La Voyageuse (CAN)
May 9, 1975 – 2000?
Tentam (USA) x Fanfreluche (CAN), by Northern Dancer (CAN)
Family 4-g
May 9, 1975 – 2000?
Tentam (USA) x Fanfreluche (CAN), by Northern Dancer (CAN)
Family 4-g
A remarkably versatile mare, La Voyageuse may not have had the sheer talent of her older half brother L'Enjoleur but had every bit of the toughness of her dam Fanfreluche. She won over distances from 6 to 9 furlongs and over both dirt and turf, and earned each of her three Sovereign Awards in a different category. She was a successful broodmare but not in the same class as her dam as a producer.
Race record
56 starts, 26 wins, 10 seconds, 7 thirds, US$524,993 (includes Canadian earnings)
1977:
1978:
1979:
1980:
1981:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1977, 9 pounds below divisional champion Lakeville Miss.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juveniles of 1977, 6 pounds below divisional champion and Canadian Horse of the Year L'Alezane.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-olds of 1978, 2 pounds above the next highest rated filly, L'Alezane.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1979, 13 pounds below champion Trillion.
Highweighted at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for older females of 1979, 4 pounds above second-rated Christy's Moment.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for sprinters of 1979, 4 pounds below highweighted Stutz Bearcat.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf runners of 1979, 13 pounds below champion and Canadian Horse of the Year Overskate.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1980, 4 pounds below highweighted Candy Eclair.
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for sprinters of 1980, 1 pound above Stutz Bearcat.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for older females of 1980, 7 pounds below champion and Canadian Horse of the Year Glorious Song.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1981, 1 pound below highweighted Island Charm.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown mare, La Voyageuse was on the small side but was tough and sound.
As a producer
La Voyageuse produced 12 named foals, of which 11 started and nine won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
La Voyageuse was bred and owned by Jean-Louis Lévesque. She was trained by Joseph “Yonnie” Starr. She was reported as barren in 2000 after producing 12 named foals in 1982-1997.
Pedigree notes
La Voyageuse is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to two-time Canadian Horse of the Year L'Enjoleur (by Buckpasser), 1978 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Medaille d'Or (by Secretariat), and 1981 Breeders' Futurity (USA-G2) winner D'Accord (by Secretariat). She is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Grand Luxe (by Sir Ivor), dam of stakes winner Smackover Creek (by Mr. Prospector) and 2005 Argentine champion sire Lode (by Mr. Prospector), second dam of seven stakes winners including multiple Australian Group 1 winner and champion sire Flying Spur, and third dam of Australian Group 1 winner and champion sire Encosta de Lago. In addition, La Voyageuse is a half sister to the important producers L'On Vite (by Secretariat), L'Extravagante (by Le Fabuleux), Slew and Easy (by Slew o' Gold), and La Pepite (by Mr. Prospector).
The dam of La Voyageuse, Fanfreluche, is a full sister to stakes winner Barachois and to Night Shift, a successful sire in Europe. She is also a half sister to stakes winner Coco La Terreur (by Northern Dancer's sire Nearctic) and to stakes-placed Somfas (by What a Pleasure), dam of three Group stakes winners in Europe. Fanfreluche's dam Ciboulette (by Chop Chop) is a stakes winner and a half sister to 1966 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Cool Reception (by Nearctic) and stakes winner Breezy Answer (by Bull Page; dam of Arctic Blizzard, a top Canadian juvenile of 1967).
Fun facts
Last updated: September 2, 2024
Race record
56 starts, 26 wins, 10 seconds, 7 thirds, US$524,993 (includes Canadian earnings)
1977:
- 2nd City of Miami Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Calder)
1978:
- Won Canadian Oaks (CAN, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Bison City Stakes (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Duchess Stakes (CAN, 8.5FD, Fort Erie)
1979:
- Won Ontario Matron Handicap (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Hendrie Handicap (CAN, 6.5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Miss Tropical Handicap (USA, 7FD, Calder)
- Won Ontario Fashion Handicap (CAN, 6FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Belle Mahone Stakes (CAN, 9FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Canadian Stakes (CAN, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
- 2nd Seaway Stakes (CAN, 7FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Whimsical Stakes (CAN, 6FD, Woodbine)
1980:
- Won Ontario Matron Handicap (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Canadian Stakes (CAN, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
- Won Miss Tropical Handicap (USA, 6FD, Calder)
- Won Seaway Stakes (CAN, 7FD, Woodbine)
- Won Nearctic Handicap (CAN, 6FD, Woodbine)
- Won Ontario Fashion Handicap (CAN, 6FD, Woodbine)
- Won Hendrie Handicap (CAN, 6.5FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Saul Silberman Handicap (USA, 6FD, Calder)
- 3rd Suwannee River Handicap (second division) (USA, 8FT, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd Coral Gables Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Calder; disqualified from second)
1981:
- 2nd First Lady Handicap (USA, 6FD, Gulfstream Park)
Honors
- Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2009)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old filly (1978)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion older female (1979)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion sprinter (1980)
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1977, 9 pounds below divisional champion Lakeville Miss.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juveniles of 1977, 6 pounds below divisional champion and Canadian Horse of the Year L'Alezane.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-olds of 1978, 2 pounds above the next highest rated filly, L'Alezane.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1979, 13 pounds below champion Trillion.
