A hulking son of two-time English champion sire Son-in-Law, Beau Pere had a measure of the stamina for which his sire was so noted but not much class; he was at best a modest handicapper. Even at a fee of nine guineas a mare, he could not attract enough mates to be a viable stallion in England. Following his export to Australasia, the one-time reject became a champion sire twice in New Zealand and three times in Australia. He then transferred to Louis B. Mayer's ranch in California, where he exercised a beneficial effect on American pedigrees as well.
Race record
11 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, £974
1930:
1931:
Assessments
According to author Abram Hewitt, Beau Pere's performances suggested that he was at least 30 pounds the inferior of the best horses of his generation.
As an individual
A brown, Beau Pere was a large, massive, coarse horse with a long body, rather low withers, light bone below the knee and notably upright pasterns. He stood 17.1 hands.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Beau Pere sired 112 winners (53.3%) and 30 stakes winners (14.2%) from 212 named foals. These statistics are almost certainly incomplete with regards to his Southern Hemisphere progeny. According to Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (Blood-Horse), Beau Pere sired 45 stakes winners; Sire Lines (Hewitt) credits him with 49, of which 28 were foaled in Australasia and 21 in the United States. Beau Pere tended to sire large horses that were often surprisingly precocious.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Beau Vite (NZ), Beaulivre (NZ), Beaupartir (NZ), Belle Cane (NZ), Bellesoeur (USA), Flower Bed (USA), Grand Fils, Great Circle (USA), Happy Ending (NZ), Honeymoon (USA), Iron Reward (USA), Judy-Rae (USA), Peerless (NZ), Tara King (NZ), Whisper Low (AUS)
Notable progeny of daughters
Caledon Beau (CAN), Cover Up (USA), Cyane (USA), Flower Bowl (USA), Great Trek (NZ), Karendi (AUS), Lurline B. (USA), Prince Morvi (AUS), Putoko (NZ), Silver Hawk (AUS), Swaps (USA), Track Medal (USA), Wayside Bloom (AUS)
Connections
Beau Pere was bred and owned by Sir John Jardine. He was sold at auction to King George V for 700 guineas at the conclusion of his racing career. He began his stud career at Newmarket, England in 1932. Exported to New Zealand after two seasons at a cost of £100 (per Sir Charles Leicester's Bloodstock Breeding; £500 per Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines), he stood at John Donald's Westmere Stud until Westmere was dispersed in 1937. Beau Pere was then sold to W. J. Smith of Australia and was moved to St. Albans, Scone, New South Wales. He was purchased by Louis B. Mayer in 1941 for a reported US$100,000 and imported to California as the foundation sire for Mayer's new ranch. In 1947 Beau Pere was transferred to Leslie Combs II's Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky but died of peritonitis in August without having covered any mares in his new home.
Pedigree notes
Beau Pere is inbred 4x4x4 to 1887 English leading sire Hampton and 5x5 to three-time leading English sire Galopin, winner of the 1875 Derby Stakes. He is a full brother to Belle Mere, a dead-heat winner of the 1929 Leicestershire Oaks and second dam of the full sisters Sweet Nymph (1944) and Sweet Spray (1946), both winners of the Great Northern Derby and New Zealand Oaks. Beau Pere is a half brother to English stakes winner Buckler (by Buchan); to Balloch (by Obliterate), a two-time champion sire in New Zealand; and to Mr. Standfast (by Buchan), a champion broodmare sire in Australia.
Beau Pere's dam Cinna won the 1920 One Thousand Guineas and was produced from juvenile stakes winner Baroness La Fleche, whose sire Ladas won the 1894 Two Thousand Guineas and Derby Stakes. Also the dam of the minor stakes winners Forest Lassie (by Isinglass), Spearhead (by Spearmint; a useful sire in Australia) and Sundari (by Sunstar), Baroness La Fleche was produced from the great La Fleche (by St. Simon), winner of three English Classics in 1892.
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: August 6, 2022
Race record
11 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, £974
1930:
- Won Norfolk and Suffolk Handicap (ENG, 8FT, Newmarket)
1931:
- Won Swaffham Welter Handicap (ENG, 14FT, Newmarket)
- Won Chesterfield Handicap (ENG, 14FT, Newmarket)
Assessments
According to author Abram Hewitt, Beau Pere's performances suggested that he was at least 30 pounds the inferior of the best horses of his generation.
