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Nijinsky, Lester and Vincent O'Brien
Photographer unknown |
Northen Dancer - Flaming Page
Foaled 1967 Bay Horse Deceased 1992
Runs: 13 Wins: 11 Places: 2 Earned: $677,177
Form: 1111 - 111111122
Timeform Rating: 140
15th Ever Triple Crown Winner
Champion 2yo 1969
Won
Railway Stakes 1969
Beresford Stakes 1969
Angeles Stakes 1969
Dewhurst Stakes 1969
Gladness Stakes 1970
English 2000 Guineas 1970
English Derby 1970
Irish Derby 1970
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 1970
Nijinsky the dancer and Nijinsky the horse danced to music that us mortals could not hear,
but only wonder at.
On Saturday Camelot and Joseph O'Brien will attempt to do what no horse and rider have done since Nijinsky and Lester, in 1970, 42 years ago. To ready ourselves for the present we need to return to the past for that glorious day when they achieved greatness.
Nijinsky and Lester Piggot
We should really go back to Tesio the Italian genius and Nearco the colt he bred. But that would take forever. To simplify things in a few sentences, the tale of Nijinsky began with two men who knew what they wanted. They had vision, they had courage and they believed in themselves. Together they realised their dreams.
EP Taylor, a Canadian who was disappointed that no great horses came from Canada so he bred one at his Windfields Farm from the best English Thoroughbred stock he could buy, and Vincent O'Brien, an Irish trainer who was looking for something really special and knew what he was looking at when he found it. Northern Dancer, the colt that EP Taylor bred and named so well would found the dynasty that Vincent O'Brien would make a legend of when he bought the bay colt from his second crop of foals for Charles Engelhard. It was Jane, Engelhard's wife who named the colt after the dancer Nijinsky. Later Robert Sangster would breed Sadler's Wells, the next generation, and the marvelous little chestnut The Minstrel would win his Derby too, but those are stories for another rainy day.
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Northern Dancer - where it all began.
Photographer unknown. |
One of the most outstanding and mysterious ballet stars of the 20th century was Vatslav Fomich Nizhinsky (born March 12 1890 in Kiev, died April 8, 1950, London). Audiences had not seen his like before. It was said that all who saw him fell in love with his androgenous looks. He dressed like a rock star, his costumes outrageously draped and showing a lot of flesh. He was sensuous, moved like a dream and his giant leaps caused crowds to gasp at his performances. He was highly strung, brought great sensitivity to his roles and there was something about him which made people think that at any moment he might go off like a firecracker.
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| Nijinsky collage |
Before him male dancers were not really accepted, he gave ballet sex appeal and lent it a glamour and a dangerous air.
It seemed easy for him as if he were meeting a Destiny, long ago designed just for him to fulfill. He had grown up in the wings. His parents were both reknowned dancers, his father too had thrilled crowds with his leaps and great ability. When Vatslav was a child his parents had performed throughout the Russian Empire with their own dance company.
Nijinsky attended the Imperial School of Dancing in St. Petersburg at the age of 8, already an accomplished dancer. By the age of 16 his teachers were recommending that he graduate and begin his professional career at the Mariinsky Theatre. Even at this tender age he had established a reputation.
The Encyclopedia Britanica says,
"He had been heralded as the “eighth wonder of the world” and the “Vestris of the North” (in reference to Auguste Vestris, a famous French dancer of the 18th century). During his school years he appeared at the Mariinsky Theatre, first as a member of the corps de ballet, later in small parts. He danced in St. Petersburg before the Tsar at the Chinese Theatre of Tsarskoe Selo and the Hermitage Theatre of the Winter Palace."
"Nijinsky was graduated in the spring of 1907 and on July 14, 1907, joined the Mariinsky Theatre as a soloist. His first appearance was in the ballet La Source with the Russian ballerina Julia Sedova as his partner; the public and the ballet critics burst out immediately in wild enthusiasm. Among his Mariinsky partners were three great ballerinas, Mathilde Kschessinskaya, Anna Pavlovna Pavlova, and Tamara Platonovna Karsavina. As danseur noble, he danced the leading parts in many ballets, including Ivanotschka, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and Chopiniana. From 1907 to 1911 Nijinsky danced all of the leading parts at the Mariinsky Theatre and at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, where he was a guest performer. His success was phenomenal.
