| Empire Glory | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Nijinsky |
| Grandsire | Northern Dancer |
| Dam | Spearfish |
| Damsire | Fleet Nasrullah |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | April 8, 1981 [1] |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Dark Bay or Brown |
| Breeder | Glencoe Farm (Mortin Levy & Myron Rosenthal) |
| Owner | Robert Sangster Stavros Niarchos |
| Trainer | Vincent O'Brien |
| Record | 6: 2–2–2 |
| Major wins | |
| Royal Whip Stakes (1984) | |
| Awards | |
| Timeform rating 118 | |
Empire Glory (foaled April 8, 1981) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was sold for a world record price as a yearling in 1982. He proved to be just short of top class in a brief racing career, winning the Royal Whip Stakes and finishing second in the Irish St Leger. He made little impact as a breeding stallion.
Empire Glory was a bay or brown horse bred in Kentucky by Mortin Levy & Myron Rosenthal's Glencoe Farm. His dam Spearfish had won the Hollywood Oaks in 1966 and had produced the leading North American racehorse King's Bishop and the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Gaily. Through Gaily, she was also the ancestor of Pilsudski. [2] Empire Glory was sired by the Triple Crown winner Nijinsky.
In 1982 he was consigned by Glencoe Farm to the Keeneland Sales where he was sold for a record-setting $4.25 million ($11.3 million inflation adjusted) to the bloodstock agents BBA (Ireland) on behalf of the British businessman Robert Sangster after a prolonged bidding battle with representatives of Sheikh Mohammed. [3] [4] The colt was sent to Europe and was trained by Vincent O'Brien at Ballydoyle.
Empire Glory raced only as a three-year-old in the 1984 season. After refusing to enter the starting stalls on his first racecourse appearance he finished second in his first completed race and then won a maiden race at Leopardstown by six lengths. He was then stepped up in class for the Grade Three Royal Whip Stakes over one and a half miles at the Curragh Racecourse in July. Ridden by Pat Eddery, he won by three quarters of a length from Sondrio and Yawa. In his two remaining races, Empire Glory was equipped with blinkers. He finished third to Arctic Lord in the Beresford Stakes and then produced his best effort when finishing second, a neck behind the filly Opale, in the Group One Irish St Leger. [5]
Empire Glory stood as a breeding stallion in the USA. He sired several minor winners but nothing of top class. He died in 2001.
| Sire Nijinsky (CAN) 1967 | Northern Dancer (CAN) 1961 | Nearctic | Nearco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lady Angela | |||
| Natalma | Native Dancer | ||
| Almahmoud | |||
| Flaming Page (CAN) 1959 | Bull Page | Bull Lea | |
| Our Page | |||
| Flaring Top | Menow | ||
| Flaming Top | |||
| Dam Spearfish (USA) 1963 | Fleet Nasrullah (USA) 1955 | Nasrullah | Nearco |
| Mumtaz Begum | |||
| Happy Go Fleet | Count Fleet | ||
| Dreah | |||
| Alabama Gal (USA) 1957 | Determine | Alibhai | |
| Koubis | |||
| Trojan Lass | Priam | ||
| Rompers (Family:11) [2] |
Ridge Wood (1946–1956) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1949. The colt was rejected by his prospective owner as a yearling and failed to win as a two-year-old in 1948. Even after winning five of his first six races as a three-year-old he was not regarded as a top-class performer even by his trainer, who only ran him in the St Leger when a more fancied stable companion was injured. After winning the Leger as a 14/1 outsider, Ridge Wood was defeated in his only subsequent start and was retired to stud, where he was a failure as a breeding stallion. He died at the age of ten in 1956.
Kala Dancer was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. His reputation as a racehorse rested almost entirely on his upset win in the 1984 Dewhurst Stakes, which was sufficient to see him rated the best two-year-old of that year in Europe. He failed in his only start of 1985 and failed to make any impression when raced in the United States in 1986. He was subsequently exported to Australia, where he proved to be a successful breeding stallion.
Top Ville was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In the autumn of 1978, the colt established himself as one of the leading two-year-old colts in France with wins in the Prix Saint-Roman, Prix de Condé. In the following year, he took his winning run to six with victories in the Prix de Guiche, Prix Lupin and Prix du Jockey Club, beating top-class opponents including Irish River and Le Marmot. He was beaten in his two remaining races and was retired to stud, where he became a successful and influential breeding stallion.
Niniski was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from October 1978 until October 1980, he ran fourteen times and won six races. After showing some promise in his early races he emerged as a top-class stayer in the autumn on 1979, winning the Geoffrey Freer Stakes, Irish St. Leger and Prix Royal-Oak. In the spring of 1981 he won the John Porter Stakes and the Ormonde Stakes but was beaten in his three remaining races. He was retired to stud where he became a very successful breeding stallion.
Homing was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Although he never won at Group One race, he established himself as the leading horse in Europe over one mile in 1978. His early form was moderate, but in the autumn of his three-year-old season he made dramatic improvement to record wide margin victories in the Prix du Rond Point and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He was retired from racing at the end of the season, having won six of his fourteen races, and had modest success as a breeding stallion.
Hittite Glory was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for his 100/1 success in the 1975 Flying Childers Stakes. As a two-year-old, he won one of his first four races before recording his upset win in the Flying Childers and then won a second major prize when taking the Middle Park Stakes. He was rated the second best colt of his generation in Britain. In the following year he was trained in France but failed to win in six races. In all, he won three of his thirteen races between June 1975 and September 1976. He stood as a breeding stallion in Europe and Japan but has not a success.
