Roaring Lion (USA)
March 11, 2015 – August 23, 2019
Kitten’s Joy (USA) x Vionnet (USA), by Street Sense (USA)
Family 9-g
March 11, 2015 – August 23, 2019
Kitten’s Joy (USA) x Vionnet (USA), by Street Sense (USA)
Family 9-g
A good 2-year-old, Roaring Lion did not stay well enough to capture the Investec Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) but was the dominant colt of his crop over shorter distances. His four English and Irish Group 1 wins against top older runners at distances from a mile to 10.5 furlongs were so impressive that he was named the 2018 European Horse of the Year as well as the European champion 3-year-old male of that year. Unfortunately, Roaring Lion completed only a single Northern Hemisphere season at stud before his untimely death from colic at age 4.
Race record
13 starts, 8 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds, US$3,576,038 (includes converted English and Irish earnings)
2017:
2018:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds on the 2017 European Classification for 2-year-olds, 4 pounds below highweighted U S Navy Flag (the European champion 2-year-old male) but third overall.
Rated at 127 pounds in the Intermediate category on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 3 pounds below overall highweights Cracksman (a 5-year-old) and Australian Horse of the Year Winx (a 7-year-old mare) but tops among 3-year-olds worldwide.
As an individual
A gray horse, Roaring Lion was strongly made with a good shoulder, a deep girth, a powerful body, and a level topline. His hind leg was strong and straight and his limbs were clean. He won over both turf and synthetics. According to trainer John Gosden, he was a good doer with a robust constitution. He had brilliant acceleration and was a determined runner.
As a stallion
Roaring Lion stood the 2019 Northern Hemisphere season at Tweenhills Stud in England. His only crop was born in 2020.
Notable progeny
Dubai Mile (IRE)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Roaring Lion was bred by Jan Van de Bos Naify’s RanJan Racing. A US$160,000 yearling purchase from the 2016 Keeneland September sale, he raced for Sheikh Fahad al-Thani’s Qatar Racing. He was trained by John Gosden and was ridden in all but his first start by Oisin Murphy. He entered stud in 2019 in England at Tweenhills Stud. Following completion of the Northern Hemisphere breeding season, he was sent to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand for the Southern Hemisphere season but developed colic shortly after clearing quarantine. He underwent two surgeries to remove sections of his intestines but had to be euthanized after developing colic again in late August.
Pedigree notes
Roaring Lion is inbred 4x5 to the great international sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is the first foal of his dam Vionnet, who placed in three stakes events including the 2013 Rodeo Drive Stakes (USA-G1) but unfortunately produced only one more live foal before succumbing to laminitis in February 2018.
A half sister to Grade 2 winners Schiaparelli (by Ghostzapper) and Moulin de Mougin (by Curlin) and to stakes winners Alexis Tangier (by Tiznow) and Bronson (by Medaglia d’Oro), Vionnet is out of 2006 Las Cienegas Handicap (USA-G3) winner Cambiocorsa (by the Seattle Slew horse Avenue of Flags), a mare that became a huge Santa Anita fan favorite by winning six straight races over Santa Anita’s downhill turf course. Cambiocorsa is a full sister to multiple Grade 3 winner and 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (USA-L) winner California Flag and is a half sister to Cashmere (by Cowboy Cal), dam of 2021 Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Rombauer.
Cambiocorsa and her siblings are out of unplaced Ultrafleet (by Afleet), a “skinny” and small but correct mare that the Fradkins purchased for US$10,500 from the 1993 Keeneland September yearling sale. Ultrafleet is a half sister to Social Service (by Green Forest), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Princess Deelite (by Afternoon Deelites), and is out of the stakes-placed Vigors mare Social Conduct, a half sister to stakes winner Brief Remarks (by Talc). The next dam in Rombauer’s tail-female line, Jostling Queen (by Knightly Manner), is a winning half sister to stakes winner Inquire (by Star Envoy; dam of Grade 3 winner Ask de Naskra, by Star de Naskra) and to Stage Door Flirt (by Stage Door Johnny; dam of stakes winner Blonde Actress, by Lyphard’s Ridge) and is out of Day O., a Nail half sister to 1966 Sorority Stakes winner Like a Charm (by Pied d’Or) and Irish stakes winners Vaquero II (by Mustang) and Isle of Shine (by Luminary II).
Books and media
At the Races’ footage of Roaring Lion’s victory in the Irish Champion Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqVQdF5Zpw0.
Last updated: October 22, 2022
Race record
13 starts, 8 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds, US$3,576,038 (includes converted English and Irish earnings)
2017:
- Won Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (ENG-G2, 8FT, Newmarket)
- 2nd Racing Post Trophy (ENG-G1, 8FT, Doncaster)
2018:
- Won Coral-Eclipse Stakes (ENG-G1, 10FT, Sandown)
- Won Juddmonte International Stakes (ENG-G1, 10.5FT, York)
- Won QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes (IRE-G1, 10FT, Leopardstown)
- Won Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (ENG-G1, 8FT, Ascot)
- Won Betfred Dante Stakes (ENG-G2, 10.5FT, York)
- 3rd Investec Derby Stakes (ENG, 12FT, Epsom)
- 3rd Bet365 Craven Stakes (ENG-G3, 8FT, Newmarket)
Honors
- Cartier Award, European Horse of the Year (2018)
- Cartier Award, European champion 3-year-old male (2018)
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds on the 2017 European Classification for 2-year-olds, 4 pounds below highweighted U S Navy Flag (the European champion 2-year-old male) but third overall.
Rated at 127 pounds in the Intermediate category on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 3 pounds below overall highweights Cracksman (a 5-year-old) and Australian Horse of the Year Winx (a 7-year-old mare) but tops among 3-year-olds worldwide.
As an individual
A gray horse, Roaring Lion was strongly made with a good shoulder, a deep girth, a powerful body, and a level topline. His hind leg was strong and straight and his limbs were clean. He won over both turf and synthetics. According to trainer John Gosden, he was a good doer with a robust constitution. He had brilliant acceleration and was a determined runner.
As a stallion
Roaring Lion stood the 2019 Northern Hemisphere season at Tweenhills Stud in England. His only crop was born in 2020.
Notable progeny
Dubai Mile (IRE)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Roaring Lion was bred by Jan Van de Bos Naify’s RanJan Racing. A US$160,000 yearling purchase from the 2016 Keeneland September sale, he raced for Sheikh Fahad al-Thani’s Qatar Racing. He was trained by John Gosden and was ridden in all but his first start by Oisin Murphy. He entered stud in 2019 in England at Tweenhills Stud. Following completion of the Northern Hemisphere breeding season, he was sent to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand for the Southern Hemisphere season but developed colic shortly after clearing quarantine. He underwent two surgeries to remove sections of his intestines but had to be euthanized after developing colic again in late August.
Pedigree notes
Roaring Lion is inbred 4x5 to the great international sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is the first foal of his dam Vionnet, who placed in three stakes events including the 2013 Rodeo Drive Stakes (USA-G1) but unfortunately produced only one more live foal before succumbing to laminitis in February 2018.
A half sister to Grade 2 winners Schiaparelli (by Ghostzapper) and Moulin de Mougin (by Curlin) and to stakes winners Alexis Tangier (by Tiznow) and Bronson (by Medaglia d’Oro), Vionnet is out of 2006 Las Cienegas Handicap (USA-G3) winner Cambiocorsa (by the Seattle Slew horse Avenue of Flags), a mare that became a huge Santa Anita fan favorite by winning six straight races over Santa Anita’s downhill turf course. Cambiocorsa is a full sister to multiple Grade 3 winner and 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (USA-L) winner California Flag and is a half sister to Cashmere (by Cowboy Cal), dam of 2021 Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Rombauer.
Cambiocorsa and her siblings are out of unplaced Ultrafleet (by Afleet), a “skinny” and small but correct mare that the Fradkins purchased for US$10,500 from the 1993 Keeneland September yearling sale. Ultrafleet is a half sister to Social Service (by Green Forest), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Princess Deelite (by Afternoon Deelites), and is out of the stakes-placed Vigors mare Social Conduct, a half sister to stakes winner Brief Remarks (by Talc). The next dam in Rombauer’s tail-female line, Jostling Queen (by Knightly Manner), is a winning half sister to stakes winner Inquire (by Star Envoy; dam of Grade 3 winner Ask de Naskra, by Star de Naskra) and to Stage Door Flirt (by Stage Door Johnny; dam of stakes winner Blonde Actress, by Lyphard’s Ridge) and is out of Day O., a Nail half sister to 1966 Sorority Stakes winner Like a Charm (by Pied d’Or) and Irish stakes winners Vaquero II (by Mustang) and Isle of Shine (by Luminary II).
Books and media
At the Races’ footage of Roaring Lion’s victory in the Irish Champion Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqVQdF5Zpw0.
Last updated: October 22, 2022