In 1909 Sergey Diaghilev, former assistant to the administrator of the Imperial Theatres, was commissioned by the drand duke Vladimir to organize a ballet company of the members of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres. Diaghilev decided to take the company to Paris in the spring and asked Nijinsky to join as principal dancer. Its first performance was on May 17, 1909, at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Nijinsky took Paris by storm. The expression and beauty of his body, his featherweight lightness and steel-like strength, his great elevation and incredible gift of rising and seeming to remain in the air, and his extraordinary virtuosity and dramatic acting made him a genius of the ballet. From 1907 to 1912 he worked with the company’s choreographer, Michel Fokine. With his phenomenal talent for characterization, he created some of his most renowned roles in Fokine’s Le Carnaval, Les Sylphides (a revision of Chopiniana), Le Spectre de la rose, Schéhérazade, Petrushka, Le Dieu bleu, Daphnis et Chloé, and Narcisse. His later ballets were Mephisto Valse, Variations on the Music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Les Papillons de nuit, and The Minstrel. Until 1917 Nijinsky appeared all over Europe, in the United States, and in South America. He was called 'le dieu de la danse'."
'le dieu de la danse'. is translated as The God of dance'
. In '20th Century Ballet Revolution' The Victoria and Albert Museum say this about him:
"Vaslav Nijinsky caused a sensation from his first public
performance at the Maryinsky Theatre in St Petersburg in 1907.
He became part of Diaghilev’s circle and his lover. In 1909 he
travelled to Paris with the Diaghilev company. On the first night he danced the
Favourite Slave in Fokine’s ballet Le Pavillon d’Armide. He was so excited by
the audience’s enthusiasm that at the end of his solo he jumped off stage and
was still travelling upwards as he reached the wings. The audience went mad.
He became the darling of French society – and the slave’s
black choker became the height of fashion. He was feted like a rock star and his
dresser used to sell petals from his costume in Le Spectre de la Rose to his
fans."
We will leave the great dancer now and return to our Thoroughbred, but you can see how it was that Nijinsky the horse shared many attributes with Nijinsky the dancer. The nervous energy which electrified those who saw him, the grace and great beauty, a talent superior to normal mortals and his courage in defeat. Nijinsky the dancer and Nijinsky the horse danced to music that us mortals could not hear but only wonder at.
Earlier this year Abigail Anderson published an in depth look at the whole story of Nijinsky (known as Nijinsky II in America when he retired to stud there due to another horse having been registered under that name) on her blog The Vault. She entitled it
'Nijinsky, who wore a heart on his brow'.
In it she touches upon how Vatslav Nijinsky said he would return as a horse.
"on his deathbed, had declared that he would return one day as a horse. Perhaps there was some truth to the dancer’s prediction because his equine namesake would prove to be as mysterious and mercurial a character. Lester Piggott, the great British jockey, said of Nijinsky, whom he rated with Sir Ivor as one of the two best horses he ever rode, “He wouldn’t talk to me. He never talked to me. Nijinsky had that far-off look in his eye from the first time I saw him….it was like he was looking right through you.”
Brian O'Connor writes in the Irish Times, 10 September 2012
Camelot's Triple Crown shot the stuff of romance
"... there is one name that even now epitomises the popular image of we expect a great thoroughbred to be. And it’s not Red Rum, Desert Orchid, Arkle, or any of the legendary jumpers that resonate outside of racing’s parish. It is Nijinsky, the highly strung yet physically magnificent specimen that combined fragility with a hauteur that could make even the most powerful human feel just that little bit more insignificant.
Of course the back story helped. Vaslav Nijinsky was a schizophrenic Russian who considered himself Polish, spent years in and out of psychiatric hospitals, and who for a few years leading up to the Great War, was also considered the most exciting ballet dancer the world had ever seen.
Those who saw him marvelled at the style, grace and hint of dangerous unpredictability that later seemed to chime perfectly with his deathbed prediction he would be reincarnated as a thoroughbred racehorse. It also helped that for much of his career, Nijinsky II was all but unbeatable. This week, 42 years ago, he completed the English Triple Crown of 2,000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger, the first in 35 years, just the seventh in the 20th century.
