Giant's Causeway (14 February 1997 – 16 April 2018) was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who won five Group One races in Great Britain and Ireland as a three-year-old in 2000: the St James's Palace Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte International Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes. He was named the 2000 Cartier Horse of the Year. The horse was sent to stud and proved to be an outstanding sire.
| Giant's Causeway | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Storm Cat |
| Grandsire | Storm Bird |
| Dam | Mariah's Storm |
| Damsire | Rahy |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1997 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Orpendale and Michael Tabor |
| Owner | Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor |
| Trainer | Aidan O'Brien |
| Record | 13: 9–4–0 |
| Earnings | $3,078,989 |
| Major wins | |
| Futurity Stakes (1999) Prix de la Salamandre (1999) Gladness Stakes (2000) St. James's Palace Stakes (2000) Eclipse Stakes (2000) Sussex Stakes (2000) Juddmonte International Stakes (2000) Irish Champion Stakes (2000) | |
| Awards | |
| Cartier Horse of the Year (2000) Leading sire in North America (2009, 2010, 2012) Leading broodmare sire in North America (2018) Timeform rating: 132 | |
| Honours | |
| Giant's Causeway Stakes at Keeneland (2006– ) | |
| Last updated on 23 February 2024 | |
Nicknamed the "Iron Horse" on account of his toughness and constitution, Giant's Causeway was hailed by his trainer Aidan O'Brien as a "true champion".[1]
Background
editGiant's Causeway was a chestnut horse with a white blaze. He was bred in Kentucky by Coolmore Stud and Michael Tabor. His sire Storm Cat was the 1999 and 2000 leading sire in North America, and his dam Mariah's Storm also produced Freud, the 2008 leading sire in New York.
Racing career
edit1999: Two-year-old season
editAs a two-year-old in 1999, Giant's Causeway was unbeaten in three races: a maiden race at Naas, the Futurity Stakes at the Curragh and the Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp.
2000: Three-year-old season
editIn the spring of 2000, Giant's Causeway won the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh and then finished second in both the 2000 Guineas and the Irish 2000 Guineas.
He then won five straight Group One races: the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, the Juddmonte International Stakes at York and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
His winning sequence was broken in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on 23 September, when he was beaten half a length by Observatory. On his final racecourse appearance, Giant's Causeway was sent to the United States to contest the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs in which he raced on dirt for the first time. Starting at odds of 7.6/1, he was beaten only a neck into second place by the American colt Tiznow.
Giant's Causeway's performances in 2000 earned him European Horse of the Year honours.
Retirement and Breeding Career
editIn 2001, Giant's Causeway started his stud career at Coolmore Stud in Ireland. He stood one season there before relocating to Coolmore's United States branch Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. He was a great success at stud, becoming one of the most influential sires in North America. In 2006, he stood for a fee of $300,000.
Giant's Causeway died at the Ashford Stud on 16 April 2018 after a "brief illness" at the age of 21.[2]
Notable Progeny
editGiant Causeway's notable descendants include:[3]
Pedigree
edit| Sire Storm Cat |
Storm Bird | Northern Dancer | Nearctic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natalma | |||
| South Ocean | New Providence | ||
| Shining Sun | |||
| Terlingua | Secretariat | Bold Ruler | |
| Somethingroyal | |||
| Crimson Saint | Crimson Satan | ||
| Bolero Rose | |||
| Dam Mariah's Storm |
Rahy | Blushing Groom | Red God |
| Runaway Bride | |||
| Glorious Song | Halo | ||
| Ballade | |||
| Immense | Roberto | Hail To Reason | |
| Bramalea | |||
| Imsodear | Chieftain | ||
| Ironically |
References
edit- ^ Mark Storey, '"A true champion" – O'Brien tribute after death of Giant's Causeway'. Racing Post, 18 April 2018, retrieved 19 July 2022
- ^ "Giant's Causeway Dead at 21". The Blood-Horse. 17 April 2018.
- ^ "Giant's Causeway". Ahonoora. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
External links
edit- Career 1-2-3 Colour Chart – Giant's Causeway