Ouija Board (GB)
March 6, 2001 – November 29, 2022
Cape Cross (IRE) x Selection Board (GB), by Welsh Pageant (FR)
Family 12-b
March 6, 2001 – November 29, 2022
Cape Cross (IRE) x Selection Board (GB), by Welsh Pageant (FR)
Family 12-b
One of the great globe-trotters of modern times, Ouija Board competed around the world and won Grade/Group 1 races in four different countries and on three different continents, becoming a champion in both Europe and North America. As a broodmare, she was hampered by reproductive problems but was a success in her second career nonetheless.
Race record
22 starts, 10 wins, 3 seconds, 5 thirds, US$6,312,552 (including converted international earnings)
2003:
2004:
2005:
2006:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds in the Long category on the 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for her races in the Oaks Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, 10 pounds below overall highweight Ghostzapper (the American Horse of the Year, who earned his top rating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, USA-G1) but best among fillies and mares regardless of distance or surface.
Rated at 117 pounds in the Long category on the 2005 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for her performance in the Hong Kong Vase, 13 pounds below overall highweight Hurricane Run (the European Horse of the Year, who earned his top rating in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) and 5 pounds below the top-rated female, Divine Proportions, who gained her rating in the Mile category while winning the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, FR-G1).
Highweighted among English older females of 2005 over 11-14 furlongs.
Rated at 122 pounds in the Intermediate and Long categories on the 2006 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for her performances in the Baileys Irish Champion Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, respectively, 7 pounds below overall highweight Invasor (who earned his top rating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic) and 1 pound below the top-rated filly or mare, Pride, who earned her 123-pound rating in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Highweighted among English older females of 2006 over 11-14 furlongs.
Highweighted among Irish older females of 2006 over 9.5-11 furlongs.
As an individual
A bay mare with a muscular, well-balanced body and powerful hindquarters, Ouija Board was adaptable and sweet-natured, with a liking for mints and human attention.
As a producer
Ouija Board produced five named foals, all of which started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Ouija Board was bred by the estate of the 18th Earl of Derby. She was owned by Edward Stanley, the 19th Earl, and was originally trained by Edward Dunlop. She won the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf under the handling of Kieren Fallon (who also rode her to her win in the 2004 Oaks Stakes and Irish Oaks) and was ridden by Frankie Dettori in the 2006 edition. On December 9, 2006—one day before her scheduled final start in the Hong Kong Vase—Ouija Board was officially retired due to soreness in her right foreleg. She was pensioned from breeding duty in 2018 and died November 29, 2022. She was buried at Stanley House Stud alongside her granddam, Ouija.
Pedigree notes
Ouija Board is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to Cruinn A Bhord (by Inchinor), dam of listed stakes winner Viva Vettori (by Vettori) and second dam of three-time Slovakian Horse of the Year Opasan.
Selection Board, the dam of Ouija Board, is a full sister to 1985 Budweiser-Arlington Million (USA-G1) winner Teleprompter and a half sister to 1994 Brigadier Gerard Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Chatoyant (by Rainbow Quest). She is also a half sister to Rosia Bay (by High Top), dam of 1987 Italian champion 3-year-old male and 1989 German champion older male Ibn Bey (by Mill Reef) and of 1989 Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks (ENG-G1) winner Roseate Tern (ENG-G1); second dam of Group 3 winner Red Camellia; and third dam of 2003 Fillies’ Mile Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Red Bloom and Group 3 winners Moiqen, Nausica Time, and Wells Farrh Go.
Selection Board, in turn, is out of the winning Silly Season mare Ouija, whose half sister Upland (by Mountain Call) is the dam of 1984 Prix Brugmann de Walzin (BEL-G3) winner Babylene (by Ici Baby). Produced from the Alycidon mare Samanda (a half sister to 1954 Prix de Diane/French Oaks winner Tahiti, by Tornado), Ouija is also a half sister to Malmaison (by Royal Palace), dam of two-time Spanish champion Toba (by Soughaan).
Books and media
Footage of Ouija Board’s win in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIaM3qw8XMs.
Fun facts
Last updated: May 2, 2025
Race record
22 starts, 10 wins, 3 seconds, 5 thirds, US$6,312,552 (including converted international earnings)
2003:
- 3rd Montrose Fillies' Stakes (ENG-L, 8FT, Newmarket)
2004:
- Won Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (USA-G1, 11FT, Lone Star)
- Won Vodafone Oaks (ENG-G1, 12F+10yT, Epsom)
- Won Irish Oaks (IRE-G1, 12FT, The Curragh)
- Won Pretty Polly Stakes (ENG-L, 10FT, Newmarket)
- 3rd Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere (FR-G1, 2400mT, Longchamp)
2005:
- Won Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1, 2400mT, Sha Tin)
- Won Princess Royal Stakes (ENG-G3, 11F+211yT, Ascot)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont)
2006:
- Won Emirates Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (USA-G1, 11FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Prince of Wales's Stakes (ENG-G1, 10FT, Ascot)
- Won Nassau Stakes (ENG-G1, 9F+197yT, Goodwood)
- 2nd Coronation Cup (ENG-G1, 12F+10yT, Epsom)
- 2nd Baileys Irish Champion Stakes (IRE-G1, 10FT, Leopardstown)
- 3rd Japan Cup (JPN-G1, 2400mT, Tokyo)
- 3rd Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1, 2000mT, Sha Tin)
Honors
- Cartier Award, European Horse of the Year (2004, 2006)
- Cartier Award, European champion 3-year-old filly (2004)
- Cartier Award, European champion older horse (2006)
- Eclipse Award, American champion turf female (2004, 2006)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds in the Long category on the 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for her races in the Oaks Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, 10 pounds below overall highweight Ghostzapper (the American Horse of the Year, who earned his top rating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, USA-G1) but best among fillies and mares regardless of distance or surface.
