Dahlia (March 25, 1970 – April 6, 2001) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She won major races in France, England, Ireland, Canada, and the United States. She was the first Thoroughbred mare to earn more than $1 million and was one of the pioneers of inter-continental racing. Originally trained in France, she showed early promise by winning the Prix Yacowlef on her debut as a two-year-old but failed to win again that year. In the following season she developed into a top-class middle-distance performer, winning the Prix de la Grotte, Prix Saint-Alary and Irish Oaks against her own sex before defeating male opposition King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Prix Niel and Washington, D.C. International. She was voted British horse of the year and was the equal-top-rated three-year-old filly in Europe. In the following year she won a second King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes as well as the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Benson and Hedges Gold Cup, Man O' War Stakes and Canadian International Stakes. She was voted British horse of the year for a second time and took the Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Horse. She was less successful at five but did record an upset victory over Grundy to take a second Benson and Hedges Gold Cup. She was transferred to the United States and won the Hollywood Invitational Handicap. After her retirement from racing she became a very successful broodmare, producing several major winners. She died in 2001 at the age of 31. Dahlia has been inducted into both the United States Racing Hall of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Background Dahlia was a chestnut mare with a narrow white blaze bred and owned by the Texas oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt. The filly was sent to Europe to be trained in France by Maurice Zilber. Her sire, Vaguely Noble, won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1968 before becoming a successful breeding stallion whose other progeny included Exceller and Empery. Dahlia was the first foal of her dam Charming Alibi, a durable racemare who won sixteen of her seventy-one races and earned over $110,000 in prize money. Perhaps the most notable of her later offspring was Canadian Bound, who was auctioned for a world record price of $1,500,000 in 1976. Her other descendants have included the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Rail Link. Racing record 1972: