Thoroughbred › Horses
In 1972 two horses dominated racing in North America. One was a colt that many consider the best of this century; the other a Canadian-bred filly who earned accolades with a perfect 12-for-12 season. Secretariat and La Prevoyante were their names, and that's how they finished in the Eclipse Award voting for Horse of the Year.
Owned and bred by Jean-Louis Levesque, La Prevoyante was North America's champion 2-year-old filly and was Canada's Horse of the Year following her unprecedented campaign against the best of her sex in stakes' company in the U.S. The daughter of Buckpasser-Arctic Dancer had the charisma that separates the champions from the also-rans. Her only weakness, which became evident as a 3-year-old, was her inability to dominate in races over a mile. She had amazing speed up to seven furlongs and did win stakes races longer than a mile. Her 12-race winning streak was halted in her first race as a 3-year-old, losing a sprint at Gulfstream. Later that spring she won at Keeneland and took the La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs. In the Kentucky Oaks she opened a lead before tiring and finished second. She won the Quebec Derby but two of her disappointing losses came in the Canadian Oaks and Queen's Plate.
La Prevoyante was trained by Yonnie Starr and ridden by either John LeBlanc or Chris Rogers. During her perfect season she won 10 stakes races, capturing the My Dear, Fleur de Lys, Colin, Princess Elizabeth in Canada and the Schuylerville, Matron, Spinaway, Frizette and Gardenia Stakes in New York, New Jersey and Maryland.
At ages three and four La Prevoyante won 11 of 17 starts and was named Canada's champion older filly or mare. She fashioned one of the most brilliant records ever by a Canadian racehorse. In 39 starts she won 25 races and was in the money 33 times. Her career ended on a tragic note on December 28, 1974, when she died at Florida's Calder track. Favorite in the Miss Florida Handicap, she faded from her normal front-running position to eighth place. She later collapsed in the unsaddling area and again in her barn, dying from a ruptured left lung and subsequent hemorrhage.
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