Mujtahid (USA)
March 13, 1998 – February 26, 2009
Woodman (USA) x Mesmerize (IRE), by Mill Reef (USA)
Family 3-d
March 13, 1998 – February 26, 2009
Woodman (USA) x Mesmerize (IRE), by Mill Reef (USA)
Family 3-d
As a juvenile, Mujtahid did not race beyond 6 furlongs and did not compete at the Group 1 level, but he made such an impression in his two Group wins that he was crowned England’s champion 2-year-old male. He failed to train on at 3 and went to stud as a 4-year-old. He made little impact as a sire in Ireland but was more successful in Turkey, particularly as a broodmare sire.
Race record
4 starts, 3 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$153,419 (converted from English earnings)
1990:
Honors
English champion 2-year-old male (1990)
Assessments
Rated at 123 pounds on the 1990 European Free Handicap for juveniles, second to highweighted Hector Protector (the French champion juvenile) at 126 pounds.
As an individual
A chestnut horse, Mujtahid had a strong body, powerful hindquarters, and excellent hind legs but was rather heavy-topped.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Mujtahid sired 189 winners (35.8%) and 12 stakes winners (2.3%) from 528 named foals. He was primarily an influence for precocity and speed. His best runners were Teggiano, winner of the Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile (ENG-G1), and Live Well, winner of the Turkish Oaks.
Sire rankings
Per the Jockey Club of Turkey (https://www.tjk.org/EN/YarisSever/YarisSever/Index):
Notable progeny
Live Well (TUR), Teggiano (IRE)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Mujtahid was bred by Mr. and Mrs. D. Johnson. He sold for US$165,000 through the 1989 Keeneland September sale and raced for Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum. He was trained by Robert Armstrong. After standing in Ireland in 1992-1998, Mujtahid moved to Turkey and stood there through 2007. According to the Pedigree Query website (https://www.pedigreequery.com/), he died on February 26, 2009.
Pedigree notes
Mujtahid is inbred 3x4 to 1963 American co-champion juvenile male Raise a Native, 5x5x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah (who also led the English/Irish general sire list in 1951), and 5x5 to 1943 American Triple Crown winner Count Fleet, a champion sire and broodmare sire in the United States. He is a full brother to Group 3-placed Nuriva, second dam of 2023 Scandinavian champion juvenile male Rockofthemountain and Grade 3 winner Burgoo Alley and third dam of Italian Group 3 winner Charline Royale. Mujtahid is also a half brother to 1994 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (FR-G2) winner Just Happy (by Night Shift) and Grade 2-placed restricted stakes winner Tanaasa (by Sadler’s Wells).
Mujtahid and his siblings are out of the unraced Mill Reef mare Mesmerize, whose half sister Marina Duff (by Caerleon) was the Italian champion 2-year-old filly of 1988 and is the dam of 1996 Black Helen Handicap (USA-G2) winner Sopran Mariduff (by Persian Bold), the second dam of Italian Group 3 winners Time Chant and Voice of Love, and the third dam of Italian Group 2 winner Porsenna. Mesmerize, in turn, is out of the unraced Majestic Prince mare Jeanie Duff, whose half sister Tuft (by Primera) is the dam of 1979 Grande Prêmio João Cecilio Ferraz (BRZ-G2) winner First Crop (by Lunard); the second dam of 1992 Grande Prêmio Presidente da República (BRZ-G1) winner Pay Off, Brazilian Group 2 winner La Pintura, and Group 3 winners Harvest Time and Rue Royale; and the third dam of 2001/02 Brazilian Horse of the Year Roxinho. Jeanie Duff is also a half sister to Ride (by Sovereign Path), the dam of 1975 Hungerford Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Court Chad (by St. Chad) and Group 3-placed stakes winner King’s Ride (by Rarity) and the second dam of German Group 3 winner Hoyer, and to Best Regalia (by Sharpen Up), the dam of 1991 Long Look Handicap (USA-G2) winner Wait for the Lady (by Believe the Queen).
Jeanie Duff and her siblings were produced from the stakes-winning Ballymoss mare Turf, a half sister to stakes winner Tinder and to the important producer Beaver Street (both by My Babu). The female line traces back to 1924 Oaks Stakes winner Straitlace.
