Rouletabille was well below the standard of the best American colts of his day, but he was a consistent runner at his level and was a deserving champion in Canada as a 3-year-old. He received only limited opportunities at stud and was not a success in either Canada or South Africa.
Race record
24 starts, 8 wins, 6 seconds, 6 thirds, US$96.651 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
1967:
1968:
Honors
Canadian champion 3-year-old male (1968)
Assessments
Rated at 111 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1967, 15 pounds below champion Vitriolic.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 2-year-olds of 1967, 4 pounds below champion Dancer’s Image.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-olds of 1968, 1 pound above Queen’s Plate winner Merger.
As an individual
A bay horse; no further information available.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Rouletabille sired 16 winners (29.6%) and 2 stakes winners (3.7%) from 54 named foals of racing age.
Connections
Rouletabille was bred and owned by Jean-Louis Lévesque. He was initially trained by G. Warren and J. C. Meyer before transferring to the barn of Lucien Laurin to finish out his 2-year-old season. At 3, he was trained by Joseph "Yonnie" Starr. He entered stud in Canada in 1970 and was exported to South Africa in 1973.
Pedigree notes
Rouletabille is inbred 5x5 to 1911 English champion older male Swynford, who led the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1923. He is a half brother to Plumovent (by Turn-to), dam of 1987 Derby Italiano (ITY-G1) winner Zaizoom (by Al Nasr) and multiple juvenile stakes winner Vent d’Ouest (by Cerf Volant). He is also a half brother to stakes-placed Tete de Linotte (by Turn-to), dam of 1986 Canadian champion older female Bessarabian (by Vice Regent), second dam of 2001 Canadian champion older male A Fleets Dancer (by Afleet), and third dam of Group 3 winner Market Rally. In addition, Rouletabille is a half brother to Pierluche (by Pierlou), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Kaigun.
Rouletabille and his siblings are out of Pink Nightie (by Windfields), a winning half sister to multiple stakes winner Rambling Wreck (by Chop Chop) and to Gallant Fashion (by Gallant Man), dam of stakes winner Gallant Best (by Best Turn) and second dam of Grade 2 winner The Silver Move. The next dam in Rouletabille’s tail-female lineage, stakes-placed Pink Sapphire (by 1943 Dwyer Stakes winner Vincentive), is a half sister to Restless Wind (by Windy City II), winner of the 1958 Arlington Futurity and Washington Park Futurity.
Pink Sapphire, in turn, is out of the winning Bull Lea mare Lump Sugar, whose Eight Thirty half sister Sugar Drop is the dam of juvenile stakes winner Board Man (by Lord Putnam). Produced from the St. Germans mare Sugar Run, Lump Sugar is also a half sister to Butterfly (by Bimelech), dam of juvenile stakes winner John Doe (by To Market), second dam of Grade 2 winner Wichita Oil, and third dam of 1982 Norsk Kriterium (NOR-G1) winner Butterfly Rose and 1983 Norwegian champion 2-year old Missy Baldski, also a winner of the Norsk Kriterium. In addition, Lump Sugar is a half sister to Topping Time (by County Delight), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Top Avenger.
Fun facts
Last updated: December 28, 2022
Race record
24 starts, 8 wins, 6 seconds, 6 thirds, US$96.651 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
1967:
- Won Fleur de Lis Stakes (CAN, 6FD, Blue Bonnets)
- 2nd Coronation Futurity (CAN, 9FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Cup and Saucer Stakes (CAN, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Carleton Stakes (CAN, 8FD, Greenwood)
- 3rd Victoria Stakes (CAN, 5.5FD, Woodbine)
1968:
- Won Prince of Wales Stakes (CAN, 11FT, Fort Erie)
- Won Queenston Stakes (CAN, 6FD, Fort Erie)
- Won Heresy Stakes (CAN, 8FT, Fort Erie; new course record 1:35-3/5)
- Won International Handicap (CAN, 8.5FT, Fort Erie; equaled course record 1:42-2/5)
- 2nd Achievement Handicap (CAN, 8.5FD, Fort Erie)
- 2nd Toronto Cup Handicap (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Marine Stakes (CAN, 7FD, Woodbine)
- 3rd Queen's Plate (CAN, 10FD, Woodbine)
Honors
Canadian champion 3-year-old male (1968)
Assessments
Rated at 111 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1967, 15 pounds below champion Vitriolic.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 2-year-olds of 1967, 4 pounds below champion Dancer’s Image.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-olds of 1968, 1 pound above Queen’s Plate winner Merger.
As an individual
A bay horse; no further information available.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Rouletabille sired 16 winners (29.6%) and 2 stakes winners (3.7%) from 54 named foals of racing age.
Connections
Rouletabille was bred and owned by Jean-Louis Lévesque. He was initially trained by G. Warren and J. C. Meyer before transferring to the barn of Lucien Laurin to finish out his 2-year-old season. At 3, he was trained by Joseph "Yonnie" Starr. He entered stud in Canada in 1970 and was exported to South Africa in 1973.
Pedigree notes
Rouletabille is inbred 5x5 to 1911 English champion older male Swynford, who led the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1923. He is a half brother to Plumovent (by Turn-to), dam of 1987 Derby Italiano (ITY-G1) winner Zaizoom (by Al Nasr) and multiple juvenile stakes winner Vent d’Ouest (by Cerf Volant). He is also a half brother to stakes-placed Tete de Linotte (by Turn-to), dam of 1986 Canadian champion older female Bessarabian (by Vice Regent), second dam of 2001 Canadian champion older male A Fleets Dancer (by Afleet), and third dam of Group 3 winner Market Rally. In addition, Rouletabille is a half brother to Pierluche (by Pierlou), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Kaigun.
Rouletabille and his siblings are out of Pink Nightie (by Windfields), a winning half sister to multiple stakes winner Rambling Wreck (by Chop Chop) and to Gallant Fashion (by Gallant Man), dam of stakes winner Gallant Best (by Best Turn) and second dam of Grade 2 winner The Silver Move. The next dam in Rouletabille’s tail-female lineage, stakes-placed Pink Sapphire (by 1943 Dwyer Stakes winner Vincentive), is a half sister to Restless Wind (by Windy City II), winner of the 1958 Arlington Futurity and Washington Park Futurity.
Pink Sapphire, in turn, is out of the winning Bull Lea mare Lump Sugar, whose Eight Thirty half sister Sugar Drop is the dam of juvenile stakes winner Board Man (by Lord Putnam). Produced from the St. Germans mare Sugar Run, Lump Sugar is also a half sister to Butterfly (by Bimelech), dam of juvenile stakes winner John Doe (by To Market), second dam of Grade 2 winner Wichita Oil, and third dam of 1982 Norsk Kriterium (NOR-G1) winner Butterfly Rose and 1983 Norwegian champion 2-year old Missy Baldski, also a winner of the Norsk Kriterium. In addition, Lump Sugar is a half sister to Topping Time (by County Delight), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Top Avenger.
Fun facts
- “Rouletabille” is the French word from which the English “roulette” is derived, referring to a gambling game in which players place bets on the outcome of a spin of a red-and-black wheel with numbers designating each section. “Rouletabille” is also French slang for “globetrotter,” and can be applied to someone who is cool-headed, worldly-wise, and “has seen it all.” Because of this association, “Rouletabille” was used as a nickname for the character of Joseph Josephin, a journalist and amateur sleuth in a series of French novels written by Gaston Leroux early in the twentieth century.
Last updated: December 28, 2022