A Look Back: Miesque's Second Mile Victory

In conjunction with Tom Hall's Throwback Thursday features in BloodHorse Daily, BloodHorse.com will present corresponding race stories from the pages of the magazine each Thursday. 

This week is a recap of the 1988 Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs, written by Kimberly Herbert with the headline "Mile After Mile" from the 1988 BloodHorse Breeders' Cup special issue.

Whenever Stavros S. Niarchos, breeder and owner of the dual Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) winner Miesque, involves himself in the North American Thoroughbred scene, something newsworthy seems to occur.

Thirty-three years ago, when Nashua was acquired through sealed bid by a syndicate headed by Leslie Combs II for a record $1,251,200, Niarchos was an underbidder. The following year, on Jan. 6, 1956, Niarchos bought Nashua's dam at auction for a record $126,000. The late Humphrey S. Finney, agent for Niarchos, opened the bidding on Segula at $100,000. He was immediately engaged in a bidding duel by Ohio harness horse breeder Walter Michaels, but Finney won.

After the sale Finney explained that Niarchos, who had been involved in racing horses in England, planned to start a stable in the United States. Finney also purchased stakes producer Valse d'Or for $76,000 at the sale and he was the underbidder on Moon Star II for Niarchos. Both of the mares Niarchos purchased were in foal to Nasrullah.

Unfortunately Segula's filly foal, named Stavrola, was nothing exceptional when shipped to England. Segula failed to produce another foal and died in 1961 in Europe.

His worldwide shipping business kept Niarchos away from the United States for several years. Upon his return to the American Thoroughbred sale scene, Niarchos in November of 1974 purchased Artists Proof (carrying a member of Secretariat's first crop of foals) for $385,000 through agent Fred Kohler.

"He wants back in the right way," said Kohler at the time. "He plans to race this mare's foals in Europe. He wants to win the Arc (Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe [Fr-I])."

In the 1970s and early 1980s, Niarchos was a presence at Kentucky summer yearling sales, bidding against Robert Sangster of England and later the Maktoums of Dubai. Always known in the shipping business for getting the most for his dollar, Niarchos then joined Sangster to become partners in purchasing some yearlings.

Niarchos purchased the top-priced yearling at the 1978 Keeneland summer yearling sale, acquiring a son of Northern Dancer—Special, by Forli, for $1.3 million. Named Nureyev, the colt was trained in France by Francois Boutin, conditioner of Miesque.

Nureyev at 2 won the Prix Thomas Byron (Fr-III) impressively in his only race. At 3, he made only two starts, winning the Prix Djebel by six lengths and finishing first in the English Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I). Nureyev was disqualified in the Guineas and placed last, with Known Fact placed first.

Retired from racing, Nureyev stood one season at the Niarchos' Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard in France before being sold to stand at John T. L. Jones Jr.'s and Red McCombs' Walmac International near Lexington.

In 1980, the year Nureyev was named champion miler in France, Niarchos again purchased yearlings in Kentucky. This time his expenditures included a record $1.7 million for French stakes winner Lichine, a son of Lyphard--Stylish Genie; and $45,000 for stakes winner Pasadoble, a filly by Prove Out—Santa Quilla.

Bred to Nureyev upon being retired from racing, Pasadoble produced the bay filly Miesque at Niarchos' Spring Oak Farm near Lexington in 1984. Spring Oak had been purchased three years earlier by Flaxman Holdings Inc., a Liberian holding company whose officers included Niarchos and his son Philip.

Pasadoble in 1985 produced One Life, a filly by L'Emigrant, and she foaled Ulgano, a colt by Lyphard, in 1986. Ulgano was sold at the 1987 Keeneland summer yearling sale to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum for $375,000 and currently is in Henry Cecil's yard.

In 1982, Niarchos was named to the board of the fledgling Breeders' Cup Ltd. In 1986 came the announcement that Niarchos, Sangster, trainer Vincent O'Brien, and O'Brien's son-in-law, John Magnier, would disperse the stock they owned in partnership.

The Niarchos racing program seems to have been little hampered by the dispersal of the jointly owned horses. Niarchos was the 10th-leading owner in England this year and was the fifth-leading owner in France, and since 1981 he has not been out of the top five. Niarchos was the leading owner in 1983 and 1984. He finished second in 1982, third in 1985 and 1987, and fourth in 1986.

Niarchos racing manager Alan Cooper said Niarchos currently has about 60 horses in training in France with Boutin and about 20 in training in England with Cecil and Jeremy Tree.

