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Rayon d'Or
Rayon d'Or
Sire	Flageolet
Grandsire	Plutus
Dam	Araucaria
Damsire	Ambrose
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1876
Country	France
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Haras de Dangu
Owner	Frédéric Lagrange (France); William L. Scott (USA)
Trainer	Tom Jennings, Sr.
Record	23: 17-2-3
Earnings	F500,000+
Major wins
	Lavant Stakes (1878); Newmarket Glasgow Stakes (1878); Clearwell Stakes (1878); Challenge Stakes (1879); Champion Stakes (1879); Great Foal Stakes (1879); Sussex Stakes (1879); Zetland Stakes (1879); St. James's Palace Stakes (1879); Prix du Cadran (1880); Prix Rainbow (1880); Rous Memorial Stakes (1880); British Classic Race wins:; St. Leger Stakes (1879)
Awards
	Leading sire in North America (1889)
	Last updated on January 6, 2010

Rayon d'Or (1876–1896) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion sire in the United States. Bred by Frédéric Lagrange at his Haras de Dangu stud farm in Dangu, Eure, he was sired by Flageolet whose wins included the Prix Morny (1872), Goodwood Cup (1873) and Jockey Club Cup (1873) and whom Rayon d'Or would help make the Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1879. Rayon d'Or's dam was the good producing mare Araucaria, sired by Ambrose. Araucaria was the last foal of the mare Pocahontas whom Thoroughbred Heritage says is "one of the most influential thoroughbreds of all time, male or female."

Rayon d'Or was conditioned for racing by Tom Jennings, Sr., a member of the pioneering English Racing Colony at Chantilly, Oise. Jennings was the trainer of Gladiateur, winner of the British Triple Crown in 1865.

Rayon d'Or raced from age two through four, winning important races in England and France at distances of one mile to mile and a quarter such as the Sussex and Champion Stakes, and at endurance distances such as the 4,000 meter Prix du Cadran at Longchamp Racecourse and the Prix Rainbow at 5,000 meters. Rayon d'Or's most important win came in the Classic St. Leger Stakes.

Stud record

Rayon d'Or was retired to stud at Haras de Dangu, where he sired only a few foals before being sold in the dispersal of the Haras de Dangu horses in November 1882. He was purchased by American businessman, and former member of the United States House of Representatives, William Scott. Rayon d'Or was brought to the United States to stand at Scott's Algeria Stock Farm at Erie, Pennsylvania, where he sired most of his major winners. In 1889 he became the first French-bred stallion to top the American leading sires list. Scott died in 1892, and the Algeria Stud was dispersed. Rayon d'Or was purchased by August Belmont Jr. who stood him at his Nursery Stud in Kentucky.

Rayon d'Or notably sired: