Francois Boutin
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François Boutin (January 21, 1937 - February 1, 1995) was a leading French Thoroughbred horse trainer. The son of a farmer, he was born in the village of Beaunay in the northerly Marne département. He began riding horses at a young age and competed in show jumping and cross-country equestrianism. He began his professional racing career driving horses in harness racing then after serving as a flat racing apprentice, obtained his license as a trainer in 1964.
François Boutin was the trainer for the stables of Jean-Luc Lagardère and for the Stavros Niarchos family. During his more than thirty year career he was the leading money winner in France seven times (1976, 1978-81, 1983-84). Although victory eluded him in France's most prestigious horse race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Boutin won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains on six occasions and most every other important race in the country multiple times.
Racing outside of France, Boutin's horse Sagaro is the only one to ever have won England's Ascot Gold Cup three years in a row. As well, Boutin-trained horses won the 1982 English 2,000 Guineas, the 1987 1,000 Guineas and the Matron Stakes in Ireland (Nureyev, ridden by stable jockey Philippe Paquet, finished first in the 1980 2,000 Guineas, but was later disqualified). In the United States, François Boutin trained April Run for Mrs. Bertram Firestone who had back-to-back wins in the 1981-82 Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park. However, he is best remembered as the trainer of the Hall of Fame filly Miesque who had back-to-back wins in the Breeders' Cup Mile in 1987 and 1988 and for Arazi, whose breathtaking victory in the 1991 Breeders' Cup Juvenile was followed by his shocking upset in the 1992 Kentucky Derby.
François Boutin was married to American Lucy Young, the daughter of Overbrook Farm owner William T. Young. Their daughter Patricia Boutin is involved in the sport, operating Suprina Bloodstock agency.
In 1995, François Boutin died of a heart attack in Paris. The Prix François Boutin at Hippodrome Deauville-La Touques race course in Deauville is named in his honor.
