Fraise (USA)
April 13, 1988 – November 6, 2005
Strawberry Road (AUS) x Zalataia (FR), by Dictus (FR)
Family 6-x*
April 13, 1988 – November 6, 2005
Strawberry Road (AUS) x Zalataia (FR), by Dictus (FR)
Family 6-x*
A good staying turf runner, Fraise had his biggest success when upsetting divisional champion Sky Classic in the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Turf in a performance that set a new course record. He was sent to Japan for stud duty but was not a success there. After seeing service in a Japanese riding school, he was repatriated to the United States and ended his days in Kentucky.
Race record
34 starts, 10 firsts, 5 seconds, 6 thirds, US$2,613,105
1991:
1992:
1993:
1994:
Assessments
Rated at 111 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1991. 15 pounds below champion Tight Spot.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1992, 1 pound below champion Sky Classic.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1993, 5 pounds below highweighted Lure and 4 pounds below the official divisional champion and American Horse of the Year, Kotashaan.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1994, 11 pounds below champion Paradise Creek.
As an individual
A bay horse, Fraise lacked tactical speed and was at his best over long distances, where his ability to deliver a long, sustained drive could be used to best effect. He preferred to come from well off the pace. He suffered a splint injury at age 5 and had to miss several months of that year’s racing season. He had a good temperament and was used as a mount for beginning riders at the Olympic Riding School after his retirement from stud duty.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by the Jockey Club, Fraise sired 86 winners (42.4%) and one stakes winner (0.5%) from 203 named foals of racing age. None of his foals have had any great significance.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Fraise was bred and owned by Allen E. Paulson, later becoming the property of his wife, Madeleine. The colt was trained by Richard J. Lundy at 3 and later on by Bill Mott. He was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup win by Patrick Valenzuela. Following Fraise’s retirement from racing, he was sent to the Lex Stud in Japan for stallion duty. After eight seasons at stud, he was gelded and sent to the Olympic Riding School in Chiba, Japan. He was purchased from the school for US$10,000 by the Old Friends retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, and returned to the United States in August 2005 to live out the final months of his life at Hurstland Farm near Midway, kentucky. He died in November 2005 after rupturing a blood vessel in his abdomen. He was cremated and his ashes were interred at Old Friends.
Pedigree notes
Fraise’s pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to listed stakes winner Winnetka (by Theatrical), the third dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Tommy Macho. Fraise is also a half brother to Izara (by Blushing John), dam of 2010 Wilshire Handicap (USA-G3) winner Medaglia d’Amour (by Medaglia d’Oro), and to Julie’s Angel (by Theatrical), dam of 2008 San Pasqual Handicap (USA-G2) winner Zappa (by Afternoon Deelites).
Zalataia, the dam of Fraise, won five graded or Group races including the 1983 Oak Tree Invitational Stakes (USA-G1). She is a daughter of Dictus, winner of the 1971 Prix Jacques Le Marois (FR-G1) and was produced from Tapioquerie, whose sire, Tapioca, won the 1957 Prix d’Harcourt.
Tapioquerie, in turn, is out of La Hauquerie, whose sire, Cernobbio, won the 1955 Prix Robert Papin. La Hauquerie’s dam, Capeline (by 1958 French champion sire Vieux Manoir, winner of the 1950 Grand Prix de Paris) is a half sister to Astaria (by La Varende), winner of the 1964 Prix Vermeille and the 1965 Prix Jacques Le Marois.
*Fraise’s female line, which traces back to an English mare known as Milbanke’s Bald Peg, has traditionally been ascribed to Bruce Lowe Family 6. However, a pedigree given in the York Courant for a mid-18th century stallion by Cartouch and certified by a member of the Milbanke family ascribes Milbanke’s Bald Peg to the produce of a Royal Mare owned by Mr. Sutton Oglethorpe and not to the produce of the Old Morocco Mare as had been thought earlier. The now-defunct Bloodlines.net website gave the branch of Family 6 descended from Milbanke’s Bald Peg the designation 6-x in recognition of the anomaly.
Books and media
Footage of Fraise’s win in the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Turf can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU6zSaBRN4k.
