Mississipian (USA)
May 16, 1971 – c. 1988
Vaguely Noble (IRE) x Gazala II (FR), by Dark Star (USA)
Family 8-a
May 16, 1971 – c. 1988
Vaguely Noble (IRE) x Gazala II (FR), by Dark Star (USA)
Family 8-a
The first of the great broodmare Gazala II’s foals to achieve prominence, Mississipian was rated the best 2-year-old male in France after defeating the season’s other top juvenile, Nonoalco, by a head in the Grand Critérium (FR-G1), traditionally the championship event for the division. He trained on fairly well at 3 but not to championship level. As a stallion, he made little headway and was exported to Japan at age 11.
Race record
10 starts, 3 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds
1973:
1974:
Honors
French champion 2-year-old colt (1973)
Assessments
Rated at 128 pounds by Timeform as a 3-year-old.
As an individual
A bay horse standing 16 hands, Mississipian was neatly made with a look of quality. As a racehorse, he was genuine in a drive and was at his best on firm going to turf with a moderate amount of give.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Mississipian sired 113 winners (31.4%) and 5 stakes winners (1.4%) from 360 named foals. Records for his Japanese-sired progeny may be incomplete. None of his runners came close to duplicating his own ability.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Mississipian was bred and owned by Nelson Bunker Hunt. He was trained by Maurice Zilber. He was exported to Japan in 1982.
Pedigree notes
Mississipian is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1980 Irish St. Leger (IRE-G1) winner Gonzales and to Expediency, dam of Group 3 winners Bin Shaddad (by Riverman) and Oh So Risky (by Kris; also a stakes winner over jumps) and second dam of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Hard Buck. Mississipian is also a half brother to 1976 French champion 3-year-old male and American champion turf horse Youth (by Ack Ack), to 1981 Prix de Guiche (FR-G3) winner Silky Baby (by What a Pleasure), and to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Best of Both (by J. O. Tobin).
Mississipian and his siblings were produced from 1967 French champion 3-year-old filly Gazala II, the 1976 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, whose half sister Kamakura II (by Faristan) is the dam of multiple minor stakes winner Kam Tam Kan (by Tentam). The sisters, in turn, are out of Belle Angevine (by the good French stakes winner L’Amiral), a winning half sister to 1956 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Burgos (by Maurepas) and 1959 Bowling Green Handicap winner Bell Hop (by Sunny Boy). Belle Angevine is also a half sister to Bellicosa (by Buisson d’Or), dam of Italian stakes winner Belmino (by Mincio).
Belle Angevine and her siblings were produced from Bella II (by the good French stakes winner Canot). The next dam in Mississipian’s tail-female line, Bayan Kara (by the important French-based sire Dark Legend), is a half sister to 1931 Grand Prix de Paris winner Barneveldt (by The Winter King).
Fun facts
Last updated: January 1, 2022
Race record
10 starts, 3 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds
1973:
- Won Grand Critérium (FR-G1, 1600mT, Longchamp)
- 2nd Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1, 8FT, Doncaster)
1974:
- Won Prix Niel (FR-G3, 2200mT, Longchamp)
- 2nd Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) (FR-G1, 1600mT, Longchamp)
- 2nd Prix Lupin (FR-G1, 2100mT, Longchamp).
- Also disqualified to 4th after finishing 3rd in the Irish Sweeps Derby (IRE-G1, 12FT, The Curragh)
Honors
French champion 2-year-old colt (1973)
Assessments
Rated at 128 pounds by Timeform as a 3-year-old.
As an individual
A bay horse standing 16 hands, Mississipian was neatly made with a look of quality. As a racehorse, he was genuine in a drive and was at his best on firm going to turf with a moderate amount of give.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Mississipian sired 113 winners (31.4%) and 5 stakes winners (1.4%) from 360 named foals. Records for his Japanese-sired progeny may be incomplete. None of his runners came close to duplicating his own ability.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Mississipian was bred and owned by Nelson Bunker Hunt. He was trained by Maurice Zilber. He was exported to Japan in 1982.
Pedigree notes
Mississipian is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1980 Irish St. Leger (IRE-G1) winner Gonzales and to Expediency, dam of Group 3 winners Bin Shaddad (by Riverman) and Oh So Risky (by Kris; also a stakes winner over jumps) and second dam of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Hard Buck. Mississipian is also a half brother to 1976 French champion 3-year-old male and American champion turf horse Youth (by Ack Ack), to 1981 Prix de Guiche (FR-G3) winner Silky Baby (by What a Pleasure), and to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Best of Both (by J. O. Tobin).
Mississipian and his siblings were produced from 1967 French champion 3-year-old filly Gazala II, the 1976 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, whose half sister Kamakura II (by Faristan) is the dam of multiple minor stakes winner Kam Tam Kan (by Tentam). The sisters, in turn, are out of Belle Angevine (by the good French stakes winner L’Amiral), a winning half sister to 1956 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Burgos (by Maurepas) and 1959 Bowling Green Handicap winner Bell Hop (by Sunny Boy). Belle Angevine is also a half sister to Bellicosa (by Buisson d’Or), dam of Italian stakes winner Belmino (by Mincio).
Belle Angevine and her siblings were produced from Bella II (by the good French stakes winner Canot). The next dam in Mississipian’s tail-female line, Bayan Kara (by the important French-based sire Dark Legend), is a half sister to 1931 Grand Prix de Paris winner Barneveldt (by The Winter King).
Fun facts
- Mississippian may refer to 1) a geologic subperiod of the Carboniferous era extending from roughly 359 million years ago to 323 million years ago, 2) a Native American civilization which existed in the Eastern, Southeastern, and Midwestern portions of what is now the United States from 800-1600 CE, or 3) a native of the American state of Mississippi.
Last updated: January 1, 2022