Sire Caro Dam Reiko Foaled 1986 Owner George W. Strawbridge Jr. Children Exotic Dancer Sex Stallion | Grandsire Fortino Damsire Targowice Country United States Parents Caro Trainer Jonathan Pease Earnings 387,750 GBP | |
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Turgeon (foaled 1986) is an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse an sire. He was best known for his performances over extended distances, winning the Prix Royal-Oak and the Irish St. Leger in 1991, a year in which he was named European Champion Stayer at the Cartier Racing Awards.
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Background
He was owned and bred by American George W. Strawbridge, Jr., an avid ice hockey fan and a shareholder and Director of the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres. Strawbridge named the foal for the Canadian player Pierre Turgeon who was the team's 1st overall pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. From a family involved in steeplechase and flat racing, George Strawbridge, Jr. maintained racing stables in France and the United States.
Turgeon was prepared for racing by Chantilly-based trainer Jonathan Pease
Racing career
At age three Turgeon's best 1989 performances in conditions races was a win in the Group 2 Prix de l'Esperance and a second in both the Prix Royal-Oak and the Prix Kergorlay. At age four in France he showed endurance with a win in the Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier over a distance of 3,100 meters (approximately 1.92 miles), and a second in the 3,100 meters Prix de Barbeville, and third in both the 4,000 meter Prix du Cadran and in the 3,100 Prix Royal-Oak. Sent to Weidenpesch Racecourse in Cologne, Germany, he ran second in the Group I Preis von Europa.
Racing as a five-year-old, 1991 would be Turgeon's best year on the racetrack. He repeated as runner-up in the French Prix de Barbeville and in Rome, Italy was third in the then Group 3 Premio Roma Vecchia. Turgeon's wins in France came in the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay and a second consecutive victory in the Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier. The colt earned his first Group One win in September at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland, capturing the Irish St. Leger. Back in France he won another Group One race in October, the Prix Royal-Oak.
After his very successful 1991 campaign, Turgeon continued to race for another two years. His best major race results was a third-place finish in the 2½ mile (approximately 4,000 meter) 1992 Ascot Gold Cup in England and a similar effort in that same race in 1993. In France he was third in the 1993 Prix de Barbeville and in Germany, finished second in the 3,200 meter Oleander-Rennen in Baden-Baden.
Stud record
Retired to stud duty in 1994, Turgeon has sired a number of European stakes race winners particularly in steeplechase racing and in 2006 was the leading sire in France of jump racing horses. His progeny include Exotic Dancer who won several major steeplechases in England and Ireland and finished second to Kauto Star in the 2007 Cheltenham Gold Cup. As of 2012, Turgeon is standing at Haras du Mesnil in Savigné-l'Évêque, Sarthe and his stud fee is € 4,000.