Trempolino (March 17, 1984 –March 19, 2018) was a French

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

best known for winning the prestigious

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...

in 1987.

Background

He was bred by Marystead Farm, the American arm of French horseman

Paul de Moussac Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo P ...

, owner of the

Haras du Mezeray Haras du Mezeray is a French Thoroughbred horse breeding farm located at Ticheville, Orne, in the Lower Normandy region of France. This property was founded in 1962 by prominent horseman Paul de Moussac (1924–1995). The farm maintains one hundre ...

stud farm at

Ticheville Ticheville () is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France. Geography The commune is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, Le Bocage and Ticheville. The commune along with another 11 communes shares part ...

in the

Lower Normandy Lower Normandy (, ; ) is a former administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, Lower and Upper Normandy merged becoming one region called Normandy. Geography The region included three departments, Calvados, Manche and Orne, that cover ...

Region of France France is Administrative divisions of France, divided into eighteen administrative regions (, singular ), of which thirteen are located in metropolitan France (in Europe), while the other five are Overseas departments and regions of France, ove ...

. Sired by Sharpen Up, he was out of the mare Trephine who was a daughter of

Canadian Horse of the Year The Canadian Horse of the Year is a thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually since 1951 by the Jockey Club of Canada. It is the most prestigious honour in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing. Part of the Sovereign Awards program since 1975, ...

Viceregal A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...

, a first-crop son of

Northern Dancer Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred that, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. After being retired from racing, he became one of the most successful Stallion, sires of the 2 ...

. He was conditioned for racing by

André Fabre André Fabre (; born 9 December 1945) is a French thoroughbred horse racing horse trainer, trainer. The son of a diplomat, Fabre graduated from university with a law degree but then decided to pursue a career in thoroughbred horse racing. He beg ...

Racing career

Trempolino's best performance at age two was a fourth-place finish (promoted to third on disqualification of the winner) in the

Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte The Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs), and it is ...

. At three in 1987, he ran second in the

Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly ov ...

and

Prix Lupin The Prix Lupin was a Conditions races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It was run at Longchamp Racecourse, Longchamp over a distance of 2,100 m ...

, and was third in the

Grand Prix de Paris The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), an ...

and the

Prix Guillaume d'Ornano The Prix Guillaume d'Ornano is a Conditions races, Group 2 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Deauville-La Touques Racecourse, Deauvi ...

. His important wins that year all came at

Longchamp Racecourse The Longchamp Racecourse (, ) is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes at the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is used for flat racing and is noted for ...

in Paris where he won a

Listed race Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triom ...

, the Prix de Courcelles, plus the prep for the

, the G2

Prix Niel The Prix Niel is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), in September each ...

. A few days before the Arc, Laura de Seroux, on behalf of Los Angeles businessman

Bruce McNall Bruce Patrick McNall (born April 17, 1950) is an American former sports executive, and convicted felon who once owned the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). McNa ...

, purchased a half interest in Trempolino

The eleven-horse field for that year's Arc was a strong one with top European runners such as

Tony Bin Tony Bin (1983–2000) was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in Europe for his Italian owner from a base in Milan and became a leading sire in Japan. Background Bred by Pat O'Callaghan, Tony Bin was foaled on 7 April 1983. He ...

Triptych A triptych ( ) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all m ...

and

Reference Point Reference point or similar may refer to: Mathematics and science *Reference point (physics), used to define a frame of reference *Reference point, a point within a reference range or reference interval, which is a range of values found in healthy ...

, the latter sent off as the

betting Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three ele ...

favorite. Ridden by

Pat Eddery Patrick James John Eddery (18 March 1952 – 10 November 2015) was an Irish flat racing jockey and trainer. He rode three winners of the Derby and was Champion Jockey on eleven occasions. He rode the winners of 4,632 British flat races, a f ...

, Trempolino capitalized on a fast pace and won in record time, beating the record set by

Dancing Brave Dancing Brave (11 May 1983 – 2 August 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from the autumn of 1985 until October 1986, he ran ten times and won eight races. Dancing Brave ...

in 1986 by a full 1.3 seconds. Pat Eddery was aboard Trempolino again six weeks later in the

Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...

Hollywood Park Racetrack Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred horse racing, race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to The Forum (Inglewood, California), the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, t ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

in which he finished second to

Theatrical Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communic ...

Stud record

Retired to stud, Trempolino stood at

Gainesway Farm Gainesway Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding business in Lexington, Kentucky. It was originally called Greentree Stables, Greentree Farms. The 1,500-acre (6 km2) property has been home to stallions such as Youth (horse), Youth a ...

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

where he remained until 2000 when he was sent to Paul de Moussac's Haras du Mezeray in France. He was pensioned from stud duties in 2012 and died in March 2018 at the age of 34. He sired a number of successful runners as well as important broodmares. Sire of: *

Dernier Empereur Dernier Empereur (5 February 1990 – ca. 2004) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was originally sent to race in France where he had considerable success, winning the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano and La Coupe de Maisons-Laf ...

(b. 1990) – won races in France, England, and the United States including the G1

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong a ...

, G2

Del Mar Handicap The Del Mar Handicap is an American thoroughbred horse race run each year during the third week of August at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The Grade II race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and three-eighths ...

* Snow Polina (b. 1995) – won G1

Beverly D. Stakes The Beverly D. Stakes is a Grade II flat horse race in the United States for thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years and upward over a distance of miles at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia. The event is a supporting stakes race ...

* Valixir (b. 2001) – won G1:

Prix d'Ispahan The Prix d'Ispahan is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,850 metres (about 1 mile and 1¼ furlongs), ...

(2005), G1

Queen Anne Stakes The Queen Anne Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and is scheduled to take p ...

(2005), G2:

Prix Eugène Adam The Prix Eugène Adam is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Maisons-Laffitte over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1 miles), and it is scheduled to ta ...

(2004),

(2004) Damsire of: * Blue Canari (b. 2001) – won

(2004) * Round Pond (b. 2002) – won

Breeders' Cup Distaff The Breeders' Cup Distaff is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, three years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic between 2008 and 2012, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United Stat ...

(2006) * Action This Day (b. 2001) – won

Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...

(2003),

American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt The American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when the ''Daily Racing F ...

(2003)

References

August 10, 1988 ''New York Times'' article on Bruce McNall and purchase of Trempolino

Trempolino's pedigree and racing stats
{{Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Winners 1984 racehorse births 2018 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in France Arc winners Thoroughbred family 26