Lammtarra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lammtarra |
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Lammtarra at the Arrow Stud in 2002.
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| Sire | Nijinsky |
| Grandsire | Northern Dancer |
| Dam | Snow Bride |
| Damsire | Blushing Groom |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 2 February 1992 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Gainsborough Farms |
| Owner | Saeed bin Maktoum al Maktoum |
| Trainer | Alex Scott (1994) Saeed bin Suroor (1995) |
| Record | 4: 4-0-0 |
| Earnings | £1,271,075 |
| Major wins | |
| Washington Singer Stakes (1994) Epsom Derby (1995) K. George VI & Q. Elizabeth Stakes (1995) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1995) |
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| Awards | |
| European Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt (1995) Timeform rating: 134 |
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| Last updated on 6 July 2022 | |
Lammtarra (born February 2, 1992 – died July 7, 2014) was a famous Thoroughbred racehorse. He was born in the United States but trained in Britain. What made Lammtarra special was that he never lost a single race in his whole career!
In 1995, when he was three years old, he won three very important races called Group One races. These are the biggest and best races a horse can win. Because of his amazing wins, he was named the European Champion Three-Year-Old Colt. He is one of only two horses ever to win all three of these major races: The Epsom Derby, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
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Lammtarra's Family Tree
Lammtarra was owned by Saeed bin Maktoum al Maktoum. His father, Sheikh Maktoum, bred Lammtarra at his farm in Kentucky, USA. Lammtarra's father was a famous horse named Nijinsky, and his mother was Snow Bride, who had also won a big race called The Oaks. Lammtarra had a strong family history of winning horses.
Lammtarra's Racing Career
Lammtarra only raced once when he was two years old. He won that race, the Washington Singer Stakes, at Newbury. When he turned three, his main goal was to win the famous Derby race.
Winning the Epsom Derby
Lammtarra's win at the Epsom Derby in June 1995 was very emotional. It happened just a few months after his young trainer, Alex Scott, sadly passed away. Before he died, Alex Scott believed Lammtarra would win the Derby. He was so sure that he placed a special bet of £1,000, hoping to win a lot more money if Lammtarra won.
After his trainer's death, Lammtarra moved to a new training team. There was a time when it looked like Lammtarra might not even race in the Derby. He had been sick and hadn't raced for over 300 days. But he got better and made it to the big race!
Lammtarra was not the favourite to win, with odds of 14/1. The top horses were Pennekamp and Spectrum. Lammtarra's jockey was Walter Swinburn. As the horses turned the final corner, Lammtarra was stuck behind other horses. But with about 400 metres left, Walter Swinburn found a clear path. Lammtarra then sped up incredibly fast. He caught up to the leading horse, Tamure, and won by a length.
Everyone was very emotional after the race. Walter Swinburn and Lammtarra's owner, Sheikh Mohammed, spoke about Alex Scott. Usually, if someone who placed a bet dies, the bet is cancelled. But the betting company, Ladbrokes, let Alex Scott's bet stand. They paid the winnings to his wife, which was a very kind gesture.
Lammtarra finished the race in 2 minutes and 32.21 seconds. This was the fastest Derby time ever at that point! This record stood for 15 years until another horse, Workforce, beat it in 2010.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Victory
Lammtarra's next big race was the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. He had a new jockey for this race, Frankie Dettori. During the race, Lammtarra started to move forward. Another horse, Pentire, came up alongside him and looked strong. Pentire even took the lead for a moment. But Lammtarra fought back with all his might and got his head back in front to win! After the race, Frankie Dettori said Lammtarra had "the heart of a lion." Lammtarra only raced one more time after this, in France.
Triumph at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Lammtarra's final race was the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France, another very important Group One race. Jockey Frankie Dettori kept Lammtarra just behind the leaders. Then, with about 400 metres to go, he urged Lammtarra to the front. Other horses tried to catch him, but none could. Lammtarra won by three-quarters of a length. Frankie Dettori later said that Lammtarra was "possibly" the best horse he had ever ridden because he remained undefeated.
Lammtarra retired from racing without ever losing a race. He had only competed in four races, which is very few for a Derby winner.
Life After Racing
After his incredible racing career, Lammtarra became a stud horse. This means he was used for breeding to create more fast racehorses. He first stayed at a farm in England. Then, in 1996, he was sold to breeders in Japan for a huge amount of money, $30 million!
His children (called offspring or foals) didn't become as famous as he was. However, female horses who were his daughters were still very popular. This is because Lammtarra had excellent bloodlines, meaning his family history showed a strong ability to produce great racehorses.
In 2006, Lammtarra was bought back by his original owner and returned to England. He lived out the rest of his days peacefully at Dalham Hall Stud. Lammtarra passed away on July 7, 2014, at the age of twenty-two.
See also
- List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses
