Caerleon (27 March 1980 – 2 February 1998) was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, 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 basic pr ...

who won

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

races in France and Great Britain. He was twice champion sire in Great Britain and Ireland. Bred by

Seth Hancock Seth,; el, Σήθ ''Sḗth''; ; "placed", "appointed") in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mandaeism, and Sethianism, was the third son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, their only other child mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible. Ac ...

at his famous

Claiborne Farm Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred horse breeding operation near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910 by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Stud in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since. ...

in Kentucky, he was a son of the 1970 British Triple Crown winner Nijinsky. His dam was Foreseer, a daughter of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee,

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. Caerleon was purchased at the Keeneland Yearling Sale by leading British owner, Robert Sangster. As a two-year-old, he made two starts at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland for trainer Vincent O'Brien, earning wins in his debut and the Anglesey Stakes. At age three, he won the French Derby at Chantilly Racecourse in France and the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup at York Racecourse in England. Back at the Curragh, he ran second to Shareef Dancer in the Irish Derby.

Stud record

Caerleon was retired to stud duty at Coolmore Stud for the 1984 season. In North America, he was known as Caerleon II. An immediate success, he became the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1988 and again in 1991. During his career at stud, Caerleon sired 101 stakes winners including: * Caerwent (b. 1985) - won G1 National Stakes * Cape Verdi (b. 1995) - won G1

1000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

* Corwyn Bay (b. 1986) - Anglesey Stakes,

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, Ancient Title Stakes * Kostroma (b. 1986) - multiple G1 winner in the U.S. who set a world record for 1 1/8 miles on grass *

Lady Carla Lady Carla (8 March 1993 – 2012) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning The Oaks in 1996. In a racing career which lasted from October 1995 to July 1997 the filly ran six times and won three races. After ...

(1993) - won Epsom Oaks * Missionary Ridge (b. 1987) - won G1

Pacific Classic Stakes The Pacific Classic Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of one and one quarter miles on the dirt track scheduled annually in August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The even ...

, career earnings US$1,864,498 * Generous (b. 1988) - won 1991 the Derby and the Irish Derby; 1991 European champion and world's highest-rated racehorse *

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(b. 1989) - won G1 Yorkshire Oaks (2x) *

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(b. 1991) - won G1s St. Leger Stakes, Prix Royal-Oak, 1994 European Champion Stayer *

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(b. 1991) - won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong, the G2 American Derby at Arlington Park in Chicago * Auriette (b. 1992) - won Honeymoon Handicap (1995),

Santa Barbara Handicap The Santa Barbara Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Graded stakes race, Grade III event open to Filly, fillies and Mare (horse), mares, age four and older, it is co ...

(1996) *

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(b. 1993) - won G1 Grand Prix de Paris * Coretta (b. 1994) - won La Prevoyante Handicap (2x), Long Island Handicap, Orchid Handicap *

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(1996) - won Fillies' Mile *

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(b. 1997) - Won G1s Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Grosser Preis von Baden,

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, career earnings £1,257,152 * Warrsan (b. 1998) - won G1s Coronation Cup (2x) and Grosser Preis von Baden (2x). Career earnings of £1,654,749 * Preseli (1999) - won Moyglare Stud Stakes Caerleon was also the damsire of: * Mutafaweq - wins include the St. Leger Stakes and Canadian International *

Taiki Shuttle Taiki Shuttle (, foaled March 23, 1994; died August 17, 2022) was an American-bred, Japanese-trained thoroughbred race horse and stallion. He won races at the highest level both home and abroad, most notably winning the Mile Championship (twice), ...

- 1998 Japanese Horse of the Year and

Japan Racing Association Hall of Fame The Horse Racing Hall of Fame ( ja, 競馬の殿堂) is a Japanese horse racing memorial hall which was installed on September 2, 1985 at the JRA Horse Racing Museum, Fuchu, Tokyo. It was founded by Japan Racing Association to honor the achievem ...

inductee * Nashoba's Key - multiple Grade 1 winner and 2007

California Horse of the Year The California Horse of the Year is an American horse racing honor awarded annually since 1973 by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association (CTBA) to a Thoroughbred racehorse bred in the state of California. Winners *2021 - Lieutenant Dan * ...

Caerleon died at age eighteen on 2 February 1998, at Coolmore Stud in Ireland.

References

Caerleon's pedigree and partial racing stats
* Bowen, Edward L. '' Legacies of the Turf : A Century of Great Thoroughbred Breeders'' (2003)

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{{ISBN, 978-1-58150-102-5 1980 racehorse births 1998 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom French Thoroughbred Classic Race winners British Champion Thoroughbred Sires Thoroughbred family 1-x