American Classic Pedigrees
  • Home
  • Books
  • Articles
  • Hoofprints
  • Horse Profiles
    • Horse Profiles A-E
    • Horse Profiles F-K
    • Horse Profiles L-Q
    • Horse Profiles R-Z
  • Links
  • About ACP
    • Author
    • Contact
    • For Contributors
Niobe (ARG)

1889 – ?

Whipper-in (GB) x Mnemosyne (ARG), by Unknown

Unknown

​Niobe was the last horse to win the Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby) who was not of pure Thoroughbred ancestry. She had no other significance as a racer or producer.


Race record

Complete record unavailable

1892:
  • Won Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby) (ARG, 2500m, Palermo)


As an individual

A chestnut mare; no further information available.


As a producer

No records available.



Connections

Niobe was bred by Haras Las Rosas, the stud farm of leading Argentine breeder Guillermo Kemmis. She raced for Caballeriza Buenos Aires.



Pedigree notes

Niobe is described as having been 31/32 Thoroughbred. While her dam Mnemosyne's pedigree is unknown, the likeliest scenario is that she stems from a half-bred ancestress whose descendants were repeatedly crossed to Thoroughbred sires. Niobe was officially registered as a half-bred.


Fun facts
  • In Greek mythology, Niobe was a queen of Thebes who disrupted a festival in honor of the goddess Leto (the mother of Apollo and Artemis) with the proud boast that she had fourteen children compared to Leto's two. Angered by the insult to their mother, Apollo and Artemis proceeded to use their skills as archers to shoot and kill all of Niobe's children. Niobe's husband Amphion committed suicide in his anguish, and Niobe fled to Mount Sipylus, where she wept for her children until Zeus in mercy turned her to stone. Even then, the rock continued to weep, and today there is a “Weeping Rock” on Mount Sipylus in Turkey which vaguely resembles a female face and exudes water after rain seeps through its porous limestone.



© 2014-2023 by Avalyn Hunter. All rights reserved. Contributors' materials remain the property of the copyright owners and are used by permission.

Home     Books     Articles     Horse Profiles    Hoofprints    Contact    Links