold Ruler
. The dam of Beau Genius was Royal Colleen, a daughter of Northern Dancer's
son, 1968 Canadian Horse of the Year, Viceregal
.
in Toronto
. He won the 1987 Display Stakes
, notably defeating third-place finisher Regal Intention
and was second to Regal Intention in the Kingarvie Stakes
. As a three-year-old, Beau Genius hasd his best result with a win in the important Autumn Handicap
then at four, racing for new trainer Gerald Bennett, he won Florida's Okeechobee Handicap and later at Thistledown Racecourse in Ohio
, the Thistledown Breeders' Cup Sprint Handicap.
Competing at age five, Beau Genius had the best year of his racing career, winning on both fast and sloppy track surfaces. He won nine stakes races in 1990, beginning in January when Bill Shoemaker rode him to victory in the Hallendale Handicap at Gulfstream Park
. The win was the last of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee's illustrious career as a jockey. Among his other 1990 wins, Beau Genius handily defeated Black Tie Affair
to capture the Isaac Murphy Handicap
at Arlington Park
and beat Opening Verse
in winning the Michigan Mile And One-Eighth Handicap
and won the Grade I Philip H. Iselin Handicap
at Monmouth Park.
Beau Genius made ten more starts at age six and seven but did not make it into the winner's circle and was retired to stud
having won more than $1 million.
. There, he notably sired Belle Genius who won the Group One
Moyglare Stud Stakes
at the Curragh
in Ireland
. Overall, he has sired thirty-two stakes race winners and since 1999 has been standing at Donald and Karen Cohn's Ballena Vista Farm in Ramona, California
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
.
Background
Bred at Sovereign Farm by owners Joseph Shiewitz and Dr. Brian Davidson, he was sired by Bold Ruckus, one of the leading sires in Canada who was a grandson of the extremely important North American Champion sireLeading 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...
, Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse.Bred by the Wheatley Stable of Gladys Mills Phipps, Bold Ruler was foaled on April 6, 1954 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to Nasrullah and Miss Disco by Discovery...
. The dam of Beau Genius was Royal Colleen, a daughter of Northern Dancer's
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"....
son, 1968 Canadian Horse of the Year, Viceregal
Viceregal (horse)
Viceregal was a Canadian Champion Thoroughbred racehorse who was voted Canadian Horse of the Year as a two-year-old.Bred and raced by E. P. Taylor and his Windfields Farm, he was a first-crop son of the great Northern Dancer and out of the Windfields-owned mare, Victoria Regina.Viceregal was...
.
Racing Career
Conditioned for racing by Gerry Belanger, at age two Beau Genius began his racing career from a base at Woodbine RacetrackWoodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred and standardbred horseracing programs on the same day...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. He won the 1987 Display Stakes
Display Stakes
The Display Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Contested on Polytrack synthetic dirt over a distance of 11/16 miles , it is open to two-year-old horses...
, notably defeating third-place finisher Regal Intention
Regal Intention
Regal Intention is a Canadian Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. A grandson of Northern Dancer, he was out of the mare, Tiffany Tam and sired by the important Vice Regent who also sired his stablemate and arch rival, Regal Classic....
and was second to Regal Intention in the Kingarvie Stakes
Kingarvie Stakes
The Kingarvie Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late November/early December at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. An Ontario Sire Stakes, it is a restricted race for two-year-old horses...
. As a three-year-old, Beau Genius hasd his best result with a win in the important Autumn Handicap
Autumn Stakes (Canada)
The Autumn Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run in mid November, it is open to horses aged three and older. It was raced on dirt until 2006 when the track's owners installed the new synthetic Polytrack surface...
then at four, racing for new trainer Gerald Bennett, he won Florida's Okeechobee Handicap and later at Thistledown Racecourse in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, the Thistledown Breeders' Cup Sprint Handicap.
Competing at age five, Beau Genius had the best year of his racing career, winning on both fast and sloppy track surfaces. He won nine stakes races in 1990, beginning in January when Bill Shoemaker rode him to victory in the Hallendale Handicap at Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans December through April, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America....
. The win was the last of 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's illustrious career as a jockey. Among his other 1990 wins, Beau Genius handily defeated Black Tie Affair
Black Tie Affair
Black Tie Affair was a thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by American businessman Stephen D. Peskoff, he was out of the mare Hat Tab Girl and sired by Miswaki, who also sired Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Urban Sea and who was a two-time Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland.Black Tie...
to capture the Isaac Murphy Handicap
Isaac Murphy Handicap
The Isaac Murphy Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late June at Arlington Park racetrack in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The race is run on Polytrack synthetic dirt and is open to fillies and mares, age three and older who were bred in the State of Illinois.The race...
at Arlington Park
Arlington Park
Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...
and beat Opening Verse
Opening Verse
Opening Verse was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in England and the United States. Bred in Kentucky, his sire was the 1977 Epsom and Irish Derby winner, The Minstrel...
in winning the Michigan Mile And One-Eighth Handicap
Michigan Mile And One-Eighth Handicap
The Michigan Mile And One-Eighth Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the now defunct Detroit Race Course in Livonia, Michigan. A one time Grade II event raced on dirt, it was open to horses age three and older.In 1975, trainer S...
and won the Grade I Philip H. Iselin Handicap
Philip H. Iselin Handicap
The Philip H. Iselin Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Open to horses three years of age and older, the race was first run in 1884...
at Monmouth Park.
Beau Genius made ten more starts at age six and seven but did not make it into the winner's circle and was 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...
having won more than $1 million.
Stud Career
Beau Genius was sent to stand at stud at Vinery, Inc. 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...
. There, he notably sired Belle Genius who won the 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...
Moyglare Stud Stakes
Moyglare Stud Stakes
The Moyglare Stud Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late August or early September.The event is named after its long-term sponsor,...
at the Curragh
Curragh Racecourse
The Curragh Racecourse, usually abbreviated to The Curragh, is Ireland's most important Thoroughbred race track. It is situated on the Curragh plain near Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.- History :...
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...
. Overall, he has sired thirty-two stakes race winners and since 1999 has been standing at Donald and Karen Cohn's Ballena Vista Farm in Ramona, California
Ramona, California
Ramona is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California. The population was 20,292 at the 2010 census.The term Ramona also refers to an unincorporated community that includes both the Ramona CDP and the adjacent CDP of San Diego Country Estates CDP...
.