Minsky (CAN)
March 25, 1968 – January 16, 1977
Northern Dancer (CAN) x Flaming Page (CAN), by Bull Page (USA)
Family 8-f
March 25, 1968 – January 16, 1977
Northern Dancer (CAN) x Flaming Page (CAN), by Bull Page (USA)
Family 8-f
A full brother to Nijinsky II, Minsky was physically very unlike his sibling. He was talented enough to earn a championship in Ireland as a juvenile and trained on well enough to be a Group 3 winner at 3, but he proved highly temperamental and this may have impeded his progress as a racehorse. Even with that taken into account, he did not have Nijinsky II’s raw ability, nor did he fare as well as a stallion before his early death.
Race record
28 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, US$93,470 (includes converted earnings from Canada and Ireland)
1970:
1971:
1973:
Honors
Irish champion 2-year-old male (1970)
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 123 pounds.
Highweighted at 138 pounds on the Madrid Free Handicap for Irish 2-year-old males of 1970, 4 pounds above a three-way tie for second between Ballet Francais (a filly), King's Company, and Wenceslas.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 1971, 2 pounds above the official divisional champion, Kennedy Road.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1971, 6 pounds below co-highweights Canonero II (the official divisional champion) and Bold Reason.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for older males of 1973, 14 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Kennedy Road.
As an individual
A chestnut horse, Minsky was low-slung, blocky, and powerful in make. According to Vincent O’Brien’s son Charles, he “completely mentally exploded, even before the end of his two-year-old career.”
As a stallion
Complete statistics for Minsky’s stud career in Japan are not available.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Japanese Bloodstock Information Systems (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):
Notable progeny
Silksky (JPN)
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Minsky was bred by E. P. Taylor at his Windfields Farm and raced in the name of Windfields Farm. He was trained by Vincent O’Brien in Europe; in North America, he was trained by Sidney Watters Jr. He was exported to Japan in 1974 and stood at Hidaka Stallion Station, where he died in January 1977.
Pedigree notes
Minsky is inbred 5x5 to two-time leading English sire Phalaris and to the champion race mare and producer Selene. He is a full brother to 1970 English Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Nijinsky II, the champion sire on the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1986 and a two-time champion broodmare sire in North America. Minsky is a half brother to stakes-placed Fleur (by Victoria Park), dam of 1977 English Horse of the Year The Minstrel, French Group 3 winner Far North and stakes winner Pilgrim (all by Northern Dancer), as well as Canadian stakes winner Flower Princess (by Majestic Prince; dam of stakes winner Dance Flower, by Northern Dancer).
Flaming Page, the dam of Minsky, won the 1962 Canadian Oaks and Queen's Plate and was second in the Kentucky Oaks, earning the 3-year-old filly championship in Canada. Produced from Windfields Farm foundation mare Flaring Top (by Menow), she is a half sister to Canadian stakes winners Top Tourn (by Tournoi), Quintain (by Tournoi) and Flashing Top (by Ménétrier) and to Friendly Relations (by Nearctic), dam of stakes winner Viendra (by Raise a Native) and second dam of Australian Group 1 winner Bellzevir and Grade 3 winners Morning Frolic, Endow and Irish Forever. Flaming Page is also a half sister to Gleam (by Tournoi), dam of stakes winner Evening Bag (by Bagdad) and second dam of 1976 Laurel Futurity (USA-G1) winner Royal Ski; to Flaming Wind (by Windfields), dam of stakes winner French Wind (by Ménétrier) and second dam of multiple Venezuelan champion Blondy; to Merry and Bright (by Ménétrier), dam of stakes winner Fanfaron (by Victoria Park); and to Flaming Victress (by Victoria Park), dam of stakes winner All for Victory (by One for All) and second dam of 1987 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Phoenix Factor, Grade 3 winner Wasatch, and the good Canadian sire Cool Victor.
Last updated: December 31, 2022
Race record
28 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, US$93,470 (includes converted earnings from Canada and Ireland)
1970:
- Won Beresford Stakes (IRE, 8FD, The Curragh)
- Won Railway Stakes (IRE, 6FT, The Curragh)
- 2nd Observer Gold Cup (ENG, 8FT, Doncaster)
1971:
- Won Tetrarch Stakes (IRE-G3, 7FT, The Curragh)
- Won Gladness Stakes (IRE, 7FT, The Curragh)
- Won Durham Cup Handicap (CAN, 10FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Discovery Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
1973:
- Won Durham Cup Handicap (CAN, 10FD, Woodbine)
- 3rd Niagara Handicap (CAN, 11FT, Fort Erie)
Honors
Irish champion 2-year-old male (1970)
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 123 pounds.
Highweighted at 138 pounds on the Madrid Free Handicap for Irish 2-year-old males of 1970, 4 pounds above a three-way tie for second between Ballet Francais (a filly), King's Company, and Wenceslas.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 1971, 2 pounds above the official divisional champion, Kennedy Road.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1971, 6 pounds below co-highweights Canonero II (the official divisional champion) and Bold Reason.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for older males of 1973, 14 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Kennedy Road.
As an individual
A chestnut horse, Minsky was low-slung, blocky, and powerful in make. According to Vincent O’Brien’s son Charles, he “completely mentally exploded, even before the end of his two-year-old career.”
As a stallion
Complete statistics for Minsky’s stud career in Japan are not available.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 5th on the Japanese general sire list in 1980; 9th in 1979.
Per Japanese Bloodstock Information Systems (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):
- 4th on the Japanese general sire list in 1980; 9th in 1979.
Notable progeny
Silksky (JPN)
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Minsky was bred by E. P. Taylor at his Windfields Farm and raced in the name of Windfields Farm. He was trained by Vincent O’Brien in Europe; in North America, he was trained by Sidney Watters Jr. He was exported to Japan in 1974 and stood at Hidaka Stallion Station, where he died in January 1977.
Pedigree notes
Minsky is inbred 5x5 to two-time leading English sire Phalaris and to the champion race mare and producer Selene. He is a full brother to 1970 English Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Nijinsky II, the champion sire on the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1986 and a two-time champion broodmare sire in North America. Minsky is a half brother to stakes-placed Fleur (by Victoria Park), dam of 1977 English Horse of the Year The Minstrel, French Group 3 winner Far North and stakes winner Pilgrim (all by Northern Dancer), as well as Canadian stakes winner Flower Princess (by Majestic Prince; dam of stakes winner Dance Flower, by Northern Dancer).
Flaming Page, the dam of Minsky, won the 1962 Canadian Oaks and Queen's Plate and was second in the Kentucky Oaks, earning the 3-year-old filly championship in Canada. Produced from Windfields Farm foundation mare Flaring Top (by Menow), she is a half sister to Canadian stakes winners Top Tourn (by Tournoi), Quintain (by Tournoi) and Flashing Top (by Ménétrier) and to Friendly Relations (by Nearctic), dam of stakes winner Viendra (by Raise a Native) and second dam of Australian Group 1 winner Bellzevir and Grade 3 winners Morning Frolic, Endow and Irish Forever. Flaming Page is also a half sister to Gleam (by Tournoi), dam of stakes winner Evening Bag (by Bagdad) and second dam of 1976 Laurel Futurity (USA-G1) winner Royal Ski; to Flaming Wind (by Windfields), dam of stakes winner French Wind (by Ménétrier) and second dam of multiple Venezuelan champion Blondy; to Merry and Bright (by Ménétrier), dam of stakes winner Fanfaron (by Victoria Park); and to Flaming Victress (by Victoria Park), dam of stakes winner All for Victory (by One for All) and second dam of 1987 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Phoenix Factor, Grade 3 winner Wasatch, and the good Canadian sire Cool Victor.
Last updated: December 31, 2022