Roberto (horse)

Roberto
Sire Hail To Reason
Grandsire Turn-To
Dam Bramalea
Damsire Nashua
Sex Stallion
Foaled 1969
Country United States
Colour Bay
Breeder John W. Galbreath
Owner John W. Galbreath
Trainer Vincent O'Brien
Record 14: 7-3-0
Earnings $339,902
Major wins
National Stakes (1971)
Anglesey Stakes (1971)
Epsom Derby (1972)
Benson & Hedges Gold Cup (1972)
Vauxhall Trial Stakes (1972)
Coronation Cup (1973)
Awards
Champion 2-Year-Old Colt in Ireland (1971)
Champion 3-year-old colt in Ireland (1972)
Champion 3-year-old colt in England (1972)
Horse (Equus ferus caballus)
Last updated on February 18, 2010

Roberto (1969-1988) was an American-bred Thoroughbred Champion racehorse who competed in Ireland and England.

Contents

Background

Roberto was bred by Galbreath at his Darby Dan Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. The son of the successful sire Hail To Reason out of the dam Bramalea, Roberto's grandsire was Turn-To, a descendant of Nearco, and his damsire was the U.S. Hall of Famer, Nashua.[1] He was named for Major League Baseball star Roberto Clemente by his owner John Galbreath who also owned the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team.

Racing career

Sent to Ireland to be trained by Vincent O'Brien, Roberto had an impressive 2-year-old campaign that saw him win the Group One National Stakes and earn 1971 Irish Champion colt honors in his age group.

At age three, Roberto began competing with the best horses in England. In the 2,000 Guineas Classic, Roberto finished second to High Top. Ridden by Lester Piggott, Roberto defeated Rheingold by a head to capture the 1972 Epsom Derby, the most prestigious race in the United Kingdom. The victory made John Galbreath the first person to own winners of both the English and American Derbys, having also won the 1963 Kentucky Derby with Chateaugay and the 1967 Kentucky Derby with Proud Clarion.

In the inaugural edition of the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup in 1972, Roberto established himself as a truly great horse. Many racing observers believed Rheingold was the better horse and should have won the Epsom Derby. Superstar jockey Lester Piggott too shared this view and after Roberto had run poorly in his previous start, for the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup Piggott abandoned Roberto to ride Rheingold. However, it was the entry of the formidable 4-year-old Brigadier Gerard that generated enormous publicity for the race. Undefeated in fifteen career starts, Brigadier Gerard was seen as invincible.

Having lost jockey Piggott, Roberto's owner John Galbreath flew in the Panamanian-born American jockey Braulio Baeza. Riding for the first time on an English racetrack, according to Raceform, a leading publisher of U.K. horseracing information, Braulio Baeza aboard "Roberto was out of the stalls like a bat out of hell." Shocked racing fans watched as the colt never looked back, handing Brigadier Gerard his only defeat while setting a new York Racecourse record in beating the illustrious champion by three lengths.[2]

Roberto raced at age four, notably winning the prestigious Coronation Cup.

Stud career

Retired to stand at stud at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky, Roberto became a successful sire of international influence. Among his notable offspring were 1988 Eclipse Award turf champion Sunshine Forever; Real Shadai, the leading sire in Japan in 1993; Australia Melbourne Cup winner At Talaq; British Classic winner Touching Wood; outstanding sire Kris S., who produced five Breeders' Cup winners; and Dynaformer who sired 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.

Roberto died on August 2, 1988 at Darby Dan Farm and is buried in their equine cemetery.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Roberto
Sire
Hail To Reason		 Turn-to Royal Charger Nearco
Sun Princess
Source Sucree Admiral Drake
Lavendula
Nothirdchance Blue Swords Blue Larkspur
Flaming Swords
Galla Colors Sir Gallahad III
Rouge et Noir
Dam
Bramalea		 Nashua Nasrullah Nearco
Mumtaz Begum
Segula Johnstown
Sekhmet
Rarelea Bull Lea Bull Dog
Rose Leaves
Bleebok Blue Larkspur
Forteresse

References

  1. ^ http://www.pedigreequery.com/roberto Roberto's pedigree and racing stats
  2. ^ http://www.brauliobaeza.com/articles/article_22.htm
Epsom Derby winners