Fun facts
Last updated: May 26, 2026
Race record
34 starts, 10 firsts, 5 seconds, 6 thirds, US$2,613,105
1991:
- Won Round Table Handicap (USA-G3, 9.5FT, Arlington)
- 3rd Bay Meadows Derby (USA-G3, about 9FT, Bay Meadows)
1992:
- Won Breeders’ Cup Turf (USA-G1, 12FT, Gulfstream Park; new course record 2:24.08)
- Won Sword Dancer Handicap (USA-G1, 12FT, Saratoga; new course record 2:25.88)
- 2nd Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Hollywood; disqualified from first)
- 2nd Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Bowling Green Handicap (USA-G2, 11FT, Belmont)
1993:
- Won Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Hollywood)
- Won Pan American Handicap (USA-G2, about 12FT, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, about 14FT, Santa Anita)
- 3rd W. L. McKnight Handicap (USA-G2, 12FT, Calder)
1994:
- Won Pan American Handicap (USA-G2, about 12FT, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 12FT, Hialeah)
- 3rd Man o’ War Stakes (USA-G1, 11FT, Belmont)
- 3rd Bowling Green Handicap (USA-G2, 11FT, Belmont)
Assessments
Rated at 111 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1991. 15 pounds below champion Tight Spot.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1992, 1 pound below champion Sky Classic.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1993, 5 pounds below highweighted Lure and 4 pounds below the official divisional champion and American Horse of the Year, Kotashaan.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1994, 11 pounds below champion Paradise Creek.
As an individual
A bay horse, Fraise lacked tactical speed and was at his best over long distances, where his ability to deliver a long, sustained drive could be used to best effect. He preferred to come from well off the pace. He suffered a splint injury at age 5 and had to miss several months of that year’s racing season. He had a good temperament and was used as a mount for beginning riders at the Olympic Riding School after his retirement from stud duty.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by the Jockey Club, Fraise sired 86 winners (42.4%) and one stakes winner (0.5%) from 203 named foals of racing age. None of his foals have had any great significance.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Fraise was bred and owned by Allen E. Paulson, later becoming the property of his wife, Madeleine. The colt was trained by Richard J. Lundy at 3 and later on by Bill Mott. He was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup win by Patrick Valenzuela. Following Fraise’s retirement from racing, he was sent to the Lex Stud in Japan for stallion duty. After eight seasons at stud, he was gelded and sent to the Olympic Riding School in Chiba, Japan. He was purchased from the school for US$10,000 by the Old Friends retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, and returned to the United States in August 2005 to live out the final months of his life at Hurstland Farm near Midway, kentucky. He died in November 2005 after rupturing a blood vessel in his abdomen. He was cremated and his ashes were interred at Old Friends.
Pedigree notes
Fraise’s pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to listed stakes winner Winnetka (by Theatrical), the third dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Tommy Macho. Fraise is also a half brother to Izara (by Blushing John), dam of 2010 Wilshire Handicap (USA-G3) winner Medaglia d’Amour (by Medaglia d’Oro), and to Julie’s Angel (by Theatrical), dam of 2008 San Pasqual Handicap (USA-G2) winner Zappa (by Afternoon Deelites).
Zalataia, the dam of Fraise, won five graded or Group races including the 1983 Oak Tree Invitational Stakes (USA-G1). She is a daughter of Dictus, winner of the 1971 Prix Jacques Le Marois (FR-G1) and was produced from Tapioquerie, whose sire, Tapioca, won the 1957 Prix d’Harcourt.
Tapioquerie, in turn, is out of La Hauquerie, whose sire, Cernobbio, won the 1955 Prix Robert Papin. La Hauquerie’s dam, Capeline (by 1958 French champion sire Vieux Manoir, winner of the 1950 Grand Prix de Paris) is a half sister to Astaria (by La Varende), winner of the 1964 Prix Vermeille and the 1965 Prix Jacques Le Marois.
*Fraise’s female line, which traces back to an English mare known as Milbanke’s Bald Peg, has traditionally been ascribed to Bruce Lowe Family 6. However, a pedigree given in the York Courant for a mid-18th century stallion by Cartouch and certified by a member of the Milbanke family ascribes Milbanke’s Bald Peg to the produce of a Royal Mare owned by Mr. Sutton Oglethorpe and not to the produce of the Old Morocco Mare as had been thought earlier. The now-defunct Bloodlines.net website gave the branch of Family 6 descended from Milbanke’s Bald Peg the designation 6-x in recognition of the anomaly.
Books and media
Footage of Fraise’s win in the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Turf can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU6zSaBRN4k.
Fun facts
- Madeleine Paulson became the owner of Fraise following the colt’s 3-year-old season by beating her husband in a game of golf. She later donated US$65,000 to Old Friends to have Fraise and another horse, multiple Grade 1 winner Ogygian, repurchased and brought back to the United States from Japan.
- “Fraise” is the French word for “strawberry.” The name alludes to both his sire’s name and the French breeding of his dam.
Last updated: May 26, 2026