English Prince (1971–1983) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted four months in the spring and summer of 1974 he ran six times and won four races. After being beaten on his racecourse debut he won the White Rose Stakes, Predominate Stakes and King Edward VII Stakes in England before recording his most important success in the Irish Derby. He suffered from a series of training problems thereafter, was beaten by Bustino in his only subsequent race and was retired from racing at the end of the year. He sired the dual classic winner Sun Princess before being exported to Japan where he died in 1983.
Dactylographer was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. From the first crop of the foals sired by Secretariat, he showed great promise as a two-year-old when he won two of his three races including the Group One William Hill Futurity. In the following year he finished third in the Derby Trial Stakes but finished unplaced in his three subsequent races. He later stood as a breeding stallion in Florida with limited success.
Dara Monarch was a British-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 1981 he showed very promising form in Ireland, winning the Anglesey Stakes and finishing third in the Railway Stakes. In the following year he won the McCairns Trial Stakes on his seasonal debut and then rebounded from an unplaced effort in the 2000 Guineas to record impressive victories in the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes. He was then affected by illness and ran poorly in his three remaining races. After standing as a breeding stallion in Ireland he was exported to Czechoslovakia where he died in 2005.
Gaily was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a two-year-old in 1973 she failed to win but showed considerable promise in her two races. In the following year she won on her seasonal debut before recording her biggest success in the Irish 1000 Guineas. She went on to finish second in the Irish Oaks and third in the Prix Vermeille before being retired at the end of the season with a record of two wins and four places from nine starts. She went on to become a successful and influential broodmare whose descendants have included Pilsudski, Creachadoir and Landing Light.
Opale was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Unraced as a juvenile she won her first three races as a three-year-old in 1983 and later finished second in the Princess Royal Stakes. In the following year, she was placed in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes and won the Meld Stakes before recording her biggest success in the Irish St. Leger. On her final appearance, she was disqualified after finishing first in the Premio Roma. After her retirement from racing, she became a broodmare and produced several minor winners. Her last recorded foal was born in 1992.
Protection Racket was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He failed to win in three starts as a two-year-old in 1980 but made relentless progress over extended distances in the following year, taking two minor races before winning the Ebor Handicap, Doncaster Cup and Irish St Leger on his last three starts. He remained in training for two more seasons, racing over shorter distances in France and the United States but never won again. He made no impact as a breeding stallion.
Meneval was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Bred in Kentucky and sent to race in Ireland as a yearling and showed considerable promise when finishing second on his only start as a two-year-old in 1975. In the following year he was undefeated in four starts, winning the Ballysax Stakes, Nijinsky Stakes and Gallinule Stakes in spring and then returning after a lengthy break to record his biggest victory in the Irish St. Leger. As a four-year-old he won the Hardwicke Stakes but failed to live up to expectations that he would become a leading contender for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He failed to reproduce his European form when campaigned in the United States in 1978. He later stood as a breeding stallion in the United States and Ireland but had little success as a sire of winners.
Transworld was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Bred in Kentucky he was sent to race in Europe after being sold for $375,000 as a yearling. His brief racing career comprised only five races between May and September 1977 but he showed himself to be a high-class staying colt with wins in the Churchill Stakes, Ulster Derby and Irish St. Leger. He returned to America his stud career and had some success as a breeding stallion. Transworld died in 2001 at the age of 27.
Conor Pass was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was a durable and consistent campaigner who ran at least 29 times in his three-year track career. As a juvenile in 1972 he won two minor events and was placed in several good races including the Railway Stakes. In the following year he was tried over a wide variety of distances, winning handicaps over seven furlongs and one mile before recording his biggest win in the Irish St Leger over one and three-quarter miles. He remained in training as a four-year-old and won two races including a Group 2 contest at Leopardstown Racecourse. After his retirement from racing he became a breeding stallion in Poland and had some success as a sire of winners.
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Authaal was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was probably the best horse sired by the ill-fated Shergar, winning at the highest level in both Ireland and Australia. He was unraced as a two-year-old but won four of his five races as a three-year-old in 1986, culminating in an emphatic victory in the Irish St. Leger. After failing to reproduce his best form in 1987, he was set to race in Australia where he recorded major wins in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Underwood Stakes. After his retirement from racing he stood as a breeding stallion in Japan but had little success as a sire of winners.
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Glenstal was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a brief racing career which lasted from July 1982 until July 1983 he won three of his five races. After winning on his first appearance he won the National Stakes on his second and final start of the year. In 1983 he finished second on his seasonal debut and rebounded from a poor run at Royal Ascot to win the Prix Daphnis. He stood as a breeding stallion in Ireland, Hungary and the Czech Republic and had some success as a sire of winners before dying in 2007 at the age of twenty-seven.
Chulmleigh was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed little ability in his early career and finished no better than third in his first four races before winning a minor race at Chepstow Racecourse in the summer of his three-year-old season. After a promising second at York in August he recorded a major upset by winning the St Leger Stakes. He was retired soon afterwards and stood as a breeding stallion in Britain and Argentina. He had little success as a sire of winners.
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ballydoyle | Most expensive Thoroughbred colt yearling July 19, 1982 – July 19, 1983 | Next: Snaafi Dancer |