It sealed his legend, defined Nijinsky as the last “Triple Crown Champion,” a tag worthy of his name. Even a pair of defeats in his last two races couldn’t knock his status and he remains an almost mythical figure, still the most evocative name to emerge from Vincent O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stables."
The Irish Times
Like Vatslav Nijinsky the equine Nijinsky was born from two champions, his sire Northern Dancer and his dam Flaming Page (Canadian Oaks and Queen’s Plate winner, 2nd in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs) both bred by EP Taylor.
His career has been covered by so many people we are not going to do it all again, but if you do not know it you should read about him. He was so difficult to train, it was remarkable that the horse ever made it to a racetrack and had it not ben for the supreme talent of those who trained, handled and rode him the magic we remember him for would never have been made. Even on the page of an old dusty book his presence still springs forth clear and bright - so very bright. It is enough that 42 years ago this month he and Lester won the Triple Crown and before them the last had been Bahram in 1935.
At that point had he retired he may have been the Horse of the Century instead of Brigadier Gerrard and The Triple Crown history may have been quite different. Instead Nijinsky raced on, and was beaten into second place on both his subsequent starts. His head defeat in the Arc especially was blamed upon his St Leger win and the length of that race, which had once been seen as the final test for the 3 year old Thoroughbred, forever became associated with defeat. Defeat in later races and worst of all defeat at stud, even though Nijinsky was successful there. We will never know for sure, but in reality it is very likely that what finally defeated the great champion was the case of ringworm which he had between his King George and St Leger. Vincent said that it had been so bad that the horse was nearly bald all over his body. Although not discernable at the St Leger he was probably still feeling the effects of the illness. He had done so much as a 3 year old, answered every call with ease. It was heartbreaking to see him beaten, especially by inferior horses. The crowd at Paris cruelly booed him, but his fans wept.
It was a blemish upon his memory for Nijinsky had always been described in glowing terms by all who knew him, or even saw him. Vincent O'Brien chose him over all the horses he viewed for sale and Lester Piggot, not know for sentimentality said in 'Vincent O'Brien's Great Horses,
" I think Nijinsky probably on his day was the most brilliant horse I've ever ridden. On a few days in the summertime as a 3 year old ...." .
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| Nijinsky and Lester, Mirror Photos |
John Randall said in The Racing Post:
"Nijinsky's Arc defeat marked a big step in the decline of the St Leger, for
many concluded that running in the final Classic had damaged his chance of
winning Europe's richest race.
Some subsequent St Leger runners have shone in the Arc, notably another great
O'Brien champion, Alleged. Nevertheless, since 1970 only Nashwan (1989) and Sea
The Stars (2009) have won both the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby, and neither ran
in the St Leger.
Traditionalists were outraged when Nashwan was denied the chance to complete
the Triple Crown. The Prix Niel was chosen as a more suitable Arc prep, but the
colt suffered his only defeat in it and never ran again.
In the next 20 years the decline in both the prestige of the St Leger and the
historical significance of the Triple Crown meant that the final Classic was
never on Sea The Stars' agenda. He won the Irish Champion Stakes instead, en
route to becoming Nijinsky's only rival for the title ‘Ireland's greatest Flat
champion'. "
The article in The Observer upon his Triple Crown victory, reprinted in 2002.
"An Observer Classic
Nijinsky completes the Triple Crown
Already victorious in the 2000 Guineas and the Derby, Nijinsky's St Leger win on 13 September 1970 secured his place in racing history
Richard Baerlein
Sunday 1 September 2002
Observer Sport Monthly
American owner Charles Engelhard had the satisfaction of seeing his colt Nijinsky become the first Triple Crown winner since the mighty Barham in 1935, when he won the St Leger at Doncaster yesterday without ever appearing ever to be called upon to get into top gear by his rider, Lester Piggott. It was an electrifying display.