Highweighted at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for older females of 1979, 4 pounds above second-rated Christy's Moment.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for sprinters of 1979, 4 pounds below highweighted Stutz Bearcat.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf runners of 1979, 13 pounds below champion and Canadian Horse of the Year Overskate.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1980, 4 pounds below highweighted Candy Eclair.
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for sprinters of 1980, 1 pound above Stutz Bearcat.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for older females of 1980, 7 pounds below champion and Canadian Horse of the Year Glorious Song.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1981, 1 pound below highweighted Island Charm.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown mare, La Voyageuse was on the small side but was tough and sound.
As a producer
La Voyageuse produced 12 named foals, of which 11 started and nine won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Society Lady (1990, by Mr. Prospector) is the dam of 1998 English champion 2-year-old filly Bint Allayl (by Green Desert), 2004 Jersey Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Kheleyf (by Green Desert) and 2007 Prix Quincey (FR-G3) winner Laa Rayb (by Storm Cat).
- French Shoes (1992, by Fast Play) is the dam of 2000 Silver Slipper Stakes (AUS-G2) winner French Braids (by Flying Spur).
- Innovative (1993, by Time for a Change; a gelding) won the 1998 Caballos del Sol Handicap at Turf Paradise and placed in two listed stakes.
- Time Bandit (1996, by Time for a Change) won the 1998 Bashford Manor Stakes (USA-G3) and Sanford Stakes (USA-G3) and was Grade 1-placed. He has achieved little as a sire in Florida and Louisiana.
- Summer Voyage (1997, by Summer Squall) is the second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Emeral Fight.
Connections
La Voyageuse was bred and owned by Jean-Louis Lévesque. She was trained by Joseph “Yonnie” Starr. She was reported as barren in 2000 after producing 12 named foals in 1982-1997.
Pedigree notes
La Voyageuse is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to two-time Canadian Horse of the Year L'Enjoleur (by Buckpasser), 1978 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Medaille d'Or (by Secretariat), and 1981 Breeders' Futurity (USA-G2) winner D'Accord (by Secretariat). She is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Grand Luxe (by Sir Ivor), dam of stakes winner Smackover Creek (by Mr. Prospector) and 2005 Argentine champion sire Lode (by Mr. Prospector), second dam of seven stakes winners including multiple Australian Group 1 winner and champion sire Flying Spur, and third dam of Australian Group 1 winner and champion sire Encosta de Lago. In addition, La Voyageuse is a half sister to the important producers L'On Vite (by Secretariat), L'Extravagante (by Le Fabuleux), Slew and Easy (by Slew o' Gold), and La Pepite (by Mr. Prospector).
The dam of La Voyageuse, Fanfreluche, is a full sister to stakes winner Barachois and to Night Shift, a successful sire in Europe. She is also a half sister to stakes winner Coco La Terreur (by Northern Dancer's sire Nearctic) and to stakes-placed Somfas (by What a Pleasure), dam of three Group stakes winners in Europe. Fanfreluche's dam Ciboulette (by Chop Chop) is a stakes winner and a half sister to 1966 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Cool Reception (by Nearctic) and stakes winner Breezy Answer (by Bull Page; dam of Arctic Blizzard, a top Canadian juvenile of 1967).
Fun facts
- “La Voyageuse” means “the traveler” in French.
- La Voyageuse was the first horse to win the Sovereign Award as Canadian champion sprinter, a category instituted in 1980.
- During her 1980 campaign, La Voyageuse was the highweight or co-highweight in all 13 of her starts.
- The La Voyageuse Stakes was a sprint stakes at Woodbine for Ontario-bred fillies and mares.
Last updated: September 2, 2024