Fun facts
Last updated: March 3, 2026
Race record
4 starts, 3 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$153,419 (converted from English earnings)
1990:
- Won Scottish Equitable Gimcrack Stakes (ENG-G2, 6FT, York)
- Won Anglia Television July Stakes (ENG-G3, 6FT, Newmarket)
Honors
English champion 2-year-old male (1990)
Assessments
Rated at 123 pounds on the 1990 European Free Handicap for juveniles, second to highweighted Hector Protector (the French champion juvenile) at 126 pounds.
As an individual
A chestnut horse, Mujtahid had a strong body, powerful hindquarters, and excellent hind legs but was rather heavy-topped.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Mujtahid sired 189 winners (35.8%) and 12 stakes winners (2.3%) from 528 named foals. He was primarily an influence for precocity and speed. His best runners were Teggiano, winner of the Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile (ENG-G1), and Live Well, winner of the Turkish Oaks.
Sire rankings
Per the Jockey Club of Turkey (https://www.tjk.org/EN/YarisSever/YarisSever/Index):
- 3rd on the Turkish general sire list in 2004; 5th in 2002; 6th in 2003; 7th in 2001; 8th in 2005.
- Led the Turkish broodmare sire list in 2012; 2nd in 2010, 2013, and 2015; 3rd in 2014; 5th in 2011; 7th in 2017; 8th in 2022; 9th in 2016, 2018, and 2023; 10th in 2009.
Notable progeny
Live Well (TUR), Teggiano (IRE)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Mujtahid was bred by Mr. and Mrs. D. Johnson. He sold for US$165,000 through the 1989 Keeneland September sale and raced for Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum. He was trained by Robert Armstrong. After standing in Ireland in 1992-1998, Mujtahid moved to Turkey and stood there through 2007. According to the Pedigree Query website (https://www.pedigreequery.com/), he died on February 26, 2009.
Pedigree notes
Mujtahid is inbred 3x4 to 1963 American co-champion juvenile male Raise a Native, 5x5x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah (who also led the English/Irish general sire list in 1951), and 5x5 to 1943 American Triple Crown winner Count Fleet, a champion sire and broodmare sire in the United States. He is a full brother to Group 3-placed Nuriva, second dam of 2023 Scandinavian champion juvenile male Rockofthemountain and Grade 3 winner Burgoo Alley and third dam of Italian Group 3 winner Charline Royale. Mujtahid is also a half brother to 1994 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (FR-G2) winner Just Happy (by Night Shift) and Grade 2-placed restricted stakes winner Tanaasa (by Sadler’s Wells).
Mujtahid and his siblings are out of the unraced Mill Reef mare Mesmerize, whose half sister Marina Duff (by Caerleon) was the Italian champion 2-year-old filly of 1988 and is the dam of 1996 Black Helen Handicap (USA-G2) winner Sopran Mariduff (by Persian Bold), the second dam of Italian Group 3 winners Time Chant and Voice of Love, and the third dam of Italian Group 2 winner Porsenna. Mesmerize, in turn, is out of the unraced Majestic Prince mare Jeanie Duff, whose half sister Tuft (by Primera) is the dam of 1979 Grande Prêmio João Cecilio Ferraz (BRZ-G2) winner First Crop (by Lunard); the second dam of 1992 Grande Prêmio Presidente da República (BRZ-G1) winner Pay Off, Brazilian Group 2 winner La Pintura, and Group 3 winners Harvest Time and Rue Royale; and the third dam of 2001/02 Brazilian Horse of the Year Roxinho. Jeanie Duff is also a half sister to Ride (by Sovereign Path), the dam of 1975 Hungerford Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Court Chad (by St. Chad) and Group 3-placed stakes winner King’s Ride (by Rarity) and the second dam of German Group 3 winner Hoyer, and to Best Regalia (by Sharpen Up), the dam of 1991 Long Look Handicap (USA-G2) winner Wait for the Lady (by Believe the Queen).
Jeanie Duff and her siblings were produced from the stakes-winning Ballymoss mare Turf, a half sister to stakes winner Tinder and to the important producer Beaver Street (both by My Babu). The female line traces back to 1924 Oaks Stakes winner Straitlace.
Fun facts
- In Islam, a mujtahid is a scholar of Islamic law and history whose interpretations of the sacred laws derived from the Qur’an and hadiths (records of the saying, actions, and tacit approvals of Mohammed, the supreme prophet of the faith) are deemed authoritative in matters of jurisprudence in areas in which the Qur’an and hadiths are considered ambiguous.
Last updated: March 3, 2026