Tesio , Ribot, Nearco, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

[Secretriat34]

The article below I pasted here from BH.
It is a glimpse into the past which answers a lot of questions simply by the people and horses mentioned.
I found it to be of importance because it puts a historical perspective of sorts on the modern era.

So much for my book report....lol

The article labelled throwback thursday

Federico Tesio did a lot to change the "arc" of the
modern-day Thoroughbred from a seemingly
unlikely spot—his Dormello Stud on the shores of
Lake Maggiore in northern Italy.
The master horseman had but one goal: "to
breed and raise a racehorse which over any
distance could carry the heaviest weight in the
shortest time."
From all the horses he bred, his masterpieces
included the breed-shaping Nearco and, of course,
Ribot.

On Oct. 7, 1956, Ribot faced a Herculean
challenge—the 19 well-credentialed challengers in
the 35th running of Europe's crown jewel for older
horses—the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe over 12
furlongs at historic Longchamp.

Among the field was C.V. Whitney's American entry
of Career Boy and Fisherman, the first American
horses to venture across the Atlantic to face the best
of Europe in a major race since Triple Crown winner
Omaha contested the Ascot Gold Cup in 1936.
Sporting a 15-for-15 record, Ribot, a mediumsized
bay son of Tenerani—Romanella by El
Greco, was attempting to keep his race record
unblemished and add a second Arc victory to his
considerable list of accomplishments. Only three
others had won back-to-back runnings of the Arc:
Ksar, Corrida, and Tantieme.

Under regular jockey Enrico Camici, the Ugo
Penco-trained Ribot moved up from his mid-pack
spot to the leaders as they entered the final turn.
Despite the heavy going he exhibited such a turn
of foot that he immediately separated himself from
the others, winning by six unchallenged lengths.

Tesio did not live to see his "wonder" horse. The
master of pedigrees died in May 1954, two months
before Ribot made his debut at San Siro in Milan.
A perfect race record along with strong limbs,
good bone, and a muscular constitution, Ribot made
an interesting stallion prospect.
From the time he first stood at Lord Derby's
stud in England until his lease (five years for $1.35
million, which equates to $11,243,266 in today's
market) and subsequent sale to Kentucky breeder
John Galbreath's Darby Dan Farm, he sired highquality
stock.

The two-time master of the Arc also sired two Arc winners.
In 1961 Italian-bred Molvedo, from Ribot's first
crop, won the 40th running of the Arc; another son,
the British-bred Prince Royal, from the stallion's
1961 crop, took the Arc in 1964.
Ribot would not have his next connection to the
Arc until the latter part of the 1970s and it would
come about in an unlikely way. Ribot's first U.S.
crop arrived in 1960, but it was his 1962 crop that
contained Tom Rolfe, the champion 3-year-old of his
year and an important sire.
Among Tom Rolfe's first crop was Hoist the
Flag, the champion juvenile of his year and a
leading classic contender whose aspirations were
prematurely ended by an injury.
A leading sire himself, Hoist the Flag had Alleged
in his second crop, who assumed the family mantle,
winning consecutive Arcs (1977-78). He, however,
took the family tradition one generation further as the
broodmare sire of 1991 Arc victor Suave Dancer.

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THROWBACK THURSDAY
PERRUCCI FOTO/BLOODHORSE LIBRARY