Nijinsky

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
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Just watched the DVD of the film 'A Horse Called Nijinsky'.

Leaving aside the fact that it's a cr&p production and poorly made by modern standards, what struck me was that there was no mention at all of the ringworm which had afflicted him after the Leger. It seems connections were happy to believe they just took the horse to the well once, then twice, too often.
 
I was 10 when he was around.
He was the last horse to do the Triple Crown in 1970 and the first since Bahram 35 yrs earlier to do so.
His time off 2.34.68 was the fastest Derby since 1936 also won the Irish Derby.
He also won the Railway and Beresford Stakes at 2 and the Dewhurst.
My Fav of all time until Sea the Stars
 
Great documentary....I had the Milll Reef and Dancing Brave ones too.

Fabulous horses
 
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Nijinsky (21 February 1967–15 April 1992), usually known in the United States as Nijinsky II, was a Canadian-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the outstanding two-year-old in Europe in 1969 when he was unbeaten in five races. In the following season he became the first horse for thirty-five years to win the English Triple Crown.

He was also historically important for establishing the international reputation of his sire Northern Dancer. Retired to stud he became the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland and the Leading broodmare sire in North America.



Contents
[hide] 1 Background
2 Racing career 2.1 1969: two-year-old season
2.2 1970: three-year-old season 2.2.1 Spring
2.2.2 Summer
2.2.3 Autumn


3 Assessment and honours
4 Stud record
5 Pedigree
6 References
7 Further reading

Background[edit source]

Nijinsky, a bay horse with a white star and three white feet, was bred at E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. He was from the second crop of foals sired by Northern Dancer, the winner of the 1964 Kentucky Derby who went on to become one of the most influential sires of the 20th century. His dam, Flaming Page, by Bull Page, was a highly successful racemare, winning the 1962 Queen's Plate. At stud, she produced only two other foals, but one of these was Fleur, who produced the 1977 Epsom Derby winner The Minstrel.[1] Nijinsky was a big, powerful horse standing 16.3 hands high, resembling his dam rather than his sire in stature.[2]

He was offered for sale at the Windfields Farm's annual yearling auction where he was bought for $84,000 by the American minerals magnate and industrialist Charles W. Engelhard, Jr., acting on the advice of the Irish trainer Vincent O'Brien. It was Engelhard's wife Jane who decided that the colt should be named after the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky.[3] Nijinsky was shipped to Ireland, where he was trained by O'Brien at Ballydoyle, County Tipperary.

Racing career[edit source]

1969: two-year-old season[edit source]

Nijinsky's first four races were all at the Curragh. In June he started at odds of 4/11 and won a six furlong maiden race by half a length. He followed up with easy wins in the Anglesey Stakes and the Railway Stakes. On his fourth appearance he was extended for the first time in the Beresford Stakes. He won decisively from Decies, a colt who went on to win the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1970. Having proved himself the best of the Irish two-year-olds, he was sent to England in October to contest the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. Ridden for the first time by Lester Piggott he was held up at the back of the six horse field before moving through to take the lead inside the final furlong. He was an easy and impressive winner, earning himself top rating in the British Free Handicap.[4][5]

1970: three-year-old season[edit source]

Spring[edit source]

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, Nijinsky won his prep race by beating Deep Run[6] in the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh in April and was then sent back to Newmarket for the 2000 Guineas over one mile. He started the 4/7 favourite against thirteen opponents. Nijinsky took the lead two furlongs from the finish, and without being put under any pressure by Piggott,[7] he pulled clear to win by two and a half lengths from Yellow God.

Summer[edit source]

Nijinsky's opposition in the Derby at Epsom was stronger and he started at odds of 11/8. His rivals were headed by the French-trained colt Gyr.[8] The veteran French trainer Etienne Pollet had delayed his retirement for a year to guide Gyr, a son of his champion Sea-Bird, through his three-year-old season.[4] Nijinsky was held up by Piggott as usual before moving forward in the straight by which time Gyr was in front and moving clear. Two furlongs from the finish Piggott was forced to use his whip on Nijinsky. The favourite responded immediately, catching Gyr in a few strides and then pulling ahead to win by two and a half lengths. The winning time of 2:34.68 was the fastest Epsom Derby since 1936.[9] Piggott claimed that he was "always cantering" while Bill Williamson, who rode Gyr said that "Nijinsky was just too good."[10]

On 27 June Nijinsky followed up his Epsom win by taking the Irish Derby at the Curragh. Ridden by Liam Ward, he started at odds of 4/11 and produced impressive late acceleration to win by three lengths from Meadowville.[11] In July, Nijinsky raced against older horses for the first time in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. His five opponents included winners of major races including Blakeney (1969 Epsom Derby), Karabas (Washington, D.C. International Stakes), Crepellana (Prix de Diane) and Caliban (Coronation Cup). Without having to be extended, Nijinsky moved through to take the lead a furlong from the finish and won by two lengths from Blakeney despite being eased down to a canter in the closing stages.[12]

In August, Nijinsky contacted ringworm,[13] which delayed his training schedule.