Eased near the finish and always galloping with his ears pricked, Nijinsky finished half a length in front of Meadowville; with Politico half a length farther away third. Then came Charlton, Melody Rock and Rarity.It was the first time Nijinsky had not sweated up in the paddock or on the way to the post. Vincent O'Brien put his more relaxed attitude down to experience and knowing full well what he was expected to do. There were some anxious moments in the previous race when Lester Piggott, carrying the same colours on the 3-1 on Leander, parted company with his mount early in the race owing to the saddle slipping. Lester came back unharmed.
Johnnie Seagrave rode Meadowville with the intention of finishing second to Nijinsky, so when the field settled down properly, Nijinsky was last but one with Meadowville last. Once in line for home, Nijinsky could be seen making his way through the field with his rider sitting perfectly still and the horse not galloping at full stretch.So they continued until Nijinsky had gone two lengths clear inside the distance. Then Piggott began to pull him up and so the time of five seconds outside the record was not bad, especially as the going was not fast.As in all his previous races in which Lester has ridden him, the champion jockey was satisfied and thrilled with the performance of his mount, and so was trainer O'Brien.
The like of Nijinsky may never seen again, but with satisfactory ground conditions he will have at least two more outings. The next engagement will be the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and then possibly the Washington International. It was his 11th victory and his winnings are now nearly £240,000.
He is the eighth horse this century to complete the Triple Crown, but three of these were during the First World War when racing was at Newmarket and they cannot count. It was the fourth St Leger for Mr Engelhard in seven years, his previous winners being Ribero, Ribocco and Indiana. It was the second success for O'Brien, who won with Ballymoss in 1957, and a fifth Leger victory for Piggott. It was indeed great for the racing world to have a Triple Crown winner after such a long time, and we may never see another.
In finishing second, Meadowville confirmed his conistency, for he had finished second to Nijinsky in the Irish Sweeps Derby. It is bad luck on him to be born in such a year, but he has collected plenty of prizemoney and will have no Nijinsky in opposition next year.O'Brien deserves the highest praise not only for keeping Nijinsky up to his brilliant form throughout the season, but also for improving him as the season advanced.
Despite his brilliance Nijinsky never won again. He lost by a head to Sassafras in Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp three weeks later, and finished second again in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket two weeks after his Arc defeat. He was retired to stud shortly afterwards."
The article as it appeared in the Observer
At stud at Claiborne Farm he sired 155 stakes race winners and he is the only horse in history to
sire a winner of both the Kentucky Derby (Ferdinand)
and the Epsom Derby (Shahrastani) in the same year, (1986).
A motion picture
narrated by Orson Welles and titled "A Horse Called Nijinsky" had a
theatrical release in 1972 and was made available on video in 1988.
His orbituary in The New York Times
"
HORSE RACING; Nijinsky II Destroyed at Claiborne Farm
Reuters
Published: April 16, 1992
Nijinsky II, the last horse to win the English Triple Crown and one of thoroughbred racing's brilliant stallions, was destroyed today at Claiborne Farm.
The 25-year son of Northern Dancer, out of the mare Flaming Page, had been troubled with chronic leg problems. Walter Kaufmann, a veterinarian, had Nijinsky II destroyed after the horse experienced discomfort the last few days
.
Seth Hancock, the farm's owner, said, "We regret to advise that it was necessary to euthanize Nijinsky this morning, due to the infirmities of old age." Won 11 of 13 Starts
Nijinsky II was owned by a syndicate. His whole body -- rather than the traditional head, heart and hooves -- was buried in the farm's horse cemetery between Riva Ridge and Secretariat. He won 11 of 13 starts, finishing second in two other races, and earned an equivalent of $677,118 in American dollars.
Nijinsky II did all his racing in Europe, where as a sensational 3-year-old in 1970 he won the English 2,000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and the St. Leger Stakes to complete the triple. The previous year, trained in Ireland by Vincent O'Brien and ridden by Lester Piggott, Nijinsky II won all five of his starts as a juvenile, finishing with the Dewhurst Stakes, to be crowned champion of 1969".
Recommended reading:
Brilliant piece on Nijinsky at
The Vault
Nijinsky at wikipedia
Victoria and Albert Museum website article
Vincent O'Brien's Great Horses by Ivor Herbert and Jacqueline O'Brien
Thoroughbred Stallions by Tony Morris
