Folle Nuit (FR)
1940 – c. 1960
Astrophel (FR) x Folle Passion (FR), by Massine (FR)
Family 1-l
1940 – c. 1960
Astrophel (FR) x Folle Passion (FR), by Massine (FR)
Family 1-l
Described as “a racemare of considerable ability” by racing historian Richard Ulbrich, Folle Nuit was among the best French fillies of her year. She was even more important as a broodmare, producing four good stakes winners and breeding on through her daughters Nuit de Folies and Folie Douce, both of whom had a significant impact on North American breeding.
Race record
20 starts, 9 wins
1942:
1943:
1944:
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Folle Nuit produced seven named foals, of which six won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Folle Nuit was bred in France by her owner, Auguste Daubin.
Pedigree notes
Folle Nuit was sired by the French stakes winner Astrophel, whose sire Astérus won the 1926 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) and 1927 Champion Stakes before leading the French general sire list in 1934 and the French broodmare sire list six times. She is inbred 4x4 to the unbeaten French champion Ajax, whose wins included the 1904 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and Grand Prix de Paris, and is a full sister to the stayer Fol Ami, winner of the 1949 Northumberland Plate in England.
Folle Nuit was produced from the winner Folle Passion, whose sire Massine was the best French racehorse of his generation and won the 1924 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in his native country and the 1924 Ascot Gold Cup in England. The next dam in the tail-female line, Hot Bed (by the City and Suburban Handicap winner Mushroom), was a winner in Ireland and France and was produced from Hot Water Bag, a non-winner by 1901 Ascot Gold Vase winner Mackintosh.
Fun facts
Last updated: May 21, 2020
Race record
20 starts, 9 wins
1942:
- Won Prix des Reservoirs (FR, 1600mT, Le Tremblay)
1943:
- Won Prix Vermeille (FR, 2400mT, Le Tremblay)
- Won Prix Penelope (FR, 2000mT, Maisons-Laffitte)
1944:
- Won Prix du Prince d'Orange (FR, 2200mT, Le Tremblay)
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Folle Nuit produced seven named foals, of which six won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Nuit de Folies (1947, by Tornado) won 1949 Prix d'Aumale and 1950 Prix de Minerve. She is the dam of My Night Out (by Phalanx), winner of the 1957 Michigan Mile and One-Sixteenth and the 1958 Clark Handicap; of 1961 Del Mar Derby winner Speak John (by Prince John), the American champion broodmare sire of 1985; and of the minor stakes winner London Jet (by Ridan). She is the second dam of 1973 Cotillion Handicap (USA-G1) winner Lilac Hill, 1976 Gran Premio di Milano (ITY-G1) winner Rouge Sang and 1963 Astoria Stakes winner Miss Twist. She is also the third dam of Grade 3 winner Berry Bush.
- Folie Douce (1949, by Caldarium) was stakes-placed on the race course. She is the dam of 1959 French champion 3-year-old filly Mi Carina (by Ocarina), 1958 Princess Royal Stakes winner and Oaks Stakes runner-up Mother Goose (by Escamillo) and 1967 Gazelle Handicap and Ladies Handicap winner Sweet Folly (by Tom Fool). Folie Douce is also the second dam of 1968 American co-champion 3-year-old male Stage Door Johnny and Grade 2 winner Jack Sprat.
- Hidalgo (1951, by Caldarium) won the 1954 Prix Henri Delamarre. He was of no importance at stud.
- Mandolina (1956, by Ocarina) won the 1959 Prix Minerve. She is the third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Better Talk Now.
- Negresco (1957, by Sica Boy) won the 1960 Grand Prix du Printemps (the forerunner of the Prix Jean de Chaudenay). He was exported to Poland in 1961 and sired at least 17 stakes winners in Eastern Europe including Nagroda Derby (Polish Derby) winners Atarax (1966), Trabant (1967), Taormina (1970) and Daglezja (1971); 1972 Nagroda Liry (Polish Oaks) winner Marsala; and 1976 Ceskoslovenske Derby (Czechoslovakian Derby) winner Sudan.
Connections
Folle Nuit was bred in France by her owner, Auguste Daubin.
Pedigree notes
Folle Nuit was sired by the French stakes winner Astrophel, whose sire Astérus won the 1926 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) and 1927 Champion Stakes before leading the French general sire list in 1934 and the French broodmare sire list six times. She is inbred 4x4 to the unbeaten French champion Ajax, whose wins included the 1904 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and Grand Prix de Paris, and is a full sister to the stayer Fol Ami, winner of the 1949 Northumberland Plate in England.
Folle Nuit was produced from the winner Folle Passion, whose sire Massine was the best French racehorse of his generation and won the 1924 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in his native country and the 1924 Ascot Gold Cup in England. The next dam in the tail-female line, Hot Bed (by the City and Suburban Handicap winner Mushroom), was a winner in Ireland and France and was produced from Hot Water Bag, a non-winner by 1901 Ascot Gold Vase winner Mackintosh.
Fun facts
- Folle Nuit (in English, “Mad Night”) was named for Robert Bibal's 1932 French comedy film La Folle Nuit.
Last updated: May 21, 2020