# Placid Ark > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Placid_Ark > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Placid_Ark.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placid_Ark > Source revision: 1350347014 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Australian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}} {{Infobox racehorse | horsename = Placid Ark | image = | caption = | sire = Arkenstone | grandsire = [Zvornik](/source/Zvornik_(Horse)) | dam = Northern Queen | damsire = Star of the North | sex = [Gelding](/source/Gelding) | foaled = 1983 | country = Australia | colour = [Bay](/source/Bay_(horse)) | breeder = Asprey Stud | owner = Eight-person syndicate | trainer = [Wally Mitchell](/source/Wally_Mitchell) | record = 21: 14-2-1[http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/Racing/horse.aspx?horse_code=181841 Placid Ark's Racing record] | earnings = $771,300 | race = [Lee Steere Classic](/source/Lee_Steere_Classic) (1987)
[Lightning Stakes](/source/Lightning_Stakes) (1987)
[Oakleigh Plate](/source/Oakleigh_Plate) (1987)
[Newmarket Handicap](/source/Newmarket_Handicap) (1987)
[Canterbury Stakes](/source/Canterbury_Stakes) (1987)
[Sir Rupert Steele Stakes](/source/Gilgai_Stakes) (1987)
[A J Moir Stakes](/source/Schweppes_Stakes) (1987)
[Linlithgow Stakes](/source/Linlithgow_Stakes) (1987)
[Winterbottom Stakes](/source/Winterbottom_Stakes) (1987)
[Bobby Lewis Quality](/source/Bobby_Lewis_Quality) (1988) | awards= [Australian Co-Champion Racehorse of the Year](/source/Australian_Champion_Racehorse_of_the_Year) (1987) | honors = Placid Ark Stakes at [Ascot Racecourse](/source/Ascot_Racecourse%2C_Western_Australia) | updated= }} '''Placid Ark''' (1983-1988) was an Australian thoroughbred foaled in Western Australia. His sire Arkenstone was a winning son of the [Western Australian](/source/Western_Australian) champion sire [Zvornik](/source/Zvornik_(Horse)) and his dam was Northern Queen a mare bred in [South Australia](/source/South_Australia) by the United States imported stallion [Star of the North](/source/Star_of_the_North_(horse)).{{cite web|title=Placid Ark Does It Again|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118120641?searchTerm=Placid%20Ark|work=[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times) – via [Trove](/source/Trove)|page=12|accessdate=8 October 2025|date=22 February 1987}} Bred at [Asprey Stud](/source/Asprey_Stud) near [Pinjarra](/source/Pinjarra) by H.B (Pip) Dent, Placid Ark was purchased at the Sunspeed Yearling Sales for $5,000 for a novice eight-person syndicate headed by [Hotel](/source/Hotel)ier [Barry McGrath](/source/Barry_McGrath) on the recommendation of [Ascot Racecourse](/source/Ascot_Racecourse%2C_Western_Australia) [trainer](/source/Horse_trainer) Wally Mitchell. Wally Mitchell was persuaded to purchase the horse by the breeder, H.B. (Pip) Dent. Pip was so convinced of the quality of the horse that he offered to give Wally his money back if the horse didn't win (cited in West Australian newspaper's obituary of Pip Dent). Placid Ark earned number of wins as a two-year-old including the first ever defeat of star filly [Jungle Dawn](/source/Jungle_Dawn) who later campaigned successfully in the [United States of America](/source/United_States_of_America) and after making a promising start in his three-year-old season in [Perth, Western Australia](/source/Perth%2C_Western_Australia), plans were made to take him to [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne) to contest the autumn sprinters treble of the [Lightning Stakes](/source/Lightning_Stakes), [Oakleigh Plate](/source/Oakleigh_Plate) & [Newmarket Handicap](/source/Newmarket_Handicap).{{cite web|title=Rocket Racer heads WA charge to the east|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/119473428?searchTerm=Placid%20Ark%20Jungle%20Dawn|work=[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times) – via [Trove](/source/Trove)|page=21|accessdate=8 October 2025|date=5 January 1987}} Placid Ark made history when he became the first horse to win all three races in the same season. Accompanying Placid Ark on the trip was [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales) born [jockey](/source/jockey) [John Scorse](/source/John_Scorse) who had relocated to [Perth](/source/Perth%2C_Western_Australia) as stable rider for Mitchell.{{cite web|title=Placid Ark Sprit Ace|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136293847?searchTerm=Placid%20Ark%20treble|work=[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times) – via [Trove](/source/Trove)|page=12|accessdate=8 October 2025|date=8 March 1987}} Placid Ark's performances in the 1986-87 racing season resulted in him being voted a co-winner of [Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year](/source/Australian_Champion_Racehorse_of_the_Year) honors, alongside [Bonecrusher](/source/Bonecrusher_(horse)).{{ cite news|title=Placid Ark's trainer Wally Mitchell reflects on Lightning Stakes win 35 years on|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/placid-arks-trainer-wally-mitchell-reflects-on-lightning-stakes-win-35-years-on/news-story/013bce4773c07aa5a1aafa831a3f76f4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251008081258/https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/placid-arks-trainer-wally-mitchell-reflects-on-lightning-stakes-win-35-years-on/news-story/013bce4773c07aa5a1aafa831a3f76f4|archive-date=8 October 2025|work=[news.com.au](/source/news.com.au)|accessdate=8 October 2025|date=17 February 2022| first=Ben|last=Dorries}} Out of racing for a time due to an injury, Placid Ark came back in 1988 to win the [Bobby Lewis Quality](/source/Bobby_Lewis_Quality) before a shattered [sesamoid](/source/sesamoid) resulted in the [gelding](/source/gelding) having to be [euthanized](/source/Animal_euthanasia).{{cite web|title=Placid Ark destroyed|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102075276?searchTerm=Placid%20Ark|work=[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times) – via [Trove](/source/Trove)|page=52|accessdate=8 October 2025|date=28 September 1988}} The [Listed](/source/Group_races) Placid Ark Stakes, held at [Ascot Racecourse](/source/Ascot_Racecourse_(Western_Australia)) in [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia), is named in his honour.{{ cite web|title=Placid Ark Stakes: In Honour Of A Star|url=https://racingwa.com.au/news/2022/11/07/placid-ark-stakes-in-honour-of-a-star|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251008083442/https://racingwa.com.au/news/2022/11/07/placid-ark-stakes-in-honour-of-a-star|archive-date=8 October 2025|work=Racing WA|accessdate=8 October 2025|date=7 November 2022}} ==References== {{reflist}} * [http://www.pedigreequery.com/placid+ark Placid Ark's pedigree and partial racing stats] Category:1983 racehorse births Category:1988 racehorse deaths Category:Racehorses bred in Australia Category:Racehorses trained in Australia Category:Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Placid Ark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placid_Ark) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placid_Ark?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.