Bien Bien (1989–2002) was an American

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 ...

bred by William S. Farish III & William S. Kilroy and raced by

Trudy McCaffery Trudy V. McCaffery (April 10, 1944 – February 12, 2007) was a Thoroughbred racehorse owner-breeder in California who served on the board of directors of the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation, the NTRA Charities, the California Thoroughbred Breeders ...

and John Toffan. He won eight stakes races during his career, including four

Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

events. He set a course record of 1:57.75 for 1¼ miles while winning the 1993 Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap. He also ran second in the 1993

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 ...

to winner Kotashaan. Bien Bien was retired to

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

for the 1995 season. He stood at Mill Ridge Farm near

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 ...

, until 2000, when he was sent to Kirtlington Stud near

Kirtlington Kirtlington is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Oxfordshire about west of Bicester. The parish includes the Hamlet (place), hamlet of Northbrook. The United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census recorded the parish's popula ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, England. During his relatively short career at stud, he sired: * Bienamado (b. 1996) – in France won the

Prix de Condé The Prix de Condé is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 1,800 metres (1 mile 1 furlong), and it is scheduled to take place ...

(1998) and in California, the 2000

Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes The Hollywood Turf Cup is a Graded stakes race, Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-years-old or older over a distance of one and one-half miles (12 furlongs) on the Grass, turf track scheduled annually in late November at Del Mar R ...

(2000) and San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (2001) and Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap. Career earnings of $1,261,089; * Bien Nicole (b. 1998) – won 2003 Oaklawn Breeders Cup Stakes, Galaxy Stakes. Career earnings of $1,074,620. *

Dream Alliance Dream Alliance (23 March 2001 – 21 April 2023) was a British thoroughbred racehorse, owned by the Alliance Partnership and trained by Philip Hobbs. Background Dream Alliance was bred by Janet Vokes, whose main experience until then had been wi ...

(2001) – a steeplechaser who won the

Welsh Grand National The Coral Welsh Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Chepstow, Wales, over a distance of ...

Bien Bien died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

at age thirteen on March 11, 2002, after covering a

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equidae, equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more th ...

at Kirtlington Stud

Pedigree

{{Pedigree , name = Bien Bien, chestnut stallion, 1989 , f = Manila (horse), Manila , m = Stark Winter , ff =

Lyphard Lyphard (10 May 1969 – 10 June 2005) was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and an important Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. Background American bred in Pennsylvania, Lyphard was a son of Northern Dancer ...

, fm = Dona Ysidra , mf =

Graustark Graustark is a fictional country in Eastern Europe used as a setting for several novels by George Barr McCutcheon. Graustark's neighbors, which also figure in the stories, are Axphain to the north and Dawsbergen to the south. Description Gra ...

, mm = Winter Wren , fff =

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 ...

, ffm = Goofed , fmf = Le Fabuleux , fmm = Matriarch , mff = Ribot , mfm = Flower Bowl , mmf =

Princequillo Princequillo (1940–1964) was a Thoroughbred Thoroughbred horse race, racehorse conceived in France and born in Ireland. He is known for his performances in long-distance races and his successes as a Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. Backgroun ...

, mmm = Flight Bird , ffff =

Nearctic The Nearctic realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting the Earth's land surface. The Nearctic realm covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico. The parts of North America ...

, fffm =

Natalma Natalma (March 26, 1957 – January 29, 1985) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the dam (mother) of the most important sire, and sire of sires, of the late 20th Century, Northern Dancer. She also established a highly inf ...

, ffmf =

Court Martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the mili ...

, ffmm = Barra , fmff =

Wild Risk Wild Risk (1940–1967) was a French-bred thoroughbred Horse racing, racehorse who became a leading sire and Professional Dosage Index, Chef-de-race. Background Wild Risk was a medium-to-small horse. His right front hoof tended towards being a ...

, fmfm = Anguar , fmmf =

Bold Ruler Bold Ruler (April 6, 1954 – July 12, 1971) was an American Thoroughbred National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame racehorse who was the 1957 American Horse of the Year, Horse of the Year. This following a three-year-old campaign t ...

, fmmm = Lyceum , mfff =

Tenerani Tenerani (foaled April 14, 1944 in Italy) was a Champion Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in Italy and in England. Bred by Lydia & Federico Tesio, he was named for the Italian sculptor, Pietro Tenerani. His dam was Tofanella, a foundation broo ...

, mffm = Romanella , mfmf = Alibhai , mfmm = Flower Bed , mmff =

Prince Rose Prince Rose (1928–1944) was a British-bred, Belgian-trained Thoroughbred racehorse, often referred to as the best horse in Belgian racing. Background Bred in England by Lord Durham, Prince Rose was sired by Rose Prince out of the mare Indol ...

, mmfm = Cosquilla , mmmf =

Count Fleet Count Fleet (March 24, 1940 – December 3, 1973) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the sixth winner of the American Triple Crown. He won the Belmont Stakes by a then record margin of twenty-five lengths. After an undefeated ...

, mmmm = Pocket Edition (family: 9-e)

References

Bien Bien's pedigree and partial racing stats

* ttp://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/8543/english-stallion-bien-bien-dies March 13, 2002 Bloodhorse.com article titled ''English Stallion Bien Bien Dies'' 1989 racehorse births 2002 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Horse racing track record setters Thoroughbred family 9-e