Miesque

Miesque (pronounced MEE-esk; March 14, 1984 – January 20, 2011) was a champion Thoroughbred racemare, best known as the first horse to win two consecutive Breeders' Cups and racing awards in Europe and America. She was a Group one (G1) winner at two, three and four-years-old, for a total of 10 G1 wins. She produced five stakes winners.

Breeding

Miesque was foaled in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. She was sired by Nureyev, (by Northern Dancer) from Pasadoble, by Prove Out. Miesque was owned by Greek shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos, and did most of her racing in Europe. Miesque was sister to Massaraat and Bravemie and a half sister to the mares, Yogya by Riverman and One Life by L'Emigrant.^[1]

Racing record

Stabled in France and trained by François Boutin, Miesque won three of her four races as a two-year-old, including two Grade 1 Stakes Races.

Under jockey Freddy Head, at age three Miesque won the 1,000 Guineas in England and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (the French 1,000 Guineas). When moved up in distance she finished second to Indian Skimmer in the Prix de Diane. Competing against colts and older horses she added wins in the Prix Jacques le Marois and the Prix du Moulin but was defeated by the British filly Milligram in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Miesque achieved international stardom when she defeated a talented field of mostly male horses in the prestigious 1987 Breeders' Cup Mile, in the process setting a Hollywood Park track record. Her powerful performance earned her the 1987 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Female Turf Horse.

The following year, Miesque raced only four times, winning three and finishing second once. She returned to the U.S. to defend her Breeders Cup title at Churchill Downs in Kentucky and once again was up against a very strong field of older males including Belmont Stakes winner Bet Twice and the Daniel Wildenstein-owned champion, Steinlen. Despite the fierce competition, the filly won the race by four lengths, making her the first ever back-to-back winner in Breeders Cup history. The performance earned her a second straight Eclipse Award for Outstanding Female Turf Horse for 1988 and she was again voted France's Champion Miler of the year plus was named that country's Champion Older Mare.

Miesque retired after the 1988 season. Of her sixteen lifetime races, the filly won twelve, finished second three times, and third once.

Breeding record

She was a successful broodmare at the Niarchos stud farm in Kentucky, producing several stakes winners with sires such as Mr. Prospector. Miesque's offspring include:

1990 *Kingmambo (USA) : Bay colt, by Mr Prospector (USA) won G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains - G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp - LR Prix Djebel, Maisons-Laffitte and G1 St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Kingmambo was an outstanding sire standing at Lane's End Farm at Versailles in Kentucky, North America; sired Lemon Drop Kid, Henrythenavigator, King's Best, El Condor Pasa, Russian Rhythm, and Divine Proportions

1991 *East of the Moon (USA) : Bay filly, by Private Account (USA) - Champion three-year-old filly in France 1994, won G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Longchamp - G1 Prix de Diane, Chantilly - G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, Deauville

1992 *Miesque's Son (USA) : Bay colt, by Mr Prospector (USA) - won G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis, Évry successful sire in the U.S.; sired Miesque's Approval, winner of the 2006 Sunshine Millions Turf and the Breeders' Cup Mile and voted the 2006 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Male Turf Horse. He was also voted 2006 Florida-bred Horse of the Year

1993 Moon Is Up (USA) : Bay filly, foaled 1 May, by Woodman (USA) - won LR Prix de Lieurey, Deauville - 3rd G3 Prix de Seine-et-Oise, Maisons-Laffitte in France 1996

1994 Monevassia (USA) : Bay filly, foaled 24 May, by Mr Prospector (USA) - ran twice in France, dam of Rumplestiltskin (IRE) - won G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, Curragh - G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, Longchamp - G2 Debutante Stakes, Curragh in Ireland and France 2005

1997 Myhrr (USA) : Bay filly, foaled 15 March, by Mr Prospector (USA) - unraced, dam of winners in U.S.A. and Japan

2000 Mingun (USA) : Bay or brown colt, foaled 29 April, by A P Indy (USA) - won 3 races including G3 Meld Stakes, Leopardstown ; LR Celebration Stakes, Curragh; 4th G1 International Stakes, York; 4th G1 Citation Handicap, Hollywood Park in Ireland, England and U.S.A. 2002-04

2002 Second Happiness (USA) : Bay filly, by Storm Cat (USA) - unplaced only race in France 2005 - dam of winner Tale of Life (JPN)(2012, by Deep Impact <JPN>)

2004 Ama (USA) : Bay filly, foaled 24 February, by Storm Cat (USA) - placed second on only start in France 2007; dam of winners Mirror City (GB) and Albayan (IRE)(2009, by Street Cry <IRE>)

Miesque was euthanized at Lane's End Farm on January 20, 2011.^[2]

Honors

In the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Miesque was ranked #82. She was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1999.

The annual Prix Miesque at the Hippodrome in Maisons-Laffitte, Yvelines and the Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California are held in her honor.

Pedigree

See also

• List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses

References

• Miesque's pedigree