Nearco

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Nearco

Sire	Pharos
Grandsire	Phalaris
Dam	Nogara
Damsire	Havresac
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1935
Country	Italy
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Federico Tesio
Owner	Federico Tesio
Trainer	Federico Tesio
Record	14: 14-0-0
Earnings	$86,328
Major Racing Wins, Awards and Honours
Major Racing Wins
Gran Criterium (1937) Derby Italiano (1938) Italian 2,000 Guineas (1938) Gran Premio di Milano (1938) Gran Premio d'Italia (1938) Grand Prix de Paris (1938)
Racing Awards
Leading sire in GB & Ireland (1947, 1949)
Infobox last updated on: 15:25, Tuesday June 10, 2008 (UTC).

Nearco (1935-1957) was an Italian thoroughbred race horse by Pharos out of Nogara. A brown horse, he was bred by Federico Tesio, who also bred Ribot. One of the most important sires of the 20th century, Nearco's legacy comes primarily from three of his sons: Nasrullah, Nearctic and Royal Charger.

Thoroughbred Heritage says that Nearco was "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century". [1]

Nearco retired undefeated after fourteen races and with the political turmoil and the possibility of war caused by Benito Mussolini aligning Italy with Germany, in 1938 Federico Tesio sold Nearco to Martin H. Benson of Beech House Stud in Newmarket, England for £60,000 (a world-record for a sire in those days). He became an outstandingly prepotent sire, eclipsed only by his grandson Northern Dancer. In addition, his other sons included Dante, winner of the 1945 Epsom Derby, and Nimbus, who won the Epsom Derby and 2,000 Guineas in 1949. From his daughters, Nearco was the damsire of the French multiple Group One winner,Charlottesville, and damsire of the 1948 Epsom Derby winner, Artic Prince.

Among Nearco's many important descendants are Secretariat, Ballymoss, Shergar, Arkle, Never Say Die, Mr. Prospector, Nasrullah, Nijinsky II (winner of the UK Triple Crown), Royal Palace, Fort Marcy, Better Loosen Up, Sir Ivor and Invasor.

Nearco died from cancer on June 27, 1957 and was buried at Beech House Stud.

According to France Galop, from 1994 through 2007 the male bloodline of every Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner goes back to Nearco, his son Nasrullah, and his grandson Northern Dancer.