Riverman /

This article is about the racehorse. For the song by Nick Drake, see Five Leaves Left. Riverman (1969-1999) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse. Foaled in Kentucky, he was bred by Harry F. Guggenheim of the prominent American Guggenheim family. Riverman was from the mare River Lady and sired by Guggenheim's stallion Never Bend, a grandson of the extremely important sire, Nearco. Purchased by French perfume magnate Pierre Wertheimer, head of the House of Chanel, the colt raced under the colors of his wife, Germaine. Trained by Alec Head, Riverman was sent to the track in 1971 where he won the Prix Yacowlef and finished second in the Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte. The following year, he won the Group II Prix Jean Prat plus two Group One races, the Prix d'Ispahan and the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Sent to race in England, he notably ran third to Brigadier Gerard in July's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and second to him in October's Champion Stakes. Retired to stud duty in 1974, Riverman stood at Haras du Quesnay in Calvados until 1980 when he was sent to Gainesway Farm in Kentucky. The leading sire in France in 1980 and 1981, Riverman sired Group One winners All At Sea,