As an individual
A brown, Beau Pere was a large, massive, coarse horse with a long body, rather low withers, light bone below the knee and notably upright pasterns. He stood 17.1 hands.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Beau Pere sired 112 winners (53.3%) and 30 stakes winners (14.2%) from 212 named foals. These statistics are almost certainly incomplete with regards to his Southern Hemisphere progeny. According to Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (Blood-Horse), Beau Pere sired 45 stakes winners; Sire Lines (Hewitt) credits him with 49, of which 28 were foaled in Australasia and 21 in the United States. Beau Pere tended to sire large horses that were often surprisingly precocious.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 9th on the American general sire list in 1946 and 1947.
- Led the American juvenile sire list by number of winners in 1945 (tied with Bull Lea) and 1948.
- 3rd on the American broodmare sire list in 1956; 4th in 1955.
- Led the Australian general sire list in 1939/1940 through 1941/1942; 5th in 1938/1939 and 1942/1943; 6th in 1943/1944; 10th in 1944/1945.
- 2nd on the Australian broodmare sire list in 1953/1953; 7th in 1951/1952; 8th in 1952/1953.
- Led the New Zealand general sire list in 1938/1939 and 1939/1940; 2nd in 1941/1942; 3rd in 1940/1941.
Notable progeny
Beau Vite (NZ), Beaulivre (NZ), Beaupartir (NZ), Belle Cane (NZ), Bellesoeur (USA), Flower Bed (USA), Grand Fils, Great Circle (USA), Happy Ending (NZ), Honeymoon (USA), Iron Reward (USA), Judy-Rae (USA), Peerless (NZ), Tara King (NZ), Whisper Low (AUS)
Notable progeny of daughters
Caledon Beau (CAN), Cover Up (USA), Cyane (USA), Flower Bowl (USA), Great Trek (NZ), Karendi (AUS), Lurline B. (USA), Prince Morvi (AUS), Putoko (NZ), Silver Hawk (AUS), Swaps (USA), Track Medal (USA), Wayside Bloom (AUS)
Connections
Beau Pere was bred and owned by Sir John Jardine. He was sold at auction to King George V for 700 guineas at the conclusion of his racing career. He began his stud career at Newmarket, England in 1932. Exported to New Zealand after two seasons at a cost of £100 (per Sir Charles Leicester's Bloodstock Breeding; £500 per Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines), he stood at John Donald's Westmere Stud until Westmere was dispersed in 1937. Beau Pere was then sold to W. J. Smith of Australia and was moved to St. Albans, Scone, New South Wales. He was purchased by Louis B. Mayer in 1941 for a reported US$100,000 and imported to California as the foundation sire for Mayer's new ranch. In 1947 Beau Pere was transferred to Leslie Combs II's Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky but died of peritonitis in August without having covered any mares in his new home.
Pedigree notes
Beau Pere is inbred 4x4x4 to 1887 English leading sire Hampton and 5x5 to three-time leading English sire Galopin, winner of the 1875 Derby Stakes. He is a full brother to Belle Mere, a dead-heat winner of the 1929 Leicestershire Oaks and second dam of the full sisters Sweet Nymph (1944) and Sweet Spray (1946), both winners of the Great Northern Derby and New Zealand Oaks. Beau Pere is a half brother to English stakes winner Buckler (by Buchan); to Balloch (by Obliterate), a two-time champion sire in New Zealand; and to Mr. Standfast (by Buchan), a champion broodmare sire in Australia.
Beau Pere's dam Cinna won the 1920 One Thousand Guineas and was produced from juvenile stakes winner Baroness La Fleche, whose sire Ladas won the 1894 Two Thousand Guineas and Derby Stakes. Also the dam of the minor stakes winners Forest Lassie (by Isinglass), Spearhead (by Spearmint; a useful sire in Australia) and Sundari (by Sunstar), Baroness La Fleche was produced from the great La Fleche (by St. Simon), winner of three English Classics in 1892.
Books and media
- Beau Pere is profiled in Chapter 84 of Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and reprinted in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
- Beau Pere is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Fun facts
- Beau Pere means “beautiful father” in French.
- According to bloodlines.net, Beau Pere sired just five foals in England (six per Abram Hewitt) before being exported from his native land; none distinguished themselves.
- Beau Pere was reportedly of such a size that when he arrived by rail in Kentucky, he had to be walked to Spendthrift Farm because he could not fit on a standard horse van.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: August 6, 2022