Ksar (1918–1937) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who had back-to-back wins in France's most prestigious horse race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Bred by Evremond de Saint-Alary at his Haras de Saint Pair du Mont in Normandy, Ksar was purchased by the renowned French horseman Edmond Blanc. Ksar was inbred to the French Derby winner, Omnium II (3f x 2f) with this giving him three crosses of Dollar (4f x 5m x 6m).[2] Kizil Kourgan was the winner of the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks, the Grand Prix de Paris and other races. Her first foal was Kenilworth, by Childwick. Kenilworth won the Prix Greffulhe, Prix Rainbow and the marathon four mile (6,400 metres) race, Prix Gladiateur before being exported to Australia and becoming a successful sire.[3][4] He was a direct male descendant of the famous mid-nineteenth century race horse The Flying Dutchman.[5]
Edmond Blanc died in 1920, and his widow raced Ksar, beginning at age two when he won the Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp Racecourse.
At age three, Ksar was the dominant horse in France, winning five major races, including the coveted Prix du Jockey Club and the first of his two consecutive Prix de l'Arc de Triomphes. He ran poorly in the 1921 Grand Prix de Paris which had previously been won by both Ksar's sire and dam.[3]
Ksar continued his dominance at age four, winning his second Arc and adding the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Prix du President de la Republique). Ksar was retired after his four-year-old racing season with 11 wins and 3 places from his 15 starts.[1]
At his owner's Haras de Jardy, stud, Ksar was the leading sire in France in 1931 and an influential sire.
Among Ksar's grandsons are Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winners Djebel (1942) and Caracalla (1946). Ksar was also the damsire of the 1941 Arc winner and Three-Year-Old Champion Le Pacha.[6]
In 1935, Ksar was sold to American[7] breeding interests and stood at stud at Montana Hall Stud in Virginia, where he produced a number of international show jumping horses until his death in 1937 at age nineteen.[8]
* Ksar is inbred 3S x 2D to the stallion Omnium II, meaning that he appears third generation on the sire side of his pedigree and second generation on the dam side of his pedigree.
*^ Ksar is inbred 6S x 5S x 4D to the stallion Dollar, meaning that he appears sixth generation (via Cambyse)^ and fifth generation (via Upas)^ on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.