Junius (horse)
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Junius (15 March 1976 – 1997) was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and
sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" an ...
. After fetching a price of $300,000 as a
yearling Yearling may refer to: *Yearling (horse), a horse between one and two years old *''The Yearling ''The Yearling'' is a novel by American writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, published in March 1938. It was the main selection of the Book of the ...
he was sent to race in Europe where he had his greatest success as a two-year-old in 1978. Following a narrow defeat on his debut he won twice in Ireland before traveling to England and winning the
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 ...
Middle Park Stakes The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it i ...
in record time. He failed on his only appearance in the following year and was retired from racing. He stood as a breeding stallion in Ireland and Japan but had little impact as a sire of winners.


Background

Junius was a "neat" brown horse with a white blaze and three white
socks A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the Calf (leg), calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. ...
bred in Kentucky by Warner L. Jones Jr. He was from the third crop of foals sired by the American sprinter
Raja Baba Raja Baba (April 5, 1968 – October 9, 2002) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who became the 1980 Leading sire in North America, Champion sire in North America. Background Raja Baba was sired by Bold Ruler, the leading sire in North Ameri ...
whose other offspring included
Summer Mood Summer Mood ( foaled 1981 in Ontario) is a retired Canadian Thoroughbred racemare who won the Sovereign Award as the 1985 Canadian Champion Sprint Horse of either sex. A daughter of 1980 leading sire in North America, Raja Baba, she was bred and ...
,
Sacahuista {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Sacahuista , image = , caption = , sire = Raja Baba , grandsire = Bold Ruler , dam = Nalees Flying Flag , damsire = Hoist The Flag , sex = Filly , foaled = 1984 , country = United States , colour = ...
and
Is It True Is It True may refer to: Names *Is It True (horse) Music *Is It True (Brenda Lee song), "Is It True" (Brenda Lee song), 1964 *Is It True (Tame Impala song), "Is It True" (Tame Impala song), 2020 *Is It True? (Yohanna song), "Is It True?" (Yohanna ...
. Junius's dam, Solid Thought was a high-class racemare who won the
Santa Ynez Stakes The Santa Ynez Stakes is a Listed American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt track held annually in early January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. The event current ...
and the Honeymoon Handicap in 1960. She produced several other winner including Gentle Thoughts. Solid Thought was a descendant of the broodmare Traverse, making her a distant relative of
Hasty Road Hasty Road (1951–1978) was an American thoroughbred racehorse which won the 1954 Preakness Stakes. In 1953, Hasty Road won six of his nine races including the Arlington Futurity and the Washington Park Futurity, and set a record for prize m ...
,
Bold Bidder Bold Bidder (March 22, 1962–1982) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Background Bred by the Wheatley Stable partnership of Gladys Mills Phipps and her brother, Ogden L. Mills, Bold Bidder was sired by their great Stallion (h ...
and Intrepidity. As a
yearling Yearling may refer to: *Yearling (horse), a horse between one and two years old *''The Yearling ''The Yearling'' is a novel by American writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, published in March 1938. It was the main selection of the Book of the ...
Junius was offered for sale and bought for $300,000. The colt entered the ownership of Simon Fraser and was sent to Europe where he was trained by
Vincent O'Brien Michael Vincent O'Brien (9 April 1917 – 1 June 2009) was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history in a worldwide poll hosted by the ''Racing Pos ...
at
Ballydoyle Ballydoyle is a racehorse training facility located in County Tipperary in Ireland. It is a sister thoroughbred facility to Coolmore Stud, and both are owned by John Magnier, son in law to the racehorse trainer Vincent O'Brien. The current trai ...
.


Racing career


1978: two-year-old season

On his racecourse debut, Junius started at odds of 1/3 in a minor race over five furlongs but was beaten a short head into second place. At the
Curragh The Curragh ( ; ) is a flat open plain in County Kildare, Ireland. This area is well known for horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is on the edge of Kildare town, beside the Japanese Gardens. Pollardstown Fen, the larges ...
in September he was opposed by eleven horses in a six furlong
maiden race In horse racing, a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the s ...
and accelerated clear of his rivals to win by four lengths from Rare Duke. Two weeks later, over the same course and distance, Junius won the Suir Plate, beating the previously unraced Pittsville by half a length. For his final appearance of the season Junius was sent to England and moved up to
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 ...
level for the Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs at
Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...
on 5 October. He was his trainer's first juvenile runner in Britain that year and started at odds of 7/1 in a ten-runner field. Main Reef, who had been disqualified after finishing first in the
Mill Reef Stakes The Mill Reef Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-olds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled ...
, started favourite, whilst the other contenders included Stanford (
Gimcrack Stakes The Gimcrack Stakes is a Group races, Group 2 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old Colt (horse), colts and geldings. It is run at York Racecourse, Yor ...
), Young Generation (
Richmond Stakes The Richmond Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and geldings. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is sche ...
) and King of Spain (awarded the Mill Reef Stakes). Ridden by
Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and horse trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the grea ...
, Junius disputed second place as Main Reef set the early pace, before going to the front at half way. He got the better of a sustained struggle with Young Generation before drawing ahead to win by a length. The winning time 1:11.0 was a new course record for a two-year-old.


1979: three-year-old season

In April 1979 Junius started odds on favourite in a six-runner field for the Tetrarch Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh. He appeared unsuited by the soft ground and finished a well-beaten fifth behind Gerald Martin. He never raced again and was retired at the end of the year.


Assessment

In the official International Classification of European two-year-olds for 1978 was given a rating of 85, placing him joint sixth behind Tromos,
Irish River {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Irish River , image = , caption = , sire = Riverman , grandsire = Never Bend , dam = Irish Star , damsire = Klairon , sex = Stallion , foaled = 1976 , country = France , colour = Chestnut , breeder ...
, Sigy,
Ela-Mana-Mou Ela-Mana-Mou (1976–2008) was a British Thoroughbred race horse and sire. In a career which lasted from 1978 until October 1980, he ran sixteen times and won ten races. He was one of the best British two-year-olds of 1978, when he defeated T ...
and Sandy Creek. The independent
Timeform Timeform is a sports data and content provider located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1948, it provides systematic information on form to punters and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by th ...
organisation gave Junius a rating of 124, ten pounds behind Tromos who was their top-rated juvenile.


Stud record

After the end of his racing career Junius became a breeding stallion at the Corbally Stud in
County Kildare County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...
in 1980. He was exported to Japan in 1984. The best of his offspring was Come Summer who won the 1986
Clark Handicap The Clark Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Among the oldest races in the United States, it was first run in 1875, the year the racetrack opened for business. C ...
whilst his other progeny included Soluce, who won the Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes in 1984. Although he remained at stud in Japan until 1997 he sired few foals after 1989 and none at all after 1992.


Pedigree


References

{{Reflist 1976 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in Ireland Thoroughbred family 3-n