Nassipour (1980 – 7 May 1994)[1] was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Australia. He was bred in Kentucky by the Aga Khan. His sire, Blushing Groom, was the 1977 European Champion Three-Year-old and the 1989 Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland. Nassipour's dam was Alama, a daughter of the very good runner Aureole, who was owned by Queen Elizabeth II. Aureole's wins include the 1954 Coronation Cup and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. At stud, Aureole sired 1960 Epsom Derby winner, St. Paddy.

Nassipour
Nassipour with his exercise rider, 1985
SireBlushing Groom (FR)
GrandsireRed God
DamAlama (IRE)
DamsireAureole
SexStallion
Foaled1980 (1980)
Died7 May 1994(1994-05-07) (aged 13–14)
CountryUnited States
ColourChestnut
BreederAga Khan IV
OwnerDogwood Stable
TrainerStephen A. DiMauro
Record45: 7-10-8
EarningsUS$829,519
Major wins
Dixie Handicap (1985)
Rothmans International Stakes (1985)
Seneca Handicap (1985)
Awards
Leading sire in Australia (1992)
Last updated on 1 October 2011

Racing career

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Nassipour was sent to his owner's training facility in Ireland at age two but was sold in late 1983 to American Cot Campbell for his Dogwood Stable racing partnership. Brought back to North America for the 1984 turf racing season, Nassipour did not have a Graded stakes race win but ran second in the Grade I (G1) Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap, G3 Knickerbocker Handicap, and G1 Bowling Green Handicap. He also finished third in the G3 American Handicap.

At age five in 1985, Nassipour had his best year in racing, winning the G2 Dixie Handicap at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, and the G3 Seneca Handicap at Saratoga Race Course in New York. In the richest and most important race of his career, under jockey Jean-Luc Samyn Nassipour won the $600,000 G1 Rothmans International Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada, defeating, among others, Grand Prix de Paris winner Sumayr and Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Triptych. Nassipour finished second in the G3 Niagara Stakes, G2 Bougainvillea Handicap, and G3 Fair Grounds Classic. In the G3 Pan American Handicap, he was third.

Nassipour's best result at age six was a third in the Seneca Handicap.[2]

Stud record

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Retired from racing in 1986, Nassipour was sold to New Zealand breeding interests and stood at stud at Ra Ora Stud until his death in 1994. He was the Leading sire in Australia in 1992. Among Nassipour's best progeny were these Group one winners:

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Nassipour (USA), chestnut stallion, 1980
Sire
Blushing Groom (FR)
1974
Red God (USA)
1954
Nasrullah Nearco
Mumtaz Begum
Spring Run Menow
Boola Brook
Runaway Bride Wild Risk Rialto
Wild Violet
Aimee Tudor Minstrel
Emali
Dam
Alama (IRE)
1969
Aureole Hyperion Gainsborough
Selene
Angelola Donatello
Feola
Nucciolina Nuccio Traghetto
Nuvoletta
Mah Behar Bois Roussel
Mah Iran

References

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  1. ^ "Nassipour (USA) 1980". NZRacing. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Inc. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  2. ^ Nassipour at the Aga Khan Studs
  3. ^ "Nassipour (USA) - offspring". Australian Stud Book. Australian Turf Club Limited and Victoria Racing Club Limited. Retrieved 9 September 2011.