Prunella (horse) facts for kids

Prunella's owner the 3rd Duke of Grafton

Prunella was a famous British Thoroughbred racehorse, born in 1788. She raced from 1791 to 1794, winning three races. One of her big wins was a special race called a Sweepstakes at Newmarket. After her racing career, she became a very important mother horse, known as a broodmare. She gave birth to famous horses like Pope, who won the Epsom Derby, and Pelisse, who won the Epsom Oaks. Many of her daughters also became excellent broodmares themselves. Prunella was owned by the 3rd Duke of Grafton.

Prunella's Early Life and Family

Prunella was a bay filly, which means she was a female horse with a reddish-brown body and a black mane and tail. She was born in 1788. Her breeder was the 3rd Duke of Grafton.

Her father was a horse named Highflyer. He was a very successful racehorse who never lost a race! Highflyer was also a top father horse, becoming the best sire (father of racehorses) thirteen times. He had many famous children, including three winners of the Epsom Derby, a very important race. Prunella's mother was a mare named Promise. Her father was another champion sire called Snap.

Prunella's Racing Career

1791: Her First Races

Prunella started her racing career when she was three years old. Her first race was at Epsom Downs in June 1791. This was the Oaks Stakes, a big race for fillies. She didn't win this time.

Her next race was in October at Newmarket. This was a "Sweepstakes" race, where each owner paid money to enter, and the winner took the pot. Prunella raced against two other horses. She won this race, beating a horse named Vermin. A couple of weeks later, she had a "match race" against another filly named Sylph. A match race is when only two horses race against each other. Prunella lost this race.

1792: Her Four-Year-Old Season

In April 1792, Prunella raced at Newmarket again and won a small race against a horse named Mopsey. Later that year, she raced in a few more events. She came in third place in a "Handicap Sweepstakes" race, where horses carry different weights to make the race fair. Her last race of the year was another "Handicap Plate" at Newmarket, where she finished third out of twelve horses.

1793: Her Five-Year-Old Season

As a five-year-old, Prunella's first race was the King's Plate for mares at Newmarket in April 1793. She finished second in this important race, just behind the winner, Peggy. Her only other race that year was at Huntingdon. This was a £50 race with two four-mile "heats." Prunella was very strong and won both heats, showing her endurance.

1794: Her Final Races

In April 1794, Prunella raced at Newmarket again. She didn't place in her first race of the season. Her very last race was in early May, also at Newmarket, in the King's Plate for 100 guineas. She finished second to Peggy again, who was the favorite to win. This was the end of Prunella's racing days.

Prunella's Reproduction and Legacy

Prunella's daughter Penelope

Prunella's daughter Parasol

Prunella's son Pope

After she stopped racing in 1794, Prunella became a "broodmare." This means she was used for breeding to have foals (baby horses). She was a very important broodmare because almost all her daughters who had foals went on to produce classic race winners themselves!

Prunella gave birth to twelve foals in total. Here are some of her most famous children:

Prunella passed away in December 1811. She was at the Duke of Grafton's horse farm in Euston, Suffolk. Her legacy lives on through her many successful children and grandchildren.