| Youth | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Ack Ack |
| Grandsire | Battle Joined |
| Dam | Gazala |
| Damsire | Dark Star |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1973 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Nelson Bunker Hunt |
| Owner | Nelson Bunker Hunt |
| Trainer | Maurice Zilber |
| Record | 11: 8-1-1 |
| Earnings | US$687,224 |
| Major wins | |
| Prix Daru (1976) Prix Greffulhe (1976) Prix Lupin (1976) Prix du Jockey Club (1976) Prix Niel (1976) Canadian International (1976) Washington, D.C. International (1976) | |
| Awards | |
| American Champion Male Turf Horse (1976) Timeform rating: 135[1] | |
Youth (foaled 1973 inMaryland) was an American-bred FrenchThoroughbredracehorse.
Youth was a Brown horse, bred and owned byTexas oilman,Nelson Bunker Hunt. Youth was sired byU.S. Racing Hall of Fame inducteeAck Ack. His dam was Hunt's French-bred mare Gazala II, a daughter of the 1953Kentucky Derby winner,Dark Star. Gazala II was a brilliant racehorse and champion filly of France winning the French 1,000 Guineas and Prix de Diane in 1967. She was broodmare of the year in 1976 having produced not only Youth but the colt Mississipian who won theGrand Critérium andGonzales.
Youth was sent to race in Europe where he was trained from a base atChantilly Racecourse byMaurice Zilber,
Youth's best result in aconditions race at age two was a runner up position in the 1975Prix Saint-Roman atLongchamp Racecourse in Paris. At age three, Youth developed into a major star on theturf both in France and in North America. In 1976, he won five important races in France including thePrix Lupin and theFrench Derby. On October 3, he ran third in thePrix de l'Arc de Triomphe to winnerIvanjica, after which he was shipped toWoodbine Racetrack inToronto, Canada, where under Hall of Fame jockeySandy Hawley he won the October 23Canadian International Championship Stakes.[2] Youth then was sent toLaurel Park Racecourse inLaurel, Maryland for the November 6Washington, D.C. International Stakes. Again ridden by Sandy Hawley, the colt defeated Arc winner Ivanjica to take the prestigious event by ten lengths.[3] Youth's performances earned him theEclipse Award as theAmerican Champion Male Turf Horse of 1976.
Youth was retired tostud duty in 1977 atGainesway Farm inLexington, Kentucky[4] where he most notably siredTeenoso, winner of England'sEpsom Derby (1983),King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (1984), and France'sGrand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1984). He also sired the Grade 1 winners Sharaya(1980) and Young Mother(1986) both winners of the Prix Vermeille, Longchamp.
Youth sired the following graded stakes winners.
In 1987 Youth was later sold for stud purposes to Brazil Where he sired the Brazilian Derby winner of 1992 Palemon and the graded stakes winner Luzette.