1780 Diomed • 1781 Young Eclipse • 1782 Assassin • 1783 Saltram • 1784 Serjeant • 1785 Aimwell • 1786 Noble (horse) • 1787 Sir Peter Teazle • 1788 Sir Thomas • 1789 Skyscraper • 1790 Rhadamanthus • 1791 Eager • 1792 John Bull • 1793 Waxy • 1794 Daedalus • 1795 Spread Eagle • 1796 Didelot • 1797 colt by Fidget • 1798 Sir Harry • 1799 Archduke • 1800 Champion • 1801 Eleanor ♥ • 1802 Tyrant • 1803 Ditto • 1804 Hannibal • 1805 Cardinal Beaufort • 1806 Paris • 1807 Election • 1808 Pan • 1809 Pope • 1810 Whalebone • 1811 Phantom • 1812 Octavius • 1813 Smolensko • 1814 Blücher • 1815 Whisker • 1816 Prince Leopold • 1817 Azor • 1818 Sam • 1819 Tiresias • 1820 Sailor • 1821 Gustavus • 1822 Moses • 1823 Emilius • 1824 Cedric • 1825 Middleton • 1826 Lap-dog • 1827 Mameluke • 1828 Cadland • 1829 Frederick • 1830 Priam • 1831 Spaniel • 1832 St. Giles • 1833 Dangerous • 1834 Plenipotentiary • 1835 Mündig • 1836 Bay Middleton • 1837 Phosphorus • 1838 Amato • 1839 Bloomsbury • 1840 Little Wonder • 1841 Coronation • 1842 Attila • 1843 Cotherstone • 1844 Orlando • 1845 The Merry Monarch • 1846 Pyrrhus The First • 1847 Cossack • 1848 Surplice • 1849 The Flying Dutchman • 1850 Voltigeur • 1851 Teddington • 1852 Daniel O'Rourke • 1853 West Australian ₩ • 1854 Andover • 1855 Wild Dayrell • 1856 Ellington • 1857 Blink Bonny ♥ • 1858 Beadsman • 1859 Musjid • 1860 Thormanby • 1861 Kettledrum • 1862 Caractacus • 1863 Macaroni • 1864 Blair Athol • 1865 Gladiateur ₩ • 1866 Lord Lyon ₩ • 1867 Hermit • 1868 Blue Gown • 1869 Pretender • 1870 Kingcraft • 1871 Favonius • 1872 Cremorne • 1873 Doncaster • 1874 George Frederick • 1875 Galopin • 1876 Kisber • 1877 Silvio • 1878 Sefton • 1879 Sir Bevys • 1880 Bend Or • 1881 Iroquois • 1882 Shotover ♥ • 1883 St. Blaise • 1884 St. Gatien• Harvester• 1885 Melton • 1886 Ormonde ₩ • 1887 Merry Hampton • 1888 Ayrshire • 1889 Donovan • 1890 Sainfoin • 1891 Common ₩ • 1892 Sir Hugo • 1893 Isinglass ₩ • 1894 Ladas • 1895 Sir Visto • 1896 Persimmon • 1897 Galtee More ₩ • 1898 Jeddah • 1899 Flying Fox ₩ • 1900 Diamond Jubilee ₩ • 1901 Volodyovski • 1902 Ard Patrick • 1903 Rock Sand ₩ • 1904 St. Amant • 1905 Cicero • 1906 Spearmint • 1907 Orby • 1908 Signorinetta ♥ • 1909 Minoru • 1910 Lemberg • 1911 Sunstar • 1912 Tagalie ♥ • 1913 Aboyeur • 1914 Durbar • 1915 Pommern ₩ • 1916 Fifinella ♥ • 1917 Gay Crusader ₩ • 1918 Gainsborough ₩ • 1919 Grand Parade • 1920 Spion Kop • 1921 Humorist • 1922 Captain Cuttle • 1923 Papyrus • 1924 Sansovino • 1925 Manna • 1926 Coronach • 1927 Call Boy • 1928 Felstead • 1929 Trigo • 1930 Blenheim • 1931 Cameronian • 1932 April the Fifth • 1933 Hyperion • 1934 Windsor Lad • 1935 Bahram ₩ • 1936 Mahmoud • 1937 Mid-day Sun • 1938 Bois Roussel • 1939 Blue Peter • 1940 Pont l'Eveque • 1941 Owen Tudor • 1942 Watling Street • 1943 Straight Deal • 1944 Ocean Swell • 1945 Dante • 1946 Airborne • 1947 Pearl Diver • 1948 My Love • 1949 Nimbus • 1950 Galcador • 1951 Arctic Prince • 1952 Tulyar • 1953 Pinza • 1954 Never Say Die • 1955 Phil Drake • 1956 Lavandin • 1957 Crepello • 1958 Hard Ridden • 1959 Parthia • 1960 St. Paddy • 1961 Psidium • 1962 Larkspur • 1963 Relko • 1964 Santa Claus • 1965 Sea Bird • 1966 Charlottown • 1967 Royal Palace • 1968 Sir Ivor • 1969 Blakeney • 1970 Nijinsky • 1971 Mill Reef • 1972 Roberto • 1973 Morston • 1974 Snow Knight • 1975 Grundy • 1976 Empery • 1977 The Minstrel • 1978 Shirley Heights • 1979 Troy • 1980 Henbit • 1981 Shergar • 1982 Golden Fleece • 1983 Teenoso • 1984 Secreto • 1985 Slip Anchor • 1986 Shahrastani • 1987 Reference Point • 1988 Kahyasi • 1989 Nashwan • 1990 Quest for Fame • 1991 Generous • 1992 Dr Devious • 1993 Commander in Chief • 1994 Erhaab • 1995 Lammtarra • 1996 Shaamit • 1997 Benny the Dip • 1998 High-Rise • 1999 Oath • 2000 Sinndar • 2001 Galileo • 2002 High Chaparral • 2003 Kris Kin • 2004 North Light • 2005 Motivator • 2006 Sir Percy • 2007 Authorized • 2008 New Approach • 2009 Sea The Stars • 2010 Workforce • 2011 Pour Moi
Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly