Ménétrier (FR)
1944 – c. 1964
Fair Copy (GB) x La Melodie (GB), by Gold Bridge (GB)
Family 15-b
1944 – c. 1964
Fair Copy (GB) x La Melodie (GB), by Gold Bridge (GB)
Family 15-b
A high-class speedster who could stretch his speed up to nine furlongs, Ménétrier was fast and precocious enough as a juvenile to beat good sprinters in all-aged competition, but neither his sprinting proclivities nor his nasty temper were particularly attractive to French breeders. Thus, he was exported to Canada in 1954. There, he became an important part of E. P. Taylor’s breeding program, siring two winners of the Canadian Oaks and a number of important broodmares.
Race record
29 starts, 13 wins
1947:
1948:
1949:
Honors
As an individual
A brown horse, Ménétrier was probably best at about 7 furlongs. He had a disposition so ugly that a man with a rifle was routinely stationed nearby when he was led to or from his paddock, ready to shoot the stallion if he attacked his handler.
As a stallion
Ménétrier sired 103 winners (74.1%) and 19 stakes winners (13.7%) from 139 named foals according to Jockey Club records.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Blue Choir (FR), Danseur (FR), Menedict (CAN), Victoria Regina (CAN), Virgule (FR)
Notable progeny of daughters
Canebora (CAN), La Sega (FR), Mirna (FR), Vice Regent (CAN), Viceregal (CAN)
Connections
Ménétrier was bred by François Dupré. After standing in France for several seasons, he was exported to Canada in 1954 to stand at E. P. Taylor’s National Stud Farm.
Pedigree notes: Ménétrier’s pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He was produced from La Melodie (a daughter of the top English sprinter and speed sire Gold Bridge), who won the 1941 Prix de Seine-et-Oise from all-aged company as a 2-year-old. She, in turn, was produced from 1933 Prix Kergorlay and Prix de Minerve winner La Souriciere (by 1919 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner McKinley), whose half brother Roi de Paris (by Cerfeuil) won the Great Metropolitan Handicap and Ascot Stakes in England.
The dam of La Sourciere and Roi de Paris, La Panade, was by 1909 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner Negofol. The next mare in Ménétrier’s dam line, La Pucelle, was by the good French stakes winner Lutin and out of Invicta (by Le Sancy), whose full sister Beatrix produced 1906 Prix du Cadran winner Strozzi (by Callistrate).
Fun facts
Last updated: January 6, 2023
Race record
29 starts, 13 wins
1947:
- Won Prix de la Forêt (FR, 1400mT, Longchamp)
- Won Prix de la Manche (FR)
- 3rd Prix de Seine-et-Oise (FR, 1400mT, Longchamp)
1948:
- Won Prix de Seine-et-Oise (FR, 1400mT, Longchamp)
- Won Prix Edmond Blanc (FR, 1500mT, Saint Cloud)
- Won Prix de la Jonchere (FR, 1400mT, Longchamp)
- Won Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord (FR, 1400mT, Longchamp)
- 3rd Prix Daphnis (FR, 1600mT, Le Tremblay)
- 3rd Rose of York Sweepstakes (ENG)
- 3rd Prix de la Forêt (FR, 1400mT, Longchamp)
1949:
- Won Prix d'Ispahan (FR, 1850mT, Longchamp)
- Won Prix de la Jonchere (FR, 1400mT, Longchamp)
- Won Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord (FR, 1400mT, Longchamp)
- 2nd Prix du Prince d'Orange (FR, 2400mT, Longchamp)
- 2nd Prix. Edmond Blanc (FR, 1500mT, Saint Cloud)
- 3rd Premio Chiusura (ITY, 1400mT, San Siro)
Honors
- French champion sprinter (1948)
- French champion sprinter (1949)
As an individual
A brown horse, Ménétrier was probably best at about 7 furlongs. He had a disposition so ugly that a man with a rifle was routinely stationed nearby when he was led to or from his paddock, ready to shoot the stallion if he attacked his handler.
As a stallion
Ménétrier sired 103 winners (74.1%) and 19 stakes winners (13.7%) from 139 named foals according to Jockey Club records.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 3rd on the French broodmare sire list in 1962.
Notable progeny
Blue Choir (FR), Danseur (FR), Menedict (CAN), Victoria Regina (CAN), Virgule (FR)
Notable progeny of daughters
Canebora (CAN), La Sega (FR), Mirna (FR), Vice Regent (CAN), Viceregal (CAN)
Connections
Ménétrier was bred by François Dupré. After standing in France for several seasons, he was exported to Canada in 1954 to stand at E. P. Taylor’s National Stud Farm.
Pedigree notes: Ménétrier’s pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He was produced from La Melodie (a daughter of the top English sprinter and speed sire Gold Bridge), who won the 1941 Prix de Seine-et-Oise from all-aged company as a 2-year-old. She, in turn, was produced from 1933 Prix Kergorlay and Prix de Minerve winner La Souriciere (by 1919 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner McKinley), whose half brother Roi de Paris (by Cerfeuil) won the Great Metropolitan Handicap and Ascot Stakes in England.
The dam of La Sourciere and Roi de Paris, La Panade, was by 1909 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner Negofol. The next mare in Ménétrier’s dam line, La Pucelle, was by the good French stakes winner Lutin and out of Invicta (by Le Sancy), whose full sister Beatrix produced 1906 Prix du Cadran winner Strozzi (by Callistrate).
Fun facts
- Ménétrier is a French surname meaning “carpenter.” The best-known person to bear the name was Pierre Ménétrier, a pathologist who was the first physician to describe a rare gastric disorder later known as Ménétrier’s disease.
Last updated: January 6, 2023