Bessarabian
Bessarabian (foaled 1982 in Pennsylvania) is a Canadian Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned by Thor Eaton's Eaton Hall Farm, the Eaton family member entrusted her race conditioning to Mike Doyle. The millionaire granddaughter of Northern Dancer, Bessarabian raced in Canada and the United States. She won eighteen of her thirty-seven starts and was voted the 1986 Sovereign Award for Champion Older Female Horse.
| Bessarabian | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Vice Regent |
| Grandsire | Northern Dancer |
| Dam | Tete de Linotte |
| Damsire | Turn-To |
| Sex | Filly |
| Foaled | 1982 |
| Country | Canada |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Welcome Farm |
| Owner | Eaton Hall Farm |
| Trainer | Michael J. Doyle |
| Record | 37: 18-5-4 |
| Earnings | $1,032,640 |
| Major wins | |
| Gardenia Stakes (1984) Ontario Debutante Stakes (1984) Mazarine Stakes (1984) Selene Stakes (1985) Lady Angela Stakes (1985) Ontario Colleen Handicap (1985) Hibiscus Stakes (1985) Woodbine Breeders' Cup Stakes (1986) Ontario Matron Stakes (1986) Seaway Stakes (1986) Canadian Stakes (1986) Tattling Handicap (1986) | |
| Awards | |
| Canadian Champion Older Female Horse (1986) | |
| Honours | |
| Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack | |
As a two-year-old, Bessarabian had an outstanding season and was sent off as the parimutuel betting favorite in the 1984 inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies held that year at Hollywood Park Racetrack. However, coming out of the first turn of the race, longshot Fran's Valentine veered wide and knocked another horse off stride and into Bessarabian who never recovered and finished fifth. Fran's Valentine won the race but was disqualified and the win awarded to runner-up, Outstandingly.
Retired to broodmare duty, Bessarabian produced four foals, the most successful of which in racing was probably Dagda, a stakes-winning gelding born in 1992 sired by Alysheba.