Gentlemen (foaled 1992) was an Argentinian

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 ...

. He was the Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in Argentina and then raced successfully in the United States.

Background

Gentlemen was a chestnut horse bred at the Haras de la Pomme in Argentina. He was sired by Robin des Bois, an American-bred, French-trained son of Nureyev.

Racing career

Racing at age three in 1995, Gentlemen won the Gran Premio Dos Mil Guineas, Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby), and Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (Argentine 2000 Guineas). He also finished 4th in the Gran Premio Jockey Club. Gentlemen was brought to race in the United States in 1996, under

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 ...

trainer

Richard Mandella Richard Eugene Mandella (born November 5, 1950, in Altadena, California), is a Thoroughbred horse trainer and a member of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame. Mandella's father, a blacksmith, introduced him to horses at an early age and while still i ...

. Although he was ineligible for the

Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was ...

, Gentlemen met with considerable success. Gentlemen's first start in United States was a dirt allowance race at

Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may refer to: Places United States * Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California * Hollywood Park, Chicago, a neighborhood in North Park, Chicago, Illinois *Hollywood Park, Inglewood, an entertainment complex and ma ...

in which he finished last after leading down the backstretch. He won his next start, a turf allowance at Del Mar. Later that year, he won the Grade 3

Native Diver Handicap The Native Diver Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for three-years-old and older over a distance of one and one eighth miles on the dirt held annually in late November at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The event of ...

by nine lengths in track record time. In 1997, he was arguably the best racehorse in North America. On May 10, he captured the Grade 1

Pimlico Special The Pimlico Special is a Grade 3 American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles ( furlongs) held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. The race currently offers a purse of $250,000. ...

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of O ...

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

conceding three pounds to

Skip Away Skip Away (April 4, 1993 – May 14, 2010), was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1998 Horse of the Year, 1996 Champion Three-Year-Old, and 1997 and 1998 Champion Handicap Horse. He won 10 Grade One races for $9,616,360 in ...

. In June he won the Grade 1

Hollywood Gold Cup The Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in May. The race currently offers a purse of $200,000 ...

by four lengths from the Brazilian champion

Siphon A siphon (; also spelled syphon) is any of a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. In a narrower sense, the word refers particularly to a tube in an inverted "U" shape, which causes a liquid to flow upward, abo ...

with the future

Arlington Million The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flat horse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward on turf. It was originally raced at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois over a distance of miles. The Arling ...

winner Marlin a further five and a quarter lengths back in fourth. In August he won the Grade 1

Pacific Classic Stakes The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually August or September at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade I race is open to horses, age three and up, which race one and one-quarter miles on the ...

at Del Mar, beating Siphon by two and three quarter lengths. He was less successful as a six-year-old in 1998, producing his best performance when winning the San Antonio Handicap and finishing second to Wagon Limit in the Grade 1

Jockey Club Gold Cup The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a thoroughbred flat race, held at the Saratoga Race Course in the United States, that is open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It has traditionally been the main event of the fal ...

. In 1998 he was entered into the

Classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...

at the

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...

with

as trainer, though Gentlemen eased and finished last. He was retired to stand at stud.

Racing statistics

Stud record

In 1999, Gentlemen began

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 * ...

duty at Walmac Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, where he met with modest success. He stood for a stud fee of $15,000 in 2002. In 2005, Gentlemen was relocated to Applebite Farms in California to stand stud for the 2006 season, at a stud fee of $5,000. In late 2007, he was purchased by Elite Stables, LLC and moved to Elite Thoroughbreds in Folsom, Louisiana. His 2008 stud fee was listed at a special introductory fee of $1500.

Death

As of 2025, Gentlemen's death had not been officially reported, however unsubstantiated claims were made in 2020 of his 2011 or 2012 death at a farm in Louisiana.

Pedigree

Gentlemen is inbred 4S × 4D to Graustark, meaning Graustark appears in the fourth generation on both the sire and dam's side of the pedigree. Gentlemen is also inbred to Northern Dancer 3S × 4D.

References

{{reflist 1992 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Argentina Racehorses trained in Argentina Racehorses trained in the United States American Grade 1 Stakes winners Thoroughbred family 7-a