This year in Europe, Niarchos had raced five group winners, including Miesque. The others are Coronation Stakes (Eng-I) winner Magic of Life, a 3-year-old filly by Seattle Slew—Larida, by Northern Dancer, purchased for $2.5 million as a weanling at the Newstead dispersal in Kentucky; Irish St. Leger (Ire-I) winner Dark Lomond, a 3-year-old filly by Lomond--Arkadina, by Ribot; Prix Fille de l'Air (Fr-III) and Prix Minerve (Fr-III) winner Mystery Rays, a 3-year-old homebred filly by Nijinsky II—Rare Mint, by Key to the Mint; and Henry II Stakes (Eng-III) winner Primitive Rising, a 4-year-old son of Raise a Man—Periquito, by Olden Times. 

Niarchos also bred and raced 1988 French stakes winners Beaute Dangereuse, Kailas, and Party Doll, and he bred Norsk Two Thousand Guineas (Nor-II) winner Space Cruiser.

"Easiest winner on the day," said Cooper after Miesque's four-length win in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

"Fantastic," exclaimed Niarchos' daughter Maria.

"I think this filly was better today than last year because the conditions were against her," said Boutin, his French remarks translated by his daughter Patricia.

No matter how one says it, or in what language, Miesque was marvelous in both of her Miles.

Prior to the 1987 victory, the filly had raced through a hard campaign, winning six of eight races including the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I), Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-I), Prix Jacques Le Marois (Fr-I), and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Fr-I). She also was second last year in the Prix de Diane (Fr-I) and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I).

At Hollywood Park in 1987, Miesque won the Mile by 3 1/2 lengths from 13 rivals over firm turf in 1:32 4/5, setting a course record on a beautiful day. She was voted champion North American female grass runner and champion 3-year-old filly and miler in England and France.

At Churchill Downs in 1988, rain soaked the turf course prior to Breeders' Cup day, which dawned chilly and overcast. Miesque this year had not had as long or as hard a campaign prior to the Mile as she had had in 1987. She raced three times this year in France, winning the Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-I) over a yielding course and the Prix Jacques Le Marois (Fr-I) over good turf. In her only other race, she finished a head behind Soviet Star in the Prix du Moulin (Fr-I) over soft going.

On the day before the Breeders' Cup, Boutin sent Miesque out for five furlongs of slow work on the grass course, followed by two furlongs of normal galloping. He described the course as "a little bit wet for our filly, but it is sandy." He said he would not scratch Miesque or Allen Paulson's Blushing John from the race because of course conditions.

More rain fell overnight. The showers abated for most of Breeders' Cup day but a light drizzle began as the Mile starters assembled in the saddling paddock, bringing more umbrellas than smiles from those associated with the runners in the $1 million race.

The entry of Miesque and Blushing John was sent away the second choice behind Prince Khaled Abdullah's outstanding English miler Warning. Miesque raced in the middle of the pack early, gradually gaining on leaders Master Christopher, Simply Majestic, and Steinlen under the patient ride of Freddy Head.

Taking charge in the stretch, Miesque galloped under the wire to win by four lengths in her final career outing. Second was Daniel Wildenstein's Steinlen, which finished a head in front of Ted M. Sabarese's Simply Majestic. Following were Abdu, Posen, Ravinella, Bet Twice, Mill Native, Blushing John, Warning, and Master Christopher. 

"It's true that I was fearing very much the soft ground for the filly," Boutin's daughter translated after the race, "but even though it rains a lot here, the ground remains much drier than it would in Europe. The horse I was fearing the most was Warning. I respect Warning very much, but I knew that Warning wouldn't like it (the rain-soaked turf) either.

"I think the horses Miesque met today were better than last year but she was fresher than last year and that could have made a difference," Boutin added. "Miesque is not the best horse I have trained but definitely the most constant and easiest to train as a champion because she is so regular."

Niarchos has seen Miesque race about five times and Boutin said he was "deliciously surprised" that Niarchos traveled to Kentucky to watch Miesque win the Mile.

Immediately after dismounting and weighing in, Warning's rider Pat Eddery said, "That's the worst turf I've ever ridden on. He never got a grip. He only made a move down the back a little bit but down the stretch, he just couldn't grab the turf."

Maria Niarchos said, "It was muddy and we didn't know how Miesque would handle it. She did. I don't think we can do better."

Miss Niarchos ranked Miesque high among the horses raced in the Niarchos stable silks, stating with a smile, "She's the best. My father made (the trip) especially for the Breeders' Cup. He couldn't come last year but he came this year. He was overjoyed."

Asked why her father took a chance on bringing a champion filly to race over an off course when Miesque already had won nine group or grade I races, Miss Niarchos replied, "When you win the Breeders' Cup, then you know why you come. You come to win!"

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