Autumn[edit source]

Nijinsky appeared to recover fully after being placed on a "rich" diet including raw eggs and Irish Stout,[14] and was sent to Doncaster for the St. Leger in September. In the one mile and six furlongs race, he was attempting to become the first horse since Bahram 35 years earlier to complete the English Triple Crown. He started the 2/7 favourite and won comfortably,[15] although his margin of victory over Meadowville was only one length. As of 2012, he is the last horse to accomplish the feat of sweeping the English Triple Crown: since 1970 only Reference Point (1987), Nashwan (1989), Sea The Stars (2009) and Camelot (2012) have won two of the three races, but Oh So Sharp won the filly's version of the Triple Crown in 1985.

In his next race, Nijinsky was sent to France for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris in October. Piggott produced Nijinsky in the straight to make his challenge on the wide outside and 150m from the finish he caught the front runners Miss Dan and Sassafras and took a slight lead. In the last strides however, Nijinsky appeared to veer left away from Piggott's whip,[16] and Sassafras, ridden by Yves Saint-Martin, produced a renewed effort to regain the advantage and win by a head. While some felt that Piggott had given Nijinsky too much ground to make up and had left his challenge too late,[17] the jockey responded by saying that in his opinion Nijinsky was past his peak for the year.[18]

Less than two weeks after his defeat in the Arc, Nijinsky ran his last race in the Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket. Although he had been known to sweat freely before some of his previous races, Nijinsky on this occasion appeared to become particularly nervous and anxious before the start. In the race itself he ran well below his best form and was beaten 3/4 length at odds of 4/11 by the five-year-old English horse Lorenzaccio.[19] O'Brien on this occasion concurred with Piggott, saying that Nijinsky appeared to have "lost his fire."[18] Nijinsky was retired to stand at stud at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky having been syndicated in August for $5,440,000.[20]

Assessment and honours[edit source]

Nijinsky was given a rating of 138 by Timeform, the second highest for a winner of the Epsom Derby up to that time.[21] He was Timeform's Horse of the Year for 1970. Nijinsky was also voted British Horse of the Year by the Racecourse Association, gaining 38 of the 40 votes.[22] In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Nijinsky as a “great” Derby winner and the best Irish racehorse of the 20th Century.[23] Vincent O'Brien named Nijinsky and Sir Ivor as the best horses he had trained, placing Nijinsky first "for brilliance."[24]

In 1970, a film was made about his racing career entitled A Horse Called Nijinsky. Narrated by Orson Welles, it was released in British cinemas and in 1988 released on VHS video.[25] The Nijinsky team also was voted the 1970 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Team Award.[26] In a poll in 2000, readers of the UK newspaper The Sun voted Nijinsky their "Horse of the Millennium."[27] Among the more unusual tributes, a Cabernet Sauvignon wine[28] and a variety of winter wheat[29] have been named in Nijinsky's honour.

Stud record[edit source]

Having been sent to stand at stud in the United States, he was registered there as Nijinsky II.

Nijinsky II sired 155 Stakes/Group winners, and is the only sire to have a winner of the Kentucky and Epsom Derbies in the same year. His notable progeny includes:
Caerleon - Three-Year-Old Champion Colt in France, won the Group One Prix du Jockey Club and International Stakes, Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland (1988, 1991)
Dancing Spree - won 1989 Breeders' Cup Sprint, Suburban Handicap, Carter Handicap, True North Handicap, Churchill Downs Handicap, Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship
Ferdinand - 1986 Kentucky Derby & 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic, United States Horse of the Year
Golden Fleece - won 1982 Epsom Derby, undefeated Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in England & Ireland
Green Dancer - won 1974 Futurity Stakes, 1975 Prix Lupin, Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Leading sire in France in 1991
Ile de Bourbon - won 1978 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Lammtarra - undefeated, won 1995 Epsom Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Royal Academy - won July Cup and Breeders' Cup Mile, sired Bullish Luck, Val Royal, and Bel Esprit,sire of Black Caviar
Seattle Dancer - in 1985 the world's most expensive yearling, selling for US$13.1 million
Shadeed - won 1985 2,000 Guineas, sired Alydeed
Shahrastani - won 1986 Epsom Derby, Irish Derby
Sky Classic - Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, U.S. Eclipse Award winner
Solford - winner of the 1983 Eclipse Stakes

Nijinsky was euthanized in April 1992 as a result of "the infirmities of old age"[5] after suffering from laminitis since 1985.[30] He is buried at Claiborne Farm.[31]

Pedigree[edit source]

Pedigree of Nijinsky II (CAN), bay stallion, 1967[1]


Sire
Northern Dancer (CAN)
1961
Nearctic (CAN)
1954 Nearco Pharos
Nogara
Lady Angela Hyperion
Sister Sarah
Natalma (USA)
1957 Native Dancer Polynesian
Geisha
Almahmoud Mahmoud
Arbitrator

Dam
Flaming Page (CAN)
1959
Bull Page (USA)
1947 Bull Lea Bull Dog
Rose Leaves
Our Page Blue Larkspur
Occult
Flaring Top (USA)
1947 Menow Pharamond II
Alcibiades
Flaming Top Omaha
Firetop (Family:8f)[32]
 
Nijinsky was a brilliant if very highly strung colt. He was certainly not overrated, but he was trained brilliantly to get the best out of him.
 
