Culture Vulture

Culture Vulture was an American-bred, British-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse. At the inaugural Cartier Racing Awards in 1991, she was named European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. In her championship season she won four of her six races including two at Group One level: the Fillies' Mile in England and the Prix Marcel Boussac in France. As a three-year-old she became the first British-trained filly to win the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

Culture Vulture
SireTimeless Moment
GrandsireDamascus
DamPerfect Example
DamsireFar North
SexMare
Foaled23 April 1989
CountryUnited States
ColourChestnut
BreederHoltsinger Inc.
OwnerChris Wright
TrainerPaul Cole
Record18:6-2-4
Earnings£466,012[1]
Major wins
Lowther Stakes (1991)
Fillies' Mile (1991)
Prix Marcel Boussac (1991)
Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (1992)
Premio Emilio Turati (1993)
Awards
European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (1991)
Last updated on 20 September 2006

Background

Although Culture Vulture was trained in England, her pedigree was entirely North American (see below). She was bred at Versailles, Kentucky by Holtsinger Inc.[2] She was sired by Timeless Moment out of the Far North mare Perfect Example.

Timeless Moment was a sprinter who won the Princeton Handicap and the Nassau County Handicap. Apart from Culture Vulture, his progeny included the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Gilded Time and the Hollywood Oaks winner Moment To Buy. Perfect Example produced nine other winning foals including Purrfectly,[3] the dam of the Hollywood Oaks winner Santa Catarina.

Culture Vulture was trained throughout her career by Paul Cole at Whatcombe, near Wantage, Oxfordshire. She was ridden in all but one of her races by Cole's stable jockey Richard Quinn. She was owned by Chris Wright, the founder of Chrysalis Records.[4]

Racing career

1991: two-year-old season

Culture Vulture began her career in a maiden race at Newbury in May. She won by three and a half lengths after taking the lead a furlong out.[5] She was immediately stepped up to Group class for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Culture Vulture finished strongly after being unable to find a clear run in the last quarter mile to finish a length second to Marling, a filly who went on to win four Group One races.

Two months later, Culture Vulture was moved up to Group Two level for the Lowther Stakes at York. She was made second favourite behind the Molecomb Stakes winner Sahara Star but was never in danger of defeat, taking the lead at half way and pulling clear to win by four lengths.[6]

In the Autumn Culture Vulture was stepped up in class and distance for the Group One Fillies' Mile at Ascot, for which she was made favourite, just ahead of the Henry Cecil-trained Midnight Air. The two fillies both made their challenges two furlongs out and Culture Vulture was "badly bumped" as Pat Eddery pulled Midnight Air to the outside. Midnight Air crossed the line three quarters of a length in front but a Stewards' Inquiry disqualified her for causing interference and awarded the race to Culture Vulture.[7]

Culture Vulture's last European race of the season was the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp in which she faced a strong field including the previous Group race winners Kenbu, Guislaine and Verveine, as well as other promising fillies such as Red Slippers and Hatoof. Quinn settled the filly in the early stages before taking the lead in the straight. Culture Vulture ran on under strong pressure to hold off a challenge from Hatoof by a short head. Kenbu, in fifth, was beaten a length further than she had been beaten by Arazi in the Prix Morny.[8]

On her final start of the year, Culture Vulture was sent to America for her first start on dirt, and finished ninth of the fourteen runners in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Cole noted that Culture Vulture effectively "refused to race" on the surface.[9]

1992: three-year-old season

Culture Vulture began her three-year-old season by running third to the unbeaten Musicale in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury and then finished fifth behind Hatoof, Marling and Kenbu in the 1000 Guineas.

In her next race, she was sent back to France for the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and produced what was probably her best performance.[10] After turning into the straight in eighth place, she quickened to take the lead a furlong from the finish and was driven out by Richard Quinn to win the Group One race by half a length from Hydro Calido, with Hatoof and Kenbu sixth and seventh respectively.[11] She was the first foreign-trained filly to win the race and her winning time of 1:37.00 was a race record. At around this time, Culture Vulture's owners reportedly turned down an offer of $1,500,000 for the filly from the Japanese owner Mitsuo Haga.[12]

Although there were seven runners for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot the betting suggested that the contest was effectively a match[13] between Culture Vulture and Marling, and the two fillies dominated the race as expected. Marling took the lead a furlong out and held off Culture Vulture's persistent challenge to win by three-quarters of a length with the other runners at least six lengths further back.

Culture Vulture was then off the racecourse for almost four months, missing an intended run in the Prix du Moulin,[14] before running a disappointing[15] third in a Listed race at Ascot. Another unsuccessful attempt at the Breeders's Cup ended her year, as she finished unplaced behind Paseana in the Distaff at Gulfstream Park.

1993: four-year-old season

Culture Vulture was kept in training at four and showed early promise by running third in the Lockinge Stakes on her debut. She followed up with her last important victory, beating Prospective Ruler by a neck in the Premio Emilio Turati in Milan.[16]

She was the beaten favourite in a Group Two race at the Curragh three weeks later, and in July finished third to Niche in the Falmouth Stakes. She was fourth of ten behind Bigstone in the Sussex Stakes before ending her career by running unplaced in the Prix du Moulin.

