Holy Roman Emperor is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and an active sire. He was a leading two-year-old racehorse, winning four races from seven runs in Europe in 2006.
Background Holy Roman Emperor was sired by Danehill out of L'On Vite, a daughter of Secretariat and Canadian Horse and Broodmare of the Year Fanfreluche. Holy Roman Emperor was trained by Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle.
Racing career In 2006 Holy Roman Emperor won two Group One races, the Phoenix Stakes where he defeated the Coventry Stakes winner Hellvelyn and subsequent Group One winning filly Miss Beatrix and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère where he defeated the useful French colt Battle Paint. He also defeated subsequent three-year-old mile champion Excellent Art producing a blistering turn of foot to win the Group Two Railway Stakes at the Curragh.
His greatest rival was Teofilo, to whom he finished runner-up twice, firstly in the National Stakes, and later in the Dewhurst Stakes. There was great anticipation of another year of races between the pair, but it was decided in March 2007 to retire Holy Roman Emperor to stud as a replacement for George Washington, who was suffering fertility problems (and was also a son of Danehill).
Stud career Holy Roman Emperor has been a "shuttle stallion" for Coolmore Stud, standing at Coolmore's main farm in Ireland during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season and travelling to Coolmore's Australia farm to cover mares during the Southern Hemisphere breeding season,Racing Post but for the 2013 breeding season stands only in Ireland.
Holy Roman Emperor's first runner in the UK or Ireland, High Award trained by Tommy Stack won at the Curragh on March 21, 2010. On 6 May 2012, Holy Roman Emperor's daughter Homecoming Queen won the 1000 Guineas.
In the Year 2014, Designs On Rome, who was later voted as the Hong Kong Horse of the Year, won the Hong Kong Classic Cup, Hong Kong Derby and Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Notable stock Holy Roman Emperor is the sire of 14 individual Group 1 winners:
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
Foaled Name Sex Major wins 2008 Rich Tapestry g Santa Anita Sprint Championship 2008 Smashing f Indian Oaks 2009 Homecoming Queen f 1000 Guineas Stakes 2009 Rollout The Carpet f New Zealand 1000 Guineas 2010 Designs On Rome g Hong Kong Classic Cup Hong Kong Derby Queen Elizabeth II Cup Hong Kong Gold Cup (twice) 2010 Morandi c Critérium de Saint-Cloud 2011 Beauty Only g Hong Kong Mile 2011 Be Safe c Indian Derby 2011 Glorious Empire g Sword Dancer Stakes 2011 Mongolian Khan c New Zealand DerbyAustralian DerbyCaulfield Cup, 2011 Sheidel f Oakleigh Plate 2015 Romanised c Irish 2,000 Guineas Prix Jacques Le Marois 2015 Well Timed f German Oaks 2016 Rockemperor c Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes
References