Brantôme (horse)
Encyclopedia
Brantôme was a French
Thoroughbred
racehorse and prominent sire
. Owned by the Haras de Meautry
stable of Édouard Alphonse de Rothschild
, he was named for the city of Brantôme, Dordogne
. He was unbeaten at ages 2 and 3 and is ranked among the best French horses ever.
Sired by Irish
stallion Blandford
(1919–1935) out of the mare Vitamine, as a two year-old, Brantôme won the Prix Robert Papin
, Grand Critérium
and the Prix Morny
and was voted two year-old Champion of the year. His major victories at age three include the French 2000 Guineas
, the Prix Lupin
, the Prix Royal-Oak
, the country's most prestigiouis horse race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
plus other significant races. Undefeated, he was voted the three-year-old Champion of the year. In 1935, at age four, Brantôme suffered his first loss. Entered in the Ascot Gold Cup
in England
, eleven days before the race Brantôme got loose from the stables and was not caught until after he had galloped into downtown Chantilly
. The horse lost three shoes and sustained a bad cut. Despite this, his owner still sent him to compete in the Ascot Gold Cup
where he finished out of the money.
After winning twelve of the fourteen races he competed in, Brantôme was retired to stand at stud
. During the German occupation of France in World War II
the Nazis seized some of the best racehorses in France. They shipped more than six hundred thoroughbreds out of the country. Some went to Hungary
, but most were shipped to Germany
for racing or for breeding at the German National Stud. Among them was Brantôme, who was recovered in 1945 at the end of the war.
Brantôme was the sire of Vieux Manoir
who was the grandsire of All Along
and Ivanjica
as well as Val de Loire who was a Leading sire in France
three times and the damsire of Shergar
. Brantôme was also the great-grandsire of Exbury
.
Brantôme died on July 3, 1952 at the age of twenty-one.
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...
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 and prominent sire
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
. Owned by the Haras de Meautry
Haras de Meautry
Haras de Meautry in Touques, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France, is a thoroughbred horse breeding farm. It was acquired in the 19th century by horse-racing enthusiast Alphonse James de Rothschild who passed it down to his offspring so that today it is in the hands of Edouard Etienne de...
stable of Édouard Alphonse de Rothschild
Edouard Alphonse de Rothschild
Édouard Alphonse James de Rothschild was a French financier and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France....
, he was named for the city of Brantôme, Dordogne
Brantôme, Dordogne
Brantôme is a commune in the Dordogne department in southwestern France.It is the seat of the canton of Brantôme. Via Lemovicensis, an ancient Roman Road runs through Brantôme...
. He was unbeaten at ages 2 and 3 and is ranked among the best French horses ever.
Sired by Irish
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...
stallion Blandford
Blandford (horse)
Blandford was an Irish bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the three-time Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland who sired eleven British Classic Race winners including four which won the Epsom Derby. He was the Leading sire in France and also in England in the same year.He was bred by the...
(1919–1935) out of the mare Vitamine, as a two year-old, Brantôme won the Prix Robert Papin
Prix Robert Papin
The Prix Robert Papin is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Maisons-Laffitte over a distance of 1,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
, Grand Critérium
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère
The Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.It is the oldest and most prestigious race in France...
and the Prix Morny
Prix Morny
The Prix Morny is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
and was voted two year-old Champion of the year. His major victories at age three include the French 2000 Guineas
Poule d'Essai des Poulains
The Poule d'Essai des Poulains, sometimes referred to as the French 2,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts...
, the Prix Lupin
Prix Lupin
The Prix Lupin was a Group 1 flat horse race in France which was open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It was run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,100 metres , and it was scheduled to take place each year in May....
, the Prix Royal-Oak
Prix Royal-Oak
The Prix Royal-Oak is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.-History:The event was established in 1861, and it was initially...
, the country's most prestigiouis horse race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
plus other significant races. Undefeated, he was voted the three-year-old Champion of the year. In 1935, at age four, Brantôme suffered his first loss. Entered in the Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, eleven days before the race Brantôme got loose from the stables and was not caught until after he had galloped into downtown Chantilly
Chantilly, Oise
Chantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km...
. The horse lost three shoes and sustained a bad cut. Despite this, his owner still sent him to compete in the Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
where he finished out of the money.
After winning twelve of the fourteen races he competed in, Brantôme was retired to stand at stud
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...
. During the German occupation of France in World War II
German occupation of France in World War II
The Military Administration in France was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II. It remained in existence from May 1940 to December 1944. As a result of the defeat of France and its Allies in the Battle of France, the French cabinet sought a cessation...
the Nazis seized some of the best racehorses in France. They shipped more than six hundred thoroughbreds out of the country. Some went to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, but most were shipped to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for racing or for breeding at the German National Stud. Among them was Brantôme, who was recovered in 1945 at the end of the war.
Brantôme was the sire of Vieux Manoir
Vieux Manoir
Vieux Manoir was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion sire. Bred by Baron Edouard A. de Rothschild and raced by his son Guy following his death in 1949...
who was the grandsire of All Along
All Along
All Along was a champion Thoroughbred racemare that was foaled in France. She was one of the top fillies of the last part of the 20th century, racing mostly in Europe.-Background:...
and Ivanjica
Ivanjica (horse)
Ivanjica was a French Thoroughbred racehorse foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. A descendant of Nearco, she was sired by Epsom Derby winner Sir Ivor and out of the mare Astuce by the important French sire, Vieux Manoir who in turn was a son of the great French runner Brantôme...
as well as Val de Loire who was a Leading sire in France
Leading sire in France
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of racehorses in France for each year since 1887. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the season .-----References:* -See also:*...
three times and the damsire of Shergar
Shergar
Shergar was an acclaimed Irish racehorse, and winner of the 1981 Epsom Derby by a record 10 lengths, the longest winning margin in the race's 226-year history. This victory earned him a spot in The Observer newspaper's 100 Most Memorable Sporting Moments of the Twentieth Century...
. Brantôme was also the great-grandsire of Exbury
Exbury (horse)
Exbury was a French Thoroughbred racehorse named for the famous Exbury Gardens Estate in Hampshire, England belonging to owner Guy de Rothschild's cousin, Edmund de Rothschild....
.
Brantôme died on July 3, 1952 at the age of twenty-one.