Bois Roussel


Bois Roussel was a French-bred Thoroughbred champion racehorse and a leading broodmare sire. He won the 1938 Epsom Derby on his second racecourse appearance.

Background

He was named for Haras du Bois-Roussel, the breeding farm in Alençon where he was foaled. His breeder was Leon Volterra who acquired his sire, Vatout, and his dam as part of his purchase of Haras du Bois Roussel from American, Jefferson Davis Cohn. According to Thoroughbred Heritage, his dam, Plucky Liege, was one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century. At the time of foaling Bois Roussel, Plucky Liege was 23 years old.

Racing career

Bois Roussel did not start as a two-year-old. Raced at age three by Leon Volterra, he made his racing debut in early 1938 at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, winning the Prix Juigné, an event for unraced colts and geldings. Shortly thereafter, Volterra sold Bois Roussel for £8,000 to the Hon. Peter Beatty, son of Admiral David Beatty and grandson of Chicago department store magnate, Marshall Field.
His new owner sent Bois Roussel to England to run in June's Epsom Derby. Making just the second start of his career, bettors sent the colt off at 20/1 odds. Ridden by jockey Charlie Elliott Bois Roussel scored an upset victory in England's most prestigious race. He was slowly away and among the back markers entering the straight. In the final quarter mile he produced what the Glasgow Herald described as "an astonishing burst of speed" to come from well off the pace and take the lead inside the final furlong. He won going away by four lengths from Scottish Union and the favourite Pasch. In winning, he earned more in prize money than Beatty had paid for him.
In his only other race start, Bois Roussel ran third to the undefeated Nearco in the Grand Prix de Paris.

Stud record

Bois Roussel was rested as a four-year-old and went to stud in stud duty in England, in 1940 at a fee of 300 guineas. His stud career was satisfactory without being spectacular. Among his progeny were:
He was not a leading sire but was second on the list of sires of winners in both 1947 and 1949. Bois Roussel's daughters were also outstanding producers who made him the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland in 1959 and 1960.
Bois Roussel died in October 1955, in France at age 20 because of severe laminitis.

Sire line tree

  • Bois Roussel
  • *Renwood
  • **Goodbye
  • *Tehran
  • **Kurdistan
  • ***Baghdad Note
  • **Tabriz
  • ***Taboun
  • ****Jour Et Nuit
  • ****Go Tobann
  • **Mystery
  • **Tale Of Two Cities
  • ***Cougar
  • ****Exploded
  • ****Gato Del Sol
  • **Tulyar
  • ***Menelek
  • ****April Seventh
  • ****Rag Trade
  • ****Hallo Dandy
  • ****Bit of a Skite
  • ***Bahrain
  • ****Warren Point
  • ****Airborne
  • ****The Swan
  • ***Mako
  • **Spoutnik
  • ***Drapeau Rouge
  • ****Morgat
  • **Raise You Ten
  • ***Ten Up
  • *Delville Wood
  • **Forest Beau
  • **Hydrogen
  • **Lord Forest
  • **Belmont Park
  • **Electro
  • **Nargoon
  • **Forestville
  • **Prince Delville
  • **Noble Archer
  • **Caesar
  • *Migoli
  • **Gallant Man
  • ***Gallant Romeo
  • ****Gallant Bob
  • ****Elocutionist
  • *Woodburn
  • *Hindostan
  • **Shinzan
  • ***
  • ****
  • *Ridge Wood
  • *Swallow Tail
  • *Royal Forest
  • *Fraise du Bois
  • *French Beige
  • *Hikaru Meiji

Pedigree

Bois Roussel is inbred 4S x 3D to the stallion St Simon, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and third generation on the dam side of his pedigree.
Bois Roussel is inbred 4S x 5S to the stallion Gallinule, meaning that he appears fourth generation and fifth generation on the sire side of his pedigree.