Race record
Date Race Dist (f) Course Class Prize (£K) Odds Runners Placing Margin Time Jockey Trainer
17 May 1991 Hatherden Maiden Stakes 6 Newbury M 3 5/2 8 1 3.5 1:15.57 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
19 June 1991 Queen Mary Stakes 5 Ascot 3 24 8/1 14 2 1 1:02.51 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
22 August 1991 Lowther Stakes 6 York 2 38 85/40 4 1 4 1:12.44 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
28 September 1991 Fillies' Mile 8 Ascot 1 91 5/2 7 1 0.75 1:46.11 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
6 October 1991 Prix Marcel Boussac 8 Longchamp 1 81 4/1 14 1 short head 1:40.60 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
2 November 1991 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies 8.5 Churchill Downs 1 269 5.7/1 14 9 8.75 1:46.40 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
10 April 1992 Fred Darling Stakes 7 Newbury 3 18 7/2 6 3 6 1:35.22 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
30 April 1992 1000 Guineas 8 Newmarket Rowley 1 111 14/1 14 5 9.5 1:39.45 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
17 May 1992 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches 8 Longchamp 1 102 13.1/1 9 1 0.5 1:37.00 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
17 June 1992 Coronation Stakes 8 Ascot 1 107 9/2 7 2 0.75 1:39.01 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
9 October 1992 October Stakes 8 Ascot Listed 13 2/1 7 3 0.75 1:46.99 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
31 October 1992 Breeders' Cup Distaff 9 Gulfstream Park 1 276 48/1 14 13 9.5 1:48.00 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
14 May 1993 Lockinge Stakes 8 Newbury 2 38 15/2 10 3 1.25 1:39.31 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
6 June 1993 Premio Emilio Turati 8 San Siro 2 43 9 1 neck 1:39.20 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
27 June 1993 International Stakes 8 The Curragh 2 28 5/4 9 6 1.75 1:39.00 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
7 July 1993 Falmouth Stakes 8 Newmarket July 2 38 13/2 11 3 6.5 1:37.08 Pat Eddery Paul Cole
28 July 1993 Sussex Stakes 8 Goodwood 1 79 28/1 10 4 5.5 1:40.19 Richard Quinn Paul Cole
5 September 1993 Prix du Moulin 8 Longchamp 1 107 9.2/1 11 9 8.5 1:37.60 Richard Quinn Paul Cole

Assessment

Culture Vulture was named European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in the inaugural Cartier Racing Awards.[17]

She was the highest-rated two-year-old filly to race in France in 1991.

As a four-year-old she was the highest-rated older filly or mare in England and Italy.[18]

Stud career

Culture Vulture produced three known foals and one winner, the filly Japan (by Caerleon). Her last known foal was born in 1998.[19]

Pedigree
Pedigree of Culture Vulture (USA), chestnut mare, 1989[20]
Sire
Timeless Moment (USA)
1970		 Damascus(USA)
1964		 Sword Dancer (USA) Sunglow (USA)
Highland Fling (USA)
Kerala (USA) My Babu (FRA)
Blade of Time (USA)
Hour of Parting (USA)
1963　		 Native Dancer(USA) Polynesian (USA)
Geisha (USA)
Sweet Sorrow (USA) Count Fleet (USA)
Athene (USA)
Dam
Perfect Example (USA)
1982		 Far North (CAN)
1973　		 Northern Dancer (CAN) Nearctic (CAN)
Natalma (USA)
Fleur (CAN) Victoria Park (CAN)
Flaming Page (CAN)
Bold Example (USA)
1969		 Bold Lad (USA) Bold Ruler (USA)
Misty Morn (USA)
Lady Be Good (USA) Better Self (USA)
Past Eight (USA) (Family: 8h)
  • Apart from My Babu all of Culture Vulture's ancestors in the first four generations of her pedigree were bred in North America.
gollark: They could turn into one, though, just with lower probability.
gollark: Why? Lower probability of eventually becoming a full person? The individual parts still have a nonzero one.
gollark: What's the exact threshold for probability you would use?
gollark: Why, though? Why require it for a fetus, which will with some fairly high probability be born and then with some also fairly high (with modern medicine) probability go on to grow up and whatever, but not something with a lower chance of becoming a person?
gollark: Why *humans*, then?

References
  1. "Culture Vulture race record". Racing Post. 2011-06-02. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  2. "Holtsinger Inc profile". Breederscup.com. 1957-11-27. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  3. "Perfect Example Offspring". Pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  4. "Chris Wright of Chrysalis". The Independent. 1993-02-07. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  5. "Hatherden Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  6. "Lowther Stakes record". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  7. "Fillies' Mile result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  8. "Prix Marcel Boussac result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  9. "Boutin bemused by Arazi". The Independent. 1992-09-22. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  10. "Cole happy to plot new route". Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  11. "Poule d'Essai des Pouliches result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  12. "Kooyonga queen for a day". Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  13. "Fallen heroes redeem their pride". New Straits Times. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  14. "All At Sea takes the soft option in Moulin". The Independent. 1992-09-03. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  15. "Royale to seal her family ties". The Independent. 1992-10-09. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  16. "Premio Emilio Turati result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  17. "Racenews Newslink Archive". Racenewsonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  18. "Golden Eagle - High Demand". Goldeneaglefarm.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  19. "Culture Vulture progeny". Pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  20. "Culture Vulture pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
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