Rome, Aug. 18 (LaPresse) – Mourning in the world of horse racing. Varenne, the greatest trotter of all time, has died at the age of 31. “It is with immense sorrow that we announce the death of the Captain,” reads the official Instagram page that announced the stallion’s death. “Varenne passed away this night and the veterinarian determined the cause to be a fulminant heart attack. We are devastated to have learned the news this morning and we want to remember him together with all his fans and fly toward his victories,” reads the post. “Today Varenne has put those wings on to travel elsewhere, always run free and always be our Captain, may the earth lie lightly upon you. Send lots of love to Enzo,” the post concludes, referring to Enzo Giordano, Varenne’s owner, who died at the age of 71 in 2025. Born on May 19, 1995 in Copparo (Ferrara), at the Zenzalino breeding farm, he was the son of the American stallion Waikiki Beach and the Italian mare Ialmaz. He was purchased by Enzo Giordano after a promising but unfortunate debut and entrusted to Finnish trainer Jori Turja and Roman driver Giampaolo Minnucci, who accompanied him for almost his entire career. He competed in 73 races, winning 62. Among his main successes were the Italian Trotting Derby, won in 1998, the Gran Premio Lotteria di Agnano, won in 2000, 2001 and 2002, the Prix d’Amérique, won in 2001 and 2002, the Elitloppet, won in 2001 and 2002, and the Breeders Crown, won in 2001. In 2001, he won the three major European trotting races in the same year – the Prix d’Amérique, Lotteria and Elitloppet – and then the Breeders Crown in the United States. The following year, he completed the Grand Slam again and ended his racing career with the world tour, which concluded in Montreal on September 28.
Horse racing: Varenne, the greatest trotter of all time, dies
Rome, Aug. 18 (LaPresse) – Mourning in the world of horse racing. Varenne, the greatest trotter of all time, has died at the age of 31. “It is with immense sorrow that we announce the death of the Captain,” reads the official Instagram page that announced the stallion’s death. “Varenne passed away this night and the veterinarian determined the cause to be a fulminant heart attack. We are devastated to have learned the news this morning and we want to remember him together with all his fans and fly toward his victories,” reads the post. “Today Varenne has put those wings on to travel elsewhere, always run free and always be our Captain, may the earth lie lightly upon you. Send lots of love to Enzo,” the post concludes, referring to Enzo Giordano, Varenne’s owner, who died at the age of 71 in 2025. Born on May 19, 1995 in Copparo (Ferrara), at the Zenzalino breeding farm, he was the son of the American stallion Waikiki Beach and the Italian mare Ialmaz. He was purchased by Enzo Giordano after a promising but unfortunate debut and entrusted to Finnish trainer Jori Turja and Roman driver Giampaolo Minnucci, who accompanied him for almost his entire career. He competed in 73 races, winning 62. Among his main successes were the Italian Trotting Derby, won in 1998, the Gran Premio Lotteria di Agnano, won in 2000, 2001 and 2002, the Prix d’Amérique, won in 2001 and 2002, the Elitloppet, won in 2001 and 2002, and the Breeders Crown, won in 2001. In 2001, he won the three major European trotting races in the same year – the Prix d’Amérique, Lotteria and Elitloppet – and then the Breeders Crown in the United States. The following year, he completed the Grand Slam again and ended his racing career with the world tour, which concluded in Montreal on September 28.