Ardan (horse)

French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ardan

Sire| Pharis
Grandsire| Pharos
Dam| Adargatis
Damsire| Asterus
Sex| Stallion
Foaled| 1941
Country| France
Colour| Bay
Breeder| Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard
Owner| Marcel Boussac
Trainer| Charles Semblat
Record| 23: 16-3-2[1]
Earnings| F8,498,090 + £1,728
Major wins
Prix Robert Papin (1943)
Prix Lupin (1944)
Prix Greffulhe (1944)
Prix Hocquart (1944)
Prix de Guiche (1944)
Prix du Jockey Club (1944)
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1944)
Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1945)
Prix Boiard (1945)
Prix d'Hédouville (1945, 1946)
Prix Kergorlay (1945, 1946)
Coronation Cup (1946)
Last updated on 2 June 2009

Ardan (1941-1959) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from 1943 until 1946 he ran twenty-three times and won sixteen races. He was the leading racehorse in France in 1944 when his wins included the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He was retired to stud at the end of the 1946 season and had limited success as a stallion.

## Background

[edit]

He was bred and owned by Marcel Boussac, the very prominent French horseman and owner of fashion house, House of Dior. He was sired by Boussac's stallion Pharis, a horse that Thoroughbred Heritage says is "considered one of the greatest French-bred runners of the century". Ardan's dam, Adargatis, was by Asterus who had been a six-time Leading Sire of Broodmares in France. Pardal (1947), who won the Jockey Club Stakes and five other good races was a full brother to Ardan.[2]

Ardan was trained by Charles Semblat, a champion jockey who became one of the most successful horse trainers in French racing history and the last France-based trainer to ever win the British trainers' championship.

## Racing career

[edit]

At age two, the colt won the 1943 Prix Robert Papin, one of France's important races for Two-Year-Olds. The following year, he was the dominant horse in the country. Under regular jockey Jacques Doyasbère he won seven major races in 1944, including the Grand Prix de Paris in which he was then disqualified and set back to third. The highlight of his campaign were wins in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly Racecourse and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe held that year at Hippodrome du Tremblay.

In 1945, Ardan continued to win important races including the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, ran second to the great filly Nikellora. Raced in 1946 at age five, Ardan won his second consecutive Prix Kergorlay and at Epsom Downs in England, he won the Group One Coronation Cup. He also finished second in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and in the only time he was ever unplaced in his career, finished fourth in that year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

## Stud career

[edit]

Retired at the end of the 1946 racing season, Ardan stood at stud at Marcel Boussac's Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard in Neuvy-au-Houlme in Orne. Three years later he was bought for $400,000 by Leslie Combs II and sent to one of America's preeminent breeding operations, Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. While Ardan's offspring won a number of Conditions / Stakes races, none achieved his level of success. One of his best horses was Hard Sauce who was a six furlong specialist and the sire of Hard Tack and Hard Ridden (Epsom Derby).[2] Ardan suffered from heart problems and died at Spendthrift in 1959.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), Thoroughbred Breeding of the World, Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970
2. ^ a b Pryor, Peter, The Classic Connection, Cortney Publications, Luton, 1979
3. ^ "Pharis".

* v
* t
* e

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winners

* 1920 Comrade
* 1921 Ksar
* 1922 Ksar
* 1923 Parth
* 1924 Massine
* 1925 Priori
* 1926 Biribi
* 1927 Mon Talisman
* 1928 Kantar
* 1929 Ortello
* 1930 Motrico
* 1931 Pearl Cap ♥
* 1932 Motrico
* 1933 Crapom
* 1934 Brantôme
* 1935 Samos ♥
* 1936 Corrida ♥
* 1937 Corrida ♥
* 1938 Eclair au Chocolat
* 1941 Le Pacha
* 1942 Djebel
* 1943 Verso
* 1944 Ardan
* 1945 Nikellora
* 1946 Caracalla
* 1947 Le Paillon
* 1948 Migoli
* 1949 Coronation ♥
* 1950 Tantieme
* 1951 Tantieme
* 1952 Nuccio
* 1953 La Sorellina ♥
* 1954 Sica Boy
* 1955 Ribot
* 1956 Ribot
* 1957 Oroso
* 1958 Ballymoss
* 1959 Saint Crespin
* 1960 Puissant Chef
* 1961 Molvedo
* 1962 Soltikoff
* 1963 Exbury
* 1964 Prince Royal
* 1965 Sea Bird
* 1966 Bon Mot
* 1967 Topyo
* 1968 Vaguely Noble
* 1969 Levmoss
* 1970 Sassafras
* 1971 Mill Reef
* 1972 San San ♥
* 1973 Rheingold
* 1974 Allez France ♥
* 1975 Star Appeal
* 1976 Ivanjica
* 1977 Alleged
* 1978 Alleged
* 1979 Three Troikas ♥
* 1980 Detroit ♥
* 1981 Gold River ♥
* 1982 Akiyda ♥
* 1983 All Along ♥
* 1984 Sagace
* 1985 Rainbow Quest
* 1986 Dancing Brave
* 1987 Trempolino
* 1988 Tony Bin
* 1989 Carroll House
* 1990 Saumarez
* 1991 Suave Dancer
* 1992 Subotica
* 1993 Urban Sea ♥
* 1994 Carnegie
* 1995 Lammtarra
* 1996 Helissio
* 1997 Peintre Celebre
* 1998 Sagamix
* 1999 Montjeu
* 2000 Sinndar
* 2001 Sakhee
* 2002 Marienbard
* 2003 Dalakhani
* 2004 Bago
* 2005 Hurricane Run
* 2006 Rail Link
* 2007 Dylan Thomas
* 2008 Zarkava ♥
* 2009 Sea the Stars
* 2010 Workforce
* 2011 Danedream ♥
* 2012 Solemia ♥
* 2013 Treve ♥
* 2014 Treve ♥
* 2015 Golden Horn
* 2016 Found ♥
* 2017 Enable ♥
* 2018 Enable ♥
* 2019 Waldgeist
* 2020 Sottsass
* 2021 Torquator Tasso
* 2022 Alpinista ♥
* 2023 Ace Impact
* 2024 Bluestocking ♥

Legend \- ♥ = Filly
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template