Teenoso (7 April 1980 – 4 October 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After showing moderate form as a two-year-old, he improved in the spring of 1983 to win the Group Three Lingfield Derby Trial and the Epsom Derby, giving Lester Piggott a record ninth win in the Classic race. Teenoso was beaten in his two remaining races that year but showed good form as a four-year-old, winning the Ormonde Stakes, the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and, on his final appearance, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He proved to be a disappointment at stud.
Background
Teenoso was a dark-coated bay horse with a small white star and a white sock on his left hind leg, bred in Kentucky by Ralph "Budgie" Moller and his brother, Eric, who owned the colt during his racing career. He was described as a bay when racing, but when standing at stud he was described as being "dark bay or brown". Teenoso was the best horse sired by Youth, the winner of the Prix du Jockey Club Washington, D.C. International in 1976. His dam, Furioso, who finished second in the 1974 Epsom Oaks, also produced the racemare Topsy, who finished second in the 1000 Guineas and won both the Sun Chariot Stakes and the Prix d'Astarte in 1979. Furioso and Teenoso were two of many successful racehorses descended from the Mollers' broodmare Horama. Others included Lacquer (Irish 1,000 Guineas, Cambridgeshire Handicap), Favoletta (Irish 1000 Guineas), Sovereign (Coronation Stakes) and Violetta (Cambridgeshire).
Racing career
1982: two-year-old season
Teenoso showed little worthwhile form as a two-year-old in 1982. He finished unplaced on his debut over six furlongs at Newmarket in August and was unplaced again over seven furlongs at Doncaster a month later. Teenoso produced a slightly better effort on his final appearance, when he finished fourth on soft ground at Newmarket. The colt ended the season with earnings of £262. At the end of the year, Harry Wragg retired from training, and his stable was taken over by his son Geoff Wragg. Teenoso was among the leaders from the start. Piggott sent the colt into the lead early in the straight and he was never in any apparent danger, winning by three lengths from the Irish-trained Carlingford Castle. The winning time of 2:49.07 was the slowest of the 20th century. In the voting for the British Horse of the Year award, conducted by the Racegoers' Club, he was beaten by seventeen votes to six by the two-year-old Provideo.
In their book A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Teenoso a "superior" winner of the Derby.
Retirement
Teenoso began his stud career at the Highclere Stud but struggled to attract high-quality mares and was not considered a success as a stallion. The best of his progeny was probably Young Buster, who won seven races including the Group Three September Stakes. Other successful flat racers included Carlton (Hansa-Preis) and Starlet (Team Trophy der Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken). Teenoso was later moved to the Shade Oak Stud in Shropshire and then to the Pitts Farm Stud at Sherborne in Dorset. Towards the end of his stud career he was standing at a fee of £1,000 and was mainly being used as a National Hunt stallion. The best of his steeplechase performers were Young Spartacus (Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase, Racing Post Chase) and Horus (Vodafone Gold Cup).
In autumn 1999, Teenoso developed thrombosis and was euthanized on October 4 at Pitts Farm Stud.
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