La Lorgnette (CAN)
April 13, 1982 – c. 2006
Val de l’Orne (FR) x The Temptress (USA), by Nijinsky II (CAN)
Family 9-g
April 13, 1982 – c. 2006
Val de l’Orne (FR) x The Temptress (USA), by Nijinsky II (CAN)
Family 9-g
A huge mare, La Lorgnette took time to grow into her hulking frame but was athletic enough in spite of her backwardness to be a stakes winner at 2. She returned at 3 to sweep Canada’s premier Classics, the Canadian Oaks against her own sex and the Queen’s Plate against males, before retiring to a successful broodmare career.
Race record
19 starts, 5 wins, 8 seconds, 2 thirds, US$488,610 (included converted Canadian earnings)
1984:
1985:
Honors
Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old filly (1985)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juvenile fillies of 1984, 6 pounds below highweighted Bessarabian and 3 pounds below the official divisional champion, Deceit Dancer.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies of 1985, 1 pound below highweighted Bessarabian.
As an individual
A bay mare, La Lorgnette was backwards and gangly as a juvenile with her legs going “in all directions” at racing speed. She matured into a long-striding individual known for her powerful stretch runs.
As a producer
La Lorgnette produced 13 named foals, of which 11 started and eight won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, La Lorgnette was bred by E. P. Taylor and raced for his Windfields Farm. She was trained by Macdonald Benson. Following the birth of her eighth foal, the Ascot Knight gelding Chevalier, she was acquired by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm, which paid US$130,000 for her at the 1997 Keeneland November sale. She was later sold privately to Strategy Bloodstock following the birth of Hawk Wing. Her last foal, the Fusaichi Pegasus colt Black River Falls, was foaled in 2006.
Pedigree notes
La Lorgnette is outcrossed through five generations. She is a full sister to Schonbrunn, dam of stakes winner La Habitant Time (by Iskandar Elakbar) and Grade 2-placed restricted stakes winner Nymphenburg (by San Romano) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Prince Abama. She is also a half sister to Sword Ballet (by Damascus), dam of restricted stakes winner Bayonet (by Wallenda).
La Lorgnette’s dam, The Temptress, won one of her nine starts. She is a full sister to Lucky Us, dam of 1989 Park Hill Stakes (ENG-G2) winner and multiple stakes producer Lucky Song (by Seattle Song), 1994 Ascot Handicap (USA-G3) winner Pollock’s Luck (by Polish Navy), and listed stakes winner Bid Us (by Bold Bidder) and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Catholic Boy. The Temptress is also a full sister to Foolish Redhead, third dam of 2002 Premio St. Leger (CHI-G1) winner Blue Sea.
The Temptress and her siblings were produced from two-time Argentine champion La Sevillana (by Court Harwell). She, in turn, is out of the winning Seductor mare Giraldilla, whose dam line traces back to Argentine foundation mare Ante Diem.
Fun facts
Last updated: April 28, 2025
Race record
19 starts, 5 wins, 8 seconds, 2 thirds, US$488,610 (included converted Canadian earnings)
1984:
- Won Natalma Stakes (CAN-G3, 8FT, Woodbine)
- 2nd Princess Elizabeth Stakes (CAN, 8.5FD, Fort Erie)
- 3rd Ontario Debutante Stakes (CAN-L, 6FD, Fort Erie)
1985:
- Won Queen's Plate (CAN-R, 10FD, Woodbine)
- Won Canadian Oaks (CAN-R, 9FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Prince of Wales Stakes (CAN-R, 12FT, Fort Erie)
- 2nd Selene Stakes (CAN-L, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Wonder Where Stakes (CAN-L, 10FT, Woodbine)
Honors
Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old filly (1985)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juvenile fillies of 1984, 6 pounds below highweighted Bessarabian and 3 pounds below the official divisional champion, Deceit Dancer.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies of 1985, 1 pound below highweighted Bessarabian.
As an individual
A bay mare, La Lorgnette was backwards and gangly as a juvenile with her legs going “in all directions” at racing speed. She matured into a long-striding individual known for her powerful stretch runs.
As a producer
La Lorgnette produced 13 named foals, of which 11 started and eight won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Alexandrina (1987, by Conquistador Cielo) won a restricted stakes race for Canadian-breds as a juvenile. She is the dam of 1999 Canadian Horse of the Year Thornfield (by Sky Classic).
- Halo My Darlin (1989, by Halo) won two of her 12 starts. She is the third dam of Grade 3 winner Halo Dolly, in turn the dam of Grade 3 winner Barraza.
- Hawk Wing (1999, by Woodman) won three Group 1 races, including the 2003 Lockinge Stakes (ENG-G1), which was rated as the best performance by any Thoroughbred in 2003. He was not a successful sire in Ireland and was exported to Korea.
- Race for the Stars (2003, by Fusaichi Pegasus) won the 2006 EBF Fillies Stakes (IRE-G3). She is the dam of Irish listed stakes winner Sir John Lavery (by Galileo)
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, La Lorgnette was bred by E. P. Taylor and raced for his Windfields Farm. She was trained by Macdonald Benson. Following the birth of her eighth foal, the Ascot Knight gelding Chevalier, she was acquired by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm, which paid US$130,000 for her at the 1997 Keeneland November sale. She was later sold privately to Strategy Bloodstock following the birth of Hawk Wing. Her last foal, the Fusaichi Pegasus colt Black River Falls, was foaled in 2006.
Pedigree notes
La Lorgnette is outcrossed through five generations. She is a full sister to Schonbrunn, dam of stakes winner La Habitant Time (by Iskandar Elakbar) and Grade 2-placed restricted stakes winner Nymphenburg (by San Romano) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Prince Abama. She is also a half sister to Sword Ballet (by Damascus), dam of restricted stakes winner Bayonet (by Wallenda).
La Lorgnette’s dam, The Temptress, won one of her nine starts. She is a full sister to Lucky Us, dam of 1989 Park Hill Stakes (ENG-G2) winner and multiple stakes producer Lucky Song (by Seattle Song), 1994 Ascot Handicap (USA-G3) winner Pollock’s Luck (by Polish Navy), and listed stakes winner Bid Us (by Bold Bidder) and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Catholic Boy. The Temptress is also a full sister to Foolish Redhead, third dam of 2002 Premio St. Leger (CHI-G1) winner Blue Sea.
The Temptress and her siblings were produced from two-time Argentine champion La Sevillana (by Court Harwell). She, in turn, is out of the winning Seductor mare Giraldilla, whose dam line traces back to Argentine foundation mare Ante Diem.
Fun facts
- A lorgnette is an old-fashioned variety of eyeglasses or opera glasses held up to the face by means of a handle rather than fitting over the ears or nose.
- La Lorgnette was the second filly to win both the Woodbine Oaks and the Queen’s Plate, following Flaming Page (1962). Since her victories, Dance Smartly (1991), Dancethruthedawn (2001), Lexie Lou (2014), Holy Helena (2017), and Moira (2022) have also completed the double.
- La Lorgnette is the namesake for a stakes race at Woodbine.
- E. P. Taylor intended to sell La Lorgnette as a yearling, but an attack of colic kept her out of the 1983 Woodbine yearling sales.
- England’s Queen Mother was on hand for the 1985 Queen’s Plate and summoned trainer Macdonald Benson to her box to receive her congratulations. It was the second such honor for Benson, who had previously met the Queen Mother in the wake of Regal Embrace’s win in the 1978 Plate.
Last updated: April 28, 2025