On May 19th, Varenne turned 30. Born in 1995 in the small town of Copparo, in the province of Ferrara (Emilia Romagna), to an American father, Waikiki Beach (a thoroughbred with a winning pedigree), and an Italian mother, Ialmaz, Varenne - named after a Paris Metro station - became the symbol of world harness racing, the most successful horse in history, and the most famous trotter in the world.
Varenne became a legend in the sport thanks to the numerous records he broke and his incredible career both as an athlete and as a stallion. Varenne’s debut on the track was far from glorious: on April 4, 1998, in Bologna, he started well but was disqualified for briefly trotting in a gallop, which is not allowed in harness racing.
So, when Varenne was first presented at an auction in Sweden, no one wanted to buy him. He had a strange gait, appeared uncoordinated, and seemed unpromising, so his first owner sold him without much regret. He was bought by an Italian, Enzo Giordano, who, after seeing him, realized that the horse had something special. He paid 150 million Italian lira (about $80,000), and it was a real bargain. He entrusted him to the Finnish team of trainer Jori Turja, who had moved to Tor San Lorenzo, a small town on the Roman coast, and from there began a winning story worthy of a film.
Varenne relaxed by listening to Mozart’s classical music every day, like a true aristocrat. He didn’t like being woken up early and had his own rituals for meals, cleaning, and muscle massages. If anything went off schedule, he would become nervous. Fortunately, with the guidance of Roman driver Giampaolo Minnucci, Varenne quickly found the perfect balance. That synergy between horse and driver became legendary: no changes, no mistakes in races, and an impressive streak of victories that led experts to nickname him “The Captain.”
Between 1998 and 2002, Varenne raced 73 times, winning 62 of those (an impressive 85% success rate). These numbers would make any champion, human or equine, pale in comparison. And these weren’t local races; he won in 7 different countries, dominating the world’s major harness racing arenas. Some of his most iconic victories include two Prix d'Amérique (2001 and 2002), Europe’s most prestigious race, two Elitloppet (2001 and 2002), the major Scandinavian event, a Breeders Crown (2001), the prestigious American event, and once the Gran Premio delle Nazioni, the Gran Criterium, the European Championship, the Italian Derby, and the Gran Premio Lotteria—all of them highly significant international events. On October 14, 2001, in New York, Varenne set the world record for the mile, with 1'09”1 per kilometer: no one had ever trotted so fast on a track of that category. The total earnings from his career exceeded $6 million, making him the richest trotter of all time.
After his extraordinary career on the track, on September 28, 2002, in Montreal, Canada, before 20,000 spectators who cheered him like a rock star, Varenne ended his racing career with a triumphant display. From there, he began a new career as a stallion. First, at the “Il Grifone” breeding farm in Vigone, Turin, then at the Equicenter Monteleone in Rieti, and today at the LJ breeding farm in Eboli, Salerno. The numbers of his descendants are impressive: over 2,700 registered foals, many of whom have won on the track. Some of his most famous offspring include Lana del Rio, Lisa America, Nadir Kronos, Pascià Lest, Testimonial Ok, and Vernissage Grif—all winners of major harness racing events.
In addition to his titles on the track, Varenne was the first and only horse to win the “Horse of the Year” title in three different countries: Italy, France, and the United States. He entered the collective imagination, appearing on trading cards, gadgets, posters, and even in a TV series for kids. Today, at the age of 30, he is still sharp, in great shape, and beloved by all. Some compare him to Fausto Coppi, Diego Armando Maradona, and even Muhammad Ali. But Varenne will always remain Varenne, a unique and unmatchable horse and athlete.