Pia (1964 – after 1985) was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed top-class form as a juvenile in 1966 when she won three races including the Cherry Hinton Stakes and the Lowther Stakes as well as finishing second in the Cheveley Park Stakes. In the following year she ran fourth in the 1000 Guineas and third in the Musidora Stakes before recording her biggest win in the Epsom Oaks. Later that year she dead-heated for first place in the Park Hill Stakes and ran fourth in a strong renewal of the Champion Stakes before being retired from racing. Although her foals made little impact on the track, her daughter Principia became an influential broodmare. Background Pia was a brown mare with no white markings bred in England by her owner, the Countess Margit Batthyany. She was trained throughout her racing career by Bill Elsey at Malton, North Yorkshire. She was sired by Darius who won the 2000 Guineas in 1954 and the Eclipse Stakes a year later. Darius's other progeny included Derring-Do and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Pola Bella. Her dam Peseta was a German-bred mare who raced successfully in France and whose other descendants have included the leading North American performer Pleasantly Perfect. Peseta was a female line descendant of the outstanding British broodmare Plucky Liege. Racing career 1966: two-year-old season In 1966 Pia won three of her six races. After winning the Gibside Stakes over five furlongs at Newcastle Racecourse the filly was moved up in class to contest the Cherry Hinton Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse in July. Starting at odds of 8/1 and ridden by Edward Hide she won from St Pauli Girl. A month later she followed up in the Lowther Stakes at York Racecourse, winning from Maeander and Winkie at odds of 11/1. She finished unplaced in the Seaton Delaval Stakes at Newcastle Racecourse when she failed to recover from a poor start. On her final start of the year she finished second to Fleet in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket with Maeander in third place. In the Free Handicap, a rating of the best two-year-olds to race in Britain, Pia was given a weight of 116, making her six pounds behind Fleet, who was the highest-rated filly and seventeen pounds below the top colt Bold Lad. 1967: three-year-old season Pia began her second campaign in the