Horse Varenne, racing legend, passes away at the age of 31 after a successful career By Luís Henrique Costa
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The Brazilian equestrian community mourns the loss of Varenne, the legendary trotting horse known as “Capitão”, who died on August 18, 2026, at the age of 31. The news was confirmed with deep regret on the animal’s official Instagram page.
Varenne’s death occurred during the early hours of the morning at the LJ breeding center, located in Eboli, in the province of Salerno, Italy. Veterinarians confirmed that the cause was a sudden heart attack, taking everyone by surprise. An emotional message, released by his caretakers, read: “Run free forever and forever be our Captain. May the earth bless you.”
Varenne’s notable achievements on the racetrack
Born on May 19, 1995, at the Zenzalino farm in Copparo (Ferrara), Varenne was the son of the American stallion Waikiki Beach and the Italian mare Ialmaz. It was acquired by Enzo Giordano for 180 million after an unsuccessful first test, and was then entrusted to the Finnish trainer Jori Turja and the Roman driver Giampaolo Minnucci, who accompanied him for almost his entire career. Throughout his career, Varenne scored 62 victories in 73 races, accumulating more than 6 million euros in prizes.
Varenne’s two historic Grand Slam achievements
Among his most important triumphs are the Italian Trotto Derby, won in 1998, and the Gran Premio Lotteria di Agnano, won in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Varenne also shone internationally, winning the Prix d’Amérique in 2001 and 2002, the Elitloppet in 2001 and 2002, and the Breeders Crown in 2001. In 2001, he achieved the rare feat of winning the three biggest European trotting races – Prix d’Amérique, Lotteria and Elitloppet – adding to them the Breeders Crown in the United States, completing what is known as the Grand Slam of trotting. The feat was repeated in 2002, the year in which he concluded his career with a world tour that ended in Montréal, on September 28th.
After retiring from competition in 2002, Varenne continued his legacy as a stallion, establishing himself as an icon of horse breeding in Italy and leaving an indelible mark on the history of racing.
