Belmez (10 January 1987 – 18 October 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse best known for winning the 1990

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...

as a three-year-old.

Background

Belmez was a medium-sized, strongly-built bay colt, with a prominent white stripe and a white sock on his off-fore leg. He was bred by Sheikh Mohammed's

Darley Stud Darley Stud is located at Dalham Hall, the global breeding operation owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates. It is on the outskirts of Newmarket, Suffolk, the interna ...

in the US, a product of the second crop of foals sired by

El Gran Senor El Gran Senor (21 April 1981 – 18 October 2006) was a champion American-bred Thoroughbred race horse, foaled at Windfields Farm (Maryland). He was the best horse of his generation in Europe at both two and three years of age, ahead of an ...

. He was trained throughout his career by Henry Cecil and ridden in most of his starts by

Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is a retired American jockey. In 1977 he became the first jockey to win over $6 million in a year working with agent Lenny Goodman, and in 1978 he became the youngest jockey to win the U. S. ...

Racing career

Belmez began his racing career with an upset, winning the Carlsberg Stakes at Newmarket in November 1989 as an unconsidered 50-1 outsider. By the time he re-appeared as a three-year-old in the Burghclere Stakes in April 1990, his reputation preceded him, and he won "comfortably" by four lengths at odds of 4–5. Belmez was then moved up in class for the

Chester Vase The Chester Vase is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 63 yards () at Che ...

and defeated Quest for Fame by a length to become favourite for the

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby g ...

. An injury ruled Belmez out of the Derby which was won easily by Quest For Fame. Belmez returned with a third place to the filly Salsabil in the

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance ...

(with Quest For Fame fifth) and was then aimed at the

. Steve Cauthen, who had ridden Belmez in his previous four races chose to partner

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

, with the ride on Belmez going to

Mick Kinane Michael J. Kinane (born 22 June 1959, Killenaule, County Tipperary) is an Irish former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009. A prolific winner of the Irish, English and French Classic race ...

. Such was the quality of the entry, that Belmez was the only three-year-old in the field, but he produced a career-best effort, moving up to contest the lead early in the straight and prevailing by a neck from his stablemate Old Vic, with top-class performers like Assatis, Cacoethes, In The Wings, Sapience,

Terimon Terimon (foaled 20 April 1986) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. His most successful year was 1991, when he won the International Stakes at York and was named European Champion Older Horse at the inaugural Cartier Racing Awards. He ...

and Legal Case among the also-rans. A month later Belmez won the

Great Voltigeur Stakes The Great Voltigeur Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 1 ...

, getting up on the line to beat the future

St Leger The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...

winner

Snurge Snurge (12 March 1987 – November 2006), was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from September 1989 until September 1994, he ran thirty-four times and won seven races. He recorded his most im ...

by a short-head. He finished fifth behind Saumarez in the

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

and seventh behind Better Loosen Up in the

Japan Cup The is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. It is contested on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters (about miles) run under weight for age conditions with ...

before being retired to stud.

Assessment

Belmez was given a rating of 132 by the Racing Post.

Stud career

Belmez was retired initially to stand at the Queens stud in Norfolk, England but was later transferred to Haras du Pin in

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

. He made little impact as a stallion, but he did sire one important winner in Caramba, winner of the

Falmouth Stakes The Falmouth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,6 ...

and

Nassau Stakes The Nassau Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furlong ...

. He is the damsire of the

Racing Post Trophy The Vertem Futurity Trophy is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), ...

winner

Kingsbarns Kingsbarns is a village and parish in Scotland lies near the eastern coast of Fife, in an area known as the East Neuk, southeast of St Andrews and north of Crail. The name derives from the area being the location of the barns used to store ...

Pedigree

References

{{King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Winners 1987 racehorse births 1999 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 16-b King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winners