Overrated my arse !

A stunningly brilliant horse . The ringworm did for him good and proper and he ducked away in the final furlong of the Arc costing himself the race .

Had they put him away after the KG for a 4 yo career - the histories of the Brigadier and Mill Reef might have looked a deal less illustrios
 
sunybay said:
I am too young to rate the horse in detail
But he looked a very good horse but overrated.
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Well I ain't & you're wrong!
As a young man, I made the pilgrimage to Donny to see him, nabbed a prime seat before noon and never moved until the race was over. Never had a bet all day, just ecstatic to see history in the making.
Whether it was the effect of the ringworm, or the actual effort of completing the Triple Crown that bottomed him we'll never know, but he was never the same horse again, twice beaten by horses he'd have blown away in his pomp.
Overrated?- Ardross sums it up nicely..:p
 
reet hard said:
Well I ain't & you're wrong!
As a young man, I made the pilgrimage to Donny to see him, nabbed a prime seat before noon and never moved until the race was over. Never had a bet all day, just ecstatic to see history in the making.
Whether it was the effect of the ringworm, or the actual effort of completing the Triple Crown that bottomed him we'll never know, but he was never the same horse again, twice beaten by horses he'd have blown away in his pomp.
Overrated?- Ardross sums it up nicely..:p
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Probably a combination of both I cried when he was beaten in the ARC just couldn't understand it at the time:o
 
John Oxx in Arc parade ring interview in 2009 commented on how crowded and intrusive were the people and photographers, calling it a cauldron and saying "you can see how a horse can boil over in this atmosphere"
A good racing buddy of mine saw him on debut at The Curragh and never saw a 2 year old like him in appearance or performance.
 
Some may scoff now, but, up until his Arc defeat, he really was the Frankel of his era.
Never even threatened, at distances from 6 to14f, Timeform had him 4lbs clear of any horse of his time (141, IIRC) in the immediate aftermath of his King George romp and, though they subsequently revised him downwards, there were plenty who recognised his last 2 runs just weren't his true form.
 
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reet hard said:
Timeform had him 4lbs clear of any horse of his time (141, IIRC) in the immediate aftermath of his King George romp and, though they subsequently revised him downwards, there were plenty who recognised his last 2 runs just weren't his true form.
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For technical reasons, Timeform's in-season ratings for horses were allowed to rise only to be adjusted down later. In other words, the rating in the final Black Book would be higher than that in the Racehorses annual. This applied across the board.
 
What was very noticeable in the video of the Arc, which I hadn't seen since the day of the race, was that Nijinsky hit the front inside the final furlong before jinking left.

I also think we punters are better informed and aware of race tactics than we were in those days and if the race were to be run nowadays, Piggott would get the Queally treatment for the ride. That's just based on one review of the race last night, mind, so I intend to look at it again soon to see if I still think the same.

Nijinsky's triple crown proved my damascene season. I turned 15 that September and had previously mocked my older brothers for their foolishness in following the mugs' game. It has been my main passion ever since.

I imagine other horses will fulfil that role for others out there.
 
i loved the footage of his Dewhurst..unusual angle..passed them as though it was a training gallop

he can't really be over rated as his ratings are based on actual lengths won by...when in fact he was never really out of second gear and so his superiority is probably 10lb greater than his rating

he was like Frankel..possibly even more impressive visually
 
Another noticeable aspect of the video footage is how worked up he was going into both the Arc and Champion. Earlier in the story, they had covered how they had to train him to stay calm as he was highly strung as a youngster. I must watch again to see how sweaty he was before the other big races.
 
Very interesting point made about if he had have been trained for a 4-y-o career - 1971 may well have been the greatest year ever in flat racing. He also may have calmed down as a 4-y-o, as did Frankel.

Imagine an Arc with Nijinsky v Mill Reef, followed by a Champion Stakes with Nijinsky v BG v Mill Reef [on a retrieval mission].
 
reet hard said:
Some may scoff now, but, up until his Arc defeat, he really was the Frankel of his era.
Click to expand...

Frankel would have been flattered by the comparison. Nijinsky's brilliance and dominance over a range of distances was exceptional. There aren't many you'd want to put ahead of him.
 
do it was in the august of that season he suffered American ringworm by all accounts he was completely bald at one stage (VOB biography) it didn't help at longchamp souvenir hunters trying to cut hair of him as momentos (again VOB biography)

nothing wrong with the ride at longchamp in my opinion he jerked to the left slightly which he had never done before without that he would have won and it was probably an after effect of the ringworm

very good horse certainly not overrated a shame he was over the top by Newmarket
 
I'm not going to be popular here, but Nijinsky strikes me as the ultimate rosé-tinted specs horse. No doubt he was a fantastic horse, winning so often in seemingly effortless and impressive style, but his form does lack the substance of the likes of Sea Bird, Brigadier Gerard, Mill Reef and Dancing Brave.
 
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