Ribot (horse)

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Ribot


caption =
sire = Tenerani
grandsire = Bellini
dam = Romanella
damsire = El Greco
sex = Stallion
foaled = 1952
country = Italy flagicon|ITA
colour = Bay
breeder = Dormello-Olgiata Stud Farm
owner = Marchese Mario Incisa della Rochetta. Silks: White, red crossbelts, red cap.
trainer = Ugo Penco
record = 16: 16-0-0
earnings = $294,414
race = Gran Criterium (1954)
Gran Premio del Jockey Club (1955)
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1955 & 1956)
Gran Premio di Milano (1956)
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1956)
awards= Italian 2-Yr-Old Champion Colt (1954)
Italian 3-Yr-Old Champion Colt (1955)
Italian Champion Older Horse (1956)
United Kingdom Champion Older Horse (1956)
France Champion Older Horse (1956)
Leading sire in GB & Ireland (1963, 1967, 1968)
honours = Timeform rating 142 - joint 4th highest
"La Gazzetta dello Sport" poll :
Ranked No.4 Italian athlete of the 20th century
Premio Ribot at Capannelle Racecourse
updated= November 6, 2007The horse Ribot (1952-1972) was a bay thoroughbred foaled in England in 1952 by Tenerani out of Romanella by El Greco. He is rated by many as amongst the finest of post-war European flat racehorses.

Ribot was bred by Federico Tesio (1867-1954) and trained in Italy by Ugo Penco and ridden by Enrico Camici. Like many of Tesio's horses Ribot was named after an artist, in this case, the French realist Théodule-Augustin Ribot. Tesio, who also bred the undefeated in 14 races and prepotent sire Nearco, did not live to see Ribot develop in to a champion. After his death he was raced by his widow Donna Lydia and his business partner Marchese Mario Incisa della Rochetta.

Ribot won all 16 of his races during three seasons of racing. These included in Italy the Gran Premio di Milano and the Gran Premio del Jockey Club. However the seal of his greatness were his two victories in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe by three lengths (1955) and a simply stunning six lengths rout from a very strong field (1956 - though photographs of the finish make it closer to eight and a half lengths). In his only run in England he laboured somewhat to a five lengths win on unsuitably soft ground in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1956).

Ribot then had an exceptionally successful career at stud in the United States. He was leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland on three occasions (1963, 1967 and 1968). His progeny included the full brothers Ribocco and Ribero, both winners of the Irish Derby and St. Leger; Ragusa winner of the Irish Derby, St. Leger, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Eclipse Stakes; Molvedo and Prince Royal, both winners of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe; Tom Rolfe winner of the Preakness Stakes; Arts and Letters winner of the Belmont Stakes and Graustark. Ribot's son His Majesty sired the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Pleasant Colony and his great grandson Alleged, by Tom Rolfe's son Hoist the Flag, emulated him by winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in succssive years (1977 and 1978).

Fiery on the racetrack, Ribot developed a dangerous temperament after his importation to the United States. A good-sized, but not overly large horse, he had to be handled by the strongest stallion groom at Darby Dan Farm where he stood at stud. In his stall Ribot was in the habit of putting his front feet on the upper edge of the wooden panelling so that he could reach and chew on a high wooden beam. While in his paddock he was so territorial that he would not tolerate the sight of other stallions. Once he even refused to calm down until a herd of cows were moved over a hill and out of his vision.

Originally Ribot was leased by Darby Dan to stand in the United States for five years only. After Ribot's temper surfaced no insurance company would offer a policy to cover shipping the stallion back to Europe. A new contract was worked out and Ribot remained in the United States until his death. He is buried in the equine cemetery at Darby Dan, near his sons Graustark and His Majesty.

Timeform rated him at 142, the joint 4th highest rating ever given.

References

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/ribot Ribot's pedigree]
* [http://www.sassicaia.com/gb/horses/rdohistory.html#hist Ribot at the history of Razza Dormello-Olgiata]
*Mortimer, Roger and Willett, Peter, "Great Racehorses of the World", Michael Joseph 1969, p.186-192.
*Incisa della Rochetta, Mario, "The Tesios as I Knew Them", J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd. 1979.