La Fleche (1889–1916) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. After being sold for a world record price as a yearling in 1890, she was undefeated as a two-year-old in 1891, winning races against her own sex and defeating some of the year's leading colts. She went on to become the dominant British three-year-old of 1892, claiming the Fillies’ Triple Crown by winning the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Oaks at Epsom and the St Leger at Doncaster. Her only defeat of the year came when she finished second when starting favourite for The Derby. La Fleche remained in training for a further two seasons, winning important races such as the 1893 Liverpool Autumn Cup, the 1894 Ascot Gold Cup, and the Champion Stakes on her final appearance. In all, she won sixteen times in twenty-four racecourse appearances. After her retirement from racing she became a successful and influential broodmare. Background La Fleche (French for The Arrow), a brown mare standing just under 16 hands high was bred by the Royal Studs at Hampton Court and was foaled on 10 March 1889. She was an exceptionally well-bred and "beautiful" filly and attracted much attention when she was sent to be auctioned as a yearling on 28 June 1890 at the Bushey Paddocks. She was bought by Lord Marcus Beresford on behalf of the financier Baron Maurice de Hirsch for a sum of 5,500 guineas, outbidding the Duke of Portland and John Porter and breaking the record for a yearling sold at auction, which had stood since 1876. Her sire, St Simon was an unbeaten racehorse who was beginning to prove himself as an outstanding sire. By the time La Fleche was sold in 1890 he was on the way to the first of his nine sires’ championships, having sired the first two of his ten Classic winners. Her dam, Quiver produced La Fleche’s full-sister Memoir, who won the Epsom Oaks and the St Leger as well as the influential broodmares Maid Marian and Satchel. La Fleche was trained for her first two seasons by John Porter at Kingsclere. At the end of her three-year-old season she was moved to the Egerton House stable of Richard Marsh at Newmarket, Suffolk. Attempts by anglophone writers to spell her name resulted in variations including La Fléche, Lafleche, La Flèche (the "correct" version), and La Flêche. Racing career 1891: two-year-old season La Fleche won