text: has anyone heard of the racehorse mill reef?   mill reef (1968-1986) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse.  he was owned and bred in america at the rockey stables by paul mellon. he was a son of never bend, out of the mare milan mill. sent to england in december 1969 to be trained by ian balding, mill reef won the epsom derby in 1971, after having come second in the 2,000 guineas to brigadier gerard. mill reef went on the win the eclipse stakes one month later, and in the same month, the king george vi & queen elizabeth diamond stakes at ascot. in october, he completed an extraordinary year by winning the prix de l'arc de triomphe.  kept in training as a four-year old, he did not have the same level of success, despite winning the prix ganay at longchamp in april 1972, and, narrowly, the coronation cup at epsom. he had the virus and in august broke a foreleg while training by stepping in a hole on the ground. he was saved, however, and went to the national stud in 1973.  mill reef had a very successful career as a stallion, siring among others the winners in 1978 of both the derby, shirley heights, and the french derby (prix du jockey club) acamas.