Varenne, the horse who wrote some of the most important pages in the history of world harness racing, has died at the age of 31. The legendary “Captain” passed away overnight after a sudden heart attack. The announcement came through his social media channels: “Run free forever, and remain our Captain forever.”
Born on 19 May 1995 in Copparo, in the province of Ferrara, at the stud farm of Sandro Viani, Varenne became a true icon of the sport. Between 1998 and 2002 he dominated international tracks, closing out his career with 62 wins in 73 races and 51 Grand Prix victories, for total prize money of over 6.3 million euros.
Among the achievements that made history are his two consecutive Prix d’Amérique wins, in Paris in 2001 and 2002, his victories at the Elitloppet in Stockholm and three wins at the Lotteria di Napoli. In July 2001, at the Meadowlands in New York, he also set the world record with a time of 1:09.1.
His story also had a particular connection to Rimini. After the early stages of his career, Varenne was purchased by Enzo Giordano for 180 million lire: the money to finalize the deal was handed over by driver Giampaolo Minnucci in Rimini itself, to an emissary of the previous owner, Jean Pierre Dubois.
After retiring from competition, the Captain became one of the most sought-after stallions, siring more than two thousand offspring, whose descendants continued to excel in major international competitions. In recent years he had been living in Eboli, in the province of Salerno, at Dario De Angelis’s Lj stud farm.
With his speed and an extraordinary ability to rise to the occasion in major events, Varenne went far beyond the world of horse racing, becoming one of the most famous Italian horses of all time. At 31, the story of the Captain comes to a close — but not the legend he leaves behind.
