Stéphane Pasquier in
ParisParis 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...
,
FranceThe 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...
, is a
flat racingFlat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
jockeyA jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
. In October 2006, he won the 85th
Prix de l'Arc de TriompheThe 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...
.
He began as an apprentice for the trainer
Robert ColletRobert Collet is a French thoroughbred racehorse trainer.Robert Collet was one of the first European trainers to win a Breeders' Cup race when he won the 1986 edition of the Breeders' Cup Mile at Hollywood Park Racetrack with Last Tycoon...
, and rode in his first race on 6 December 1994, on
Raspoutine at Saint-Cloud Racecourse. His first victory was in his second race, riding
Floris at
AmiensAmiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
racecourse on 9 September 1995.
Stéphane Pasquier is a turbulent and strong character, and confesses to have lost his way in 1997, needing guidance from
Robert ColletRobert Collet is a French thoroughbred racehorse trainer.Robert Collet was one of the first European trainers to win a Breeders' Cup race when he won the 1986 edition of the Breeders' Cup Mile at Hollywood Park Racetrack with Last Tycoon...
to help him back. Pasquier won his first Listed Race in 1999, then his first Group 3 race in May 2001, riding
Acceleration in the
Prix CorridaThe Prix Corrida is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged four years or older. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
.
During the winter of 2001-2002, he rode in
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and on returning to France won his first Group 2 race, the
Prix GreffulheThe Prix Greffulhe is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-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 May.-History:...
. His first ride in the
Prix de l'Arc de TriompheThe 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...
followed in October 2002, finishing 8th on
Fair Mix.
After continued successes in Group races throughout 2003, in July 2004, his talent allowed him to join the prestigious
Daniel WildensteinDaniel Leopold Wildenstein was a French art dealer and scholar, as well as a leading thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder....
stable as second jockey alongside the number one,
Olivier PeslierOlivier Peslier is a thoroughbred horse racing jockey.Peslier competes in flat racing mainly in France but travels often around the world for the big international races....
.
On 24 October 2004 he won the
Prix Royal-OakThe 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...
, his first Group 1 race, with
WesternerWesterner is a French-owned Champion Thoroughbred racehorse who competed successfully at racing venues across Europe. Bred by a Wildenstein family holding company, Westerner was raced by Alec Wildenstein. Trained by Elie Lellouche, in 2003 and 2004 in France he won back-to-back editions of the...
. Several weeks later, he finished 4th in the
Japan CupThe is the most prestigious horse race run in Japan. It is contested at the end of November at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters over the grass. With a purse of ¥476 million , the Japan Cup is one of the richest races in the world.The Japan Cup is an invitational event...
aboard Policy Maker.
In 2005, he won two Group 2 races (the
Prix Maurice de NieuilThe Prix Maurice de Nieuil is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,800 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
with
Ostankino and the
Grand Prix de DeauvilleThe Grand Prix de Deauville is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 2,500 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:The race was first run on August 6, 1866, and it was...
with
Marend), and finished 3rd in the
Grosser Preis von BadenThe Grosser Preis von Baden is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Baden-Baden over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early September.-History:The event was established in 1858, and it...
, a Group 1, with
WesternerWesterner is a French-owned Champion Thoroughbred racehorse who competed successfully at racing venues across Europe. Bred by a Wildenstein family holding company, Westerner was raced by Alec Wildenstein. Trained by Elie Lellouche, in 2003 and 2004 in France he won back-to-back editions of the...
.
In early 2006, everything was fine for Stéphane Pasquier, winning a lot of races. But in the summer, he had a bizarre accident whilst watching the
2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
final, breaking a glass in his hands when
David TrézéguetDavid Sergio Trezeguet is a World Cup winning French international footballer who currently is a free agent after being released by Baniyas SC on 21 Nov 2011....
's penalty shot hit the crossbar. The injury was expected to keep him out of racing for two months, but his strong character helped him to come back sooner. In late August, he resumed racing, and soon started winning again. In October, he rode an outsider
Rail LinkRail Link is a thoroughbred racehorse trained by André Fabre, and was ridden by jockey Christophe Soumillon or Stéphane Pasquier for owner Khalid Abdullah....
in the
Prix de l'Arc de TriompheThe 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...
, and was a surprise winner.
In 2007, Stéphane Pasquier is awarded his first
Cravache d'Or-Greatest jockeys in French flat races:# Yves Saint-Martin 15 seasons# Freddy Head 6 seasons# Cash Asmussen 5 seasons-Flat race Cravache d'Or in France:...
, riding 185 winners in the season.
On 2 May, 2010 he rode the winner of the English 1000 Guineas when Special Duty trained by
Criquette Head-MaarekChristiane "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...
was awarded the race following a stewards' enquiry.
Major wins
FranceThe 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...
- Critérium International
The Critérium International 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 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.-History:The event was introduced...
- (1) - Thewayyouare (2007)
- Grand Prix de Paris
The 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:...
- (1) - Zambezi SunZambezi Sun is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in France. He is owned and bred by Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, who owned his multiple stakes-winning sire Dansili who was also the Leading sire in France in 2006 and a son of the international leading sire, Danehill...
(2007)
- 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...
- (1) - Rail LinkRail Link is a thoroughbred racehorse trained by André Fabre, and was ridden by jockey Christophe Soumillon or Stéphane Pasquier for owner Khalid Abdullah....
(2006)
- Prix de la Forêt
The Prix de la Forêt 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 1,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.-History:The race was established in 1858,...
- (2) - Toylsome (2007), Varenar (2009)
- Poule d'Essai des Pouliches
The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, sometimes referred to as the French 1,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies...
- Special Duty (2010)
- Prix d'Ispahan
The Prix d'Ispahan is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,850 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
- (1) - ManduroManduro is a World Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by Monsun, a multiple Group One winner in Germany, he is out of the mare Mandellicht, a daughter of Northern Dancer's son Be My Guest who was the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland in 1982.Manduro was purchased by Baron Georg von...
(2007)
- Prix Jacques Le Marois
The Prix Jacques Le Marois is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred colts and fillies aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
- (1) - Manduro (2007)
- Prix Marcel Boussac
The 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....
- (1) - Proportional (2008)
- 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...
- (1) - Westerner (2004)
----
Great BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
- 1,000 Guineas Stakes - Special Duty (2010)
- Cheveley Park Stakes
The Cheveley Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. 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...
- (1) - Special Duty (2009)
- Prince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes 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 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
- (1) - Manduro (2007)
- Sprint Cup
The Sprint Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early September....
- (1) - African Rose (2008)