Creme Fraiche (April 7, 1982 – October 9, 2003) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.

Creme Fraiche
SireRich Cream
GrandsireCreme Dela Creme
DamLikely Exchange
DamsireTerrible Tiger
SexGelding
FoaledApril 7, 1982[1]
CountryUnited States
ColourBay
BreederPamela H. Firman and G. Watts Humphrey
OwnerBrushwood Stable
TrainerWoody Stephens
Record64: 17-12-13
Earnings$4,024,727
Major wins
Derby Trial (1985)
American Derby (1985)
Super Derby (1985)
Jerome Breeders' Cup Handicap (1985)
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1986, 1987)
Donn Handicap (1986)
Meadowlands Handicap (1987)
W. L. McKnight Handicap (1987)
Tropical Park Handicap (Jan & Dec 1988) Triple Crown race wins:
Belmont Stakes (1985)
Honours
Creme Fraiche Handicap at Gulfstream Park
Last updated on September 16, 2007

Background edit

Creme Fraiche was sired by Rich Cream, co-holder of the world record of 1:19.40 for 7 furlongs on dirt in the 1980 Triple Bend Handicap. His dam Likely Exchange was a female-line descendant of Strange Device, a half-sister to the Kentucky Oaks winner Mars Shield.[2]

Bred by Pamela Firman and her nephew, G. Watts Humphrey, Jr., Creme Fraiche was originally sent as a yearling colt to the 1983 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale, where he was sold to Brushwood Stable for $160,000. He was sent from there to Virginia's Hickory Tree Stable for breaking where he proved unruly and was gelded.

Racing career edit

Although thought to be a "late bloomer", Creme Fraiche was a hardy three-year-old, winning the Derby Trial and the Belmont Stakes, with Eddie Maple astride, becoming the first gelding to win the classic race and the fourth consecutive Belmont winner for his trainer, Woody Stephens. By the end of his three-year-old season, he had five graded stakes wins.

As a four-year-old, Creme Fraiche won the Jockey Club Gold Cup, defeating Turkoman, and ended the year with almost $1 million in additional earnings.

At five, he again won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (beating Java Gold) as well as the Meadowlands Handicap, and finished that year with a career high of $1,323,666 in earnings.

At six, he won both the January and December Tropical Park Handicap but never won another graded race again, with a third at age six in the W. L. McKnight Handicap as his best effort.

Retirement edit

Retired at age seven, Creme Fraiche was sent to Brushwood Stable near Malvern, PA, for pensioning. He was visited by fans bringing his favorite treat of mints until he was put down due to a severe case of laminitis on October 9, 2003, at the age of 21. He was buried at the farm in the memorial garden at Bryn Clovis.[3]

Pedigree edit

Pedigree of Creme Fraiche (USA), bay gelding, 1982[1]
Sire
Rich Cream (USA)
1975
Creme Dela Creme (USA)
1963
Olympia Heliopolis (GB)
Miss Dolphin
Judy Rullah Nasrullah (horse)
Judy-Rae
Right Turn (USA)
1961
Turn-To (IRE) Royal Charger (GB)
Source Sucree (FR)
Plum Plum On-and-On
Plum Cake
Dam
Likely Exchange (USA)
1974
Terrible Tiger (USA)
1965
Amerigo (GB) Nearco (ITY)
Sanlinea
Proprietress Your Host
Omelet Souffle
Likely Swap (USA)
1962
Swaps Khaled (GB)
Iron Reward
Most Likely Heliopolis (GB)
Strange Device (Family: 9-f)[2]
  • Creme Fraiche was inbred 4 × 4 to Heliopolis, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Creme Fraiche pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ^ a b "Toxophilite Mare - Family 9-f". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  3. ^ "Pensioned Belmont Stakes Winner Crème Fraiche Dead". The Blood-Horse.