Rated at 117 pounds in the Long category on the 2005 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for her performance in the Hong Kong Vase, 13 pounds below overall highweight Hurricane Run (the European Horse of the Year, who earned his top rating in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) and 5 pounds below the top-rated female, Divine Proportions, who gained her rating in the Mile category while winning the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, FR-G1).
Highweighted among English older females of 2005 over 11-14 furlongs.
Rated at 122 pounds in the Intermediate and Long categories on the 2006 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for her performances in the Baileys Irish Champion Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, respectively, 7 pounds below overall highweight Invasor (who earned his top rating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic) and 1 pound below the top-rated filly or mare, Pride, who earned her 123-pound rating in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Highweighted among English older females of 2006 over 11-14 furlongs.
Highweighted among Irish older females of 2006 over 9.5-11 furlongs.
As an individual
A bay mare with a muscular, well-balanced body and powerful hindquarters, Ouija Board was adaptable and sweet-natured, with a liking for mints and human attention.
As a producer
Ouija Board produced five named foals, all of which started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Voodoo Prince (2008, by Kingmambo; a gelding) was a winner in England before being sent to Australia, where he won the 2014 Easter Cup (AUS-G3) under the name of Our Voodoo Prince.
- Australia (2011, by Galileo) won the 2014 Investec Derby Stakes (ENG-G1), Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (IRE-G1), and QIPCO International Stakes (ENG-G1).
- Frontiersman (2013, by Dubawi) won the listed Godolphin Stakes as a 4-year-old and placed in four Group races including the 2017 Coronation Cup (ENG-G1).
Connections
Ouija Board was bred by the estate of the 18th Earl of Derby. She was owned by Edward Stanley, the 19th Earl, and was originally trained by Edward Dunlop. She won the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf under the handling of Kieren Fallon (who also rode her to her win in the 2004 Oaks Stakes and Irish Oaks) and was ridden by Frankie Dettori in the 2006 edition. On December 9, 2006—one day before her scheduled final start in the Hong Kong Vase—Ouija Board was officially retired due to soreness in her right foreleg. She was pensioned from breeding duty in 2018 and died November 29, 2022. She was buried at Stanley House Stud alongside her granddam, Ouija.
Pedigree notes
Ouija Board is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to Cruinn A Bhord (by Inchinor), dam of listed stakes winner Viva Vettori (by Vettori) and second dam of three-time Slovakian Horse of the Year Opasan.
Selection Board, the dam of Ouija Board, is a full sister to 1985 Budweiser-Arlington Million (USA-G1) winner Teleprompter and a half sister to 1994 Brigadier Gerard Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Chatoyant (by Rainbow Quest). She is also a half sister to Rosia Bay (by High Top), dam of 1987 Italian champion 3-year-old male and 1989 German champion older male Ibn Bey (by Mill Reef) and of 1989 Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks (ENG-G1) winner Roseate Tern (ENG-G1); second dam of Group 3 winner Red Camellia; and third dam of 2003 Fillies’ Mile Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Red Bloom and Group 3 winners Moiqen, Nausica Time, and Wells Farrh Go.
Selection Board, in turn, is out of the winning Silly Season mare Ouija, whose half sister Upland (by Mountain Call) is the dam of 1984 Prix Brugmann de Walzin (BEL-G3) winner Babylene (by Ici Baby). Produced from the Alycidon mare Samanda (a half sister to 1954 Prix de Diane/French Oaks winner Tahiti, by Tornado), Ouija is also a half sister to Malmaison (by Royal Palace), dam of two-time Spanish champion Toba (by Soughaan).
Books and media
Footage of Ouija Board’s win in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIaM3qw8XMs.
Fun facts
- Patented in 1891 as a parlor game, Ouija uses a board marked with alphabetical letters, the numbers 0 through 9, and the words “yes” or “no,” all of which can be used to spell out messages that supposedly originate in the spirit world. The “message” is transmitted through a planchette under the fingertips of the person using the board without that person’s looking at the board or making voluntary movements. Most scientists attribute the planchette’s movements to involuntary movements of the fingers and believe the board’s responses mirror the subconscious thinking of the user, but spiritists and other occult practitioners have used the boards as a means of receiving messages from the spirit world. Similar types of boards used for divination or spirit contact are believed to date back at least to 1100 CE, during China’s Song dynasty.
- Ouija Board was the second horse to win the same Breeders’ Cup race in non-consecutive years. The first was Da Hoss, who won the Breeders’ Cup Mile (USA-G1) in 1996 and 1998.
- Ouija Board was ridden by seven different jockeys during her career, an unusually high number for a top-level horse, and won for all of them.
- Ouija Board made history as the first winner of the Oaks Stakes to produce a winner of the Derby Stakes. Thanks to her son Australia’s brilliant 3-year-old season, she was awarded the H. J. Joel Salver as flat racing’s Broodmare of the Year in England.
Last updated: May 2, 2025