Marcel Boussac
Marsyas was a chestnut horse with a narrow white blaze and white socks on his hind legs, bred by his owner Marcel Boussac at his Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard in Neuvy-au-Houlme in Lower Normandy. He was sired by the British-bred stallion Trimdon winner of the Ascot Gold Cup in 1931 and 1932. Marsyas's dam was the highly successful broodmare Astronomie, whose other progeny included the undefeated Caracalla, Arbar, and Asmena.