Invincible Trotter Varenne, Record-Breaking Italian Champion, Dies at 31
Legacy and Life of Varenne: The World’s Greatest Trotter
By Anna Uras and Mirko Miorelli
Varenne’s Impact Beyond the Racetrack
Aug 18 (Reuters) - Italian horse Varenne transcended sport during a record-smashing career as the world's greatest trotter, becoming a symbol of elegance and athletic prowess and appearing as a celebrity on popular TV shows.
The Final Farewell
Varenne died of a heart attack on Tuesday aged 31, leaving behind an estate of over 2,000 offspring and a wide community of adoring fans in Italy and abroad.
Understanding Trotting: The Sport and Its Popularity
Trotting, especially popular in France, Finland, Italy and North America, is a form of racing in which horses pull a light carriage called a "sulky", manned by a driver, while maintaining a specific two-beat gait called a "trot".
Career Highlights and Achievements
Racing Record and Grand Prix Victories
In a five-year racing career spanning 1998-2002 Varenne, widely known as "the Captain", achieved 62 victories in 73 races, including 53 Grand Prix, and earned over €6 million in prize money.
Memorable Moments
"He was a Ferrari with a brain", Varenne's loyal driver Giampaolo Minnucci told Italian daily La Stampa in an interview last month.
In 2002 Varenne thrilled the crowd when, during a presentation of horses and drivers at Milan's San Siro stadium at the height of his fame, he lowered his head and touched his muzzle with his right front leg, bowing to the public.
International Recognition
He became the only horse to be named Horse of the Year in Italy, France and the United States, winning all three honours in 2001, and he was inducted into the United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2010.
Varenne’s Legacy as a Sire
Breeding Success
Between 2004 and 2024, his semen was sold worldwide at between €10,000 and €20,000 per cover, yielding more than 2,000 horses. His first son, Italo Del Ronco, was sold for €150,000 ($173,580.00).
Early Life and Rise to Fame
Origins and Name
Born near the north-eastern Italian city of Ferrara on May 19, 1995, he owed his name to the Rue de Varenne in Paris, where the Italian Embassy in France is located.
Ownership and Early Victories
He was acquired by his long-standing owner, Enzo Giordano, after his debut race in 1998, and quickly rose to fame after winning a streak of competitions, coming to be widely recognised as the greatest trotter of all time.
Record-Breaking Performances
World Records
He set a world record at the mile distance in 2001 and the 1,000-meter track record in 2002.
Unbeaten Speed Record
At the 2002 World Cup in Vincennes, he set the still unbeaten speed record for 2100 meters, winning the title despite a broken sulky wheel.
Honours and Recognition
Global Fame
"He toured the world, flew more often than a pilot and received honours from Pope Wojtyla and Italy's President Ciampi," Minnucci said.
Currency Note
($1 = 0.8642 euros)
(Reporting by Anna Uras, Mirko Miorelli in Gdansk, Cristina Carlevaro in Milan; editing by Gavin Jones)