Racing Record
Owned and bred by Texas oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt, Dahlia was trained in France by Maurice Zilber. Dahlia raced on turf in Europe, and during her career, there were few who could successfully compete with her over the grass. As a two-year-old she won the Prix Yacowlef.
At age three, in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Racecourse she was last entering the short straight but then raced past the entire field to defeat male horses of her own age and older including John W. Galbreath's Epsom Derby winner, Roberto to win by six lengths. During 1973 she also won the following races in Europe: the Prix de la Grotte, Prix Saint-Alary, Irish Oaks Stakes and Prix Niel. From there, Dahlia went on to become one of international racing's biggest stars during the 1970s and a multi award-winner in Europe and the United States.
As a four-year-old Dahlia won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, G1 Benson and Hedges Gold Cup for the first time and the Man O' War Stakes. In 1975 Dahlia again won the Benson & Hedges Stakes contested over 10 furlongs. Sent to race permanently in California in 1976, her trainer was Charlie Whittingham. Based at Hollywood Park Racetrack, she won the 1976 G1 Hollywood Invitational Handicap contested over 10 furlongs, Washington, D.C. International Stakes, and Man O' War Stakes again defeating her male counterparts. Dahlia was only the second female winner, (after Typecast) of the Hollywood Invitational Handicap since its inception 35 years earlier. In Canada she won the Canadian International Stakes in course record time.
In all, Dahlia had 48 starts, for 15 wins and 3 seconds and 7 thirds, defeating Classic-winning colts, in England, Ireland, France, Canada and the United States for $1,489,105 in prize money. Dahlia won an Eclipse Award and was voted 1973 and 1974 United Kingdom Horse of the Year. In 1981 she was inducted in the American Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1981.
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