Plucky Liege

Plucky Liege (1912–1937) was a British Thoroughbred racemare who produced eleven winners, including an Epsom Derby winner at the age of twenty-three and three British Classic race winners. The performances of these horses led to her becoming one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century.

Plucky Liege
SireSpearmint (GB)
GrandsireCarbine (NZ)
DamConcertina
DamsireSt. Simon
SexMare
Foaled1912
CountryGreat Britain
ColourBay
BreederLord Michelham
OwnerJefferson Davis Cohn
Record13: 4-?-?
Earnings£1,811
Last updated on 22 July 2011

Foaled in England, Plucky Liege was bred by Lord Michelham. She was sired by Spearmint, a winner of the two major races in England and France at the time, the 1906 Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. Her dam, Concertina, was un-raced daughter of the leading sire, St. Simon who was one of the most successful sires in history. Concertina was the dam of nine winners, but none of them were top class racehorses. Plucky Liege had three crosses of Stockwell and four crosses of Touchstone in her pedigree.[1]

Racing career

Plucky Liege was purchased by Jefferson Davis Cohn for whom she had thirteen race starts, winning four two-year-old races for earnings of £1,811.[2]

Stud record

In 1930 she was exported to Lower Normandy in France and retired to broodmare duty at Cohn's Haras du Bois-Roussel in Alençon, France. Here Plucky Liege produced twelve foals of which eleven were winners. According to Thoroughbred Heritage, "nearly every major runner in the world today carries at least one strain of Plucky Liege."

Plucky Liege produced the following important progeny:

  • Admiral Drake (1931) won French Grand Prix de Paris, sired Phil Drake(Epsom Derby)
  • Bois Roussel (b. 1935) - English Champion Three-Year-Old Colt, won the Epsom Derby, was Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland. Among others, he was the sire of Tehran and Migoli.
  • Bull Dog (b. 1927) - Leading sire in North America (1943), Leading broodmare sire in North America (1953, 1954, 1956)
  • Diane de Poitiers who was her only non-winner, dam of winners in U.S.A
  • Marguerite de Valois (1919, four wins and dam of winners in France and U.S.A.);
  • Noble Lady (two wins);
  • Noor Jahan (three wins in France, dam and grandam of good winners);
  • Sir Gallahad III (b. 1920) - Leading sire in North America (1930, 1933, 1934, 1940), Leading broodmare sire in North America, (1939, 1943–1952, 1955) .[2]

In October 1933, Jefferson Davis Cohn sold his racing operations, including Plucky Liege, to Leon Volterra. In 1935, Plucky Liege had reached the mature age of twenty-three when foaling future Epsom Derby winner Bois Roussel. She died in 1937 at age twenty-five.

Plucky Liege was recorded as French Star Mare, by Denis Craig in his book, Breeding Racehorses from Cluster Mares.[3]

Pedigree
Pedigree of Plucky Liege (GB), bay mare, 1912
Sire
Spearmint (GB)
1903		 Carbine (NZ)
1885		 Musket Toxophilite
West Australian Mare
Mersey Knowsley
Clemence
Maid of the Mint (GB)
1897		 Minting Lord Lyon
Mint Sauce
Warble Skylark
Coturnix
Dam
Concertina (GB)
1896		 St. Simon Galopin Vedette
Flying Duchess
St. Angela King Tom
Adeline
Comic Song Petrarch Lord Clifden
Laura
Frivolity Macaroni
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References
  1. Pryor, Peter (1979). The Classic Connection'. Luton: Cortney Publications. pp. 45–46. ISBN 0-904378-05-5.
  2. Leicester, Sir Charles (1974). Bloodstock Breeding. London: J.A. Allen & Co. pp. 318–321. ISBN 0-85131-129-6.
  3. Craig, Dennis, Breeding Racehorses from Cluster Mares, J A Allen, London, 1964, p. 136
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