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€ 2.4 million. Unlike Buvetier, Défi was trained by Jean- Pierre’ s son, Jean-Étienne, and won prestigious races such as the Critériums for 4- and 5-year-olds, the Prix de Paris, and the Prix de l’ Atlantique. As a sire, Défi produced quality performers like Mahana, interestingly, another“ Dubois” mare descending from Standardbred patriarch Star’ s Pride, but didn’ t match Buvetier’ s consistency at stud. Nesmile’ s influence didn’ t stop with Buvetier and Défi. She also produced Amour d’ Aunou( by Speedy Somolli), an exceptional broodmare. Her progeny include the champion Private Love( by Goetmals Wood), In Love With You( by Coktail Jet), and Guilty of Love, dam of Love You. Meanwhile, another mare emerged as a true matron: Armbro Glamour, a Canadian-bred mare by Super Bowl, crossed with French sire Quouky Williams, produced Jean-Étienne Dubois’ first star: Coktail Jet.
Coktail Jet, the foundation sire Purchased in Canada by 21-year-old Jean-Étienne Dubois, Armbro Glamour wasn’ t a champion but came from excellent bloodlines. As Jean-Étienne recalled:“ She was tiny, but I liked her.” Bred to his father’ s stallion Quouky Williams, she foaled the iconic Coktail Jet. Between 1994 and 1995, Coktail won a slew of top races: Grand Prix d’ Europe, Critérium des 5 Ans, Prix de l’ Étoile, Prix d’ Améri-
que, Prix de France, Prix de l’ Atlantique, Elitloppet, and Prix René Ballière, an incredible run within a single year. But even more remarkable was the long-term impact he would have on the French trotting scene. Retired to stud in 1997, Coktail Jet produced a Group 1 winner in his first crop: Island Dream, trained by Dubois Sr. A wave of top sires followed: Jeanbat du Vivier, Kérido du Donjon, Kiwi, Naglo, Love You, Magnificient Rodney, Quid de Villeneuve, Yarrah Boko, The Best Madrik- all Group 1 winners, six of them surpassing € 1 million in earnings. Coktail Jet topped France’ s sire rankings six times. He also excelled as a broodmare sire, with champions like Bilibili( two-time Prix de Cornulier winner) and Texas Charmdescending from his daughters. But of all his sons, Love You would carry the legacy forward.
Love You: noble blood never lies Love You embodies Jean- Pierre Dubois’ forwardthinking breeding vision. His dam, Guilty of Love, is a full sister to Buvetier and Défi d’ Aunou, sired by And Arifant, himself by Italian stallion Sharif Di Iesolo, a son of the American Quik Song. Bred to Coktail Jet, Guilty of Love produced Love You. Although Love You didn’ t match his father in earnings or major wins, he still won 17 Group races. As a sire, he followed in his father’ s footsteps: leading sire in France three times, in Sweden four times, in Europe four times, and twice the world’ s top sire by progeny earnings. He produced a torrent of Group winners, males and females alike: Belina Josselyn( Prix d’ Amérique 2019), Quaker Jet( Prix d’ Amérique runner-up 2010), Royal Dream( Prix d’ Amérique 2013), Qualita Bourbon, Uza Josselyn, Booster Winner, Village Mystic, and many others. As a broodmare sire, Love You’ s legacy continues with Bold Eagle and Face Time Bourbon( a nephew of Qualita Bourbon), between them, four Prix d’ Amérique victories, 48 Group 1 wins, and over € 7 million in earnings. Both were sired by Ready Cash, whose dam Kidea was by Extreme Dream, another Dubois-marked stallion. This leads us to another cornerstone: Goetmals Wood.
Tahitienne: the american influence Despite her exotic name, Tahitienne had predominantly American blood. A daughter of Kimberland( 1.56m), a U. S.-type stallion acquired by the French National Stud, she descended from the elite male line of Star’ s Pride. Though not a top racer herself, Tahitienne, another Dubois mare, proved a breeding gem. Her masterpiece? Goetmals Wood, by And Arifant( again, a Sharif Di Iesolo son). A top competitor with seven Group 2 wins and placings in the Prix de l’ Étoile and Critérium des 5 Ans, he was the full brother of Mahana( by Défi d’ Aunou), a three-
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