Herbager (1956 – 25 March 1976) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire in both France and the United States.

Background Herbager was sired by Vandale, a stayer who won the 1946 Prix du Conseil Municipal and whom Herbager helped make the 1959 Leading sire in France. His dam was Flagette (by Escamillo), who was inbred 2x2 to St. Leger winner Firdaussi, meaning both her parents were sired by him.

During his racing career he was owned by Simone Del Duca and trained by Pierre Pelat.

Racing career Herbager made two starts at age two, finishing second once and winning the Prix Seraphine. At age three, he was the best colt in his age group in France, winning important races including the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the Classic French Derby in which he earned a Timeform rating of 136. In the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, he sustained a serious leg injury but finished only two lengths from the winner. This injury ended his racing career.

Stud record Herbager was retired to stud for the 1960 season in France and in December 1964 was sold for US$700,000 to the prominent Kentucky breeder Bull Hancock. Hancock then syndicated Herbager and moved him to his Claiborne Farm. At Claiborne Farm, the horse sired sixty-four stakes winners and became a major stamina influence.

Major winners c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

Foaled Name Sex Major Wins 1962 Grey Dawn c Grand Critérium, Prix de la Salamandre, Prix Morny. Leading broodmare sire in North America 1963 Appiani c Derby Italiano, sire of Star Appeal 1963 Sea Hawk c Critérium de Saint-Cloud, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, sire of Bruni, and Ines Fujin 1966 Dike c Breeders' Futurity Stakes, Wood Memorial Stakes 1967 Loud c Travers Stakes 1968 Gleaming c Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap 1969 Big Spruce c San Luis Rey Handicap, Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap 1970 Bag of Tunes f Kentucky Oaks 1972 Yamanin c Widener Handicap 1974 Our Mims f Coaching Club American Oaks, Alabama Stakes 1974 Tiller g San Juan Capistrano, Tidal Handicap, Sword Dancer Handicap 1976 Anifa f Turf Classic Handicap 1977 Field Cat c Pan American Handicap

Damsire: Some of Herbager's daughters who produced foals that went on to racing success include: Ballade (1972), was purchased as a yearling by Canadian E. P. Taylor. As a broodmare, she stood at Taylor's Windfields Farm. Ballade was voted the 1992 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Broodmare. She was the dam of major stakes winners Glorious Song and Devil's Bag, plus Saint Ballado, who in turn sired 2005 American Horse of the Year Saint Liam as well as 2-time Eclipse Award winner Ashado Bete A Bon Dieu (1964) - dam of Buckskin, winner of the Prix du Cadran (2x), Jockey Club Cup, Doncaster Cup I Will Follow (1975) - dam of Rainbow Quest, winner of the 1985 Coronation Cup and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Herbager died on 25 March 1976 at the age of twenty at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky and is buried in their main equine cemetery.

Sire line tree

HerbagerJumpers: Darley Arabian Sire LineSire Line: Camel Darley Arabian Sire Line: Newminster BranchAmerican Classic Pedigree: Herbager Grey DawnAmerican Classic Pedigree: Grey Dawn II Navajo Vigors Hodges Bay Exemplary Leader Royal Mountain Inn Mr Redoy7‐1 Mr. Redoy Coast Victor Instrument Landing Swing Till Dawn Bounding Basque Dunbeath Carbisdale Radwell Grey ClassicAmerican Classic Pedigree: Grey Classic Delegant Paris Jour Beyssac Ali Baba Appiani Star Appeal Star WayNZTBA: Star Way gets 59th stakeswinner Sky Chase FilanteFilante, ‘shooting star’ of a legendary three-year-old crop Kamiros Francois Saubaber Isopani Sea Hawk Bruni Brunico Matahawk Valiant Heart Dike Loud Russian Bank Molotov Gleaming Big Spruce Super Moment Acaroid Meadow Mint Funny Hobby Yamanin Coined Silver Tiller Land of Eire Field Cat

Pedigree

Herbager is inbred 3D x 3D to the stallion Firdaussi, meaning that he appears third generation twice on the dam side of his pedigree.

Herbager is inbred 4S x 5D x 5D to the stallion Phalaris, meaning that he appears fourth generation once on the sire side of his pedigree, and fifth generation twice (via Pharos) on the dam side of his pedigree.

References

Herbager profile at Thoroughbred Heritage McLean, Ken. Designing Speed in the Racehorse (2006) Russell Meerdink Co. Ltd.