Class, Consistency and Toughness: By undefeated Champion Ribot, the last great horse produced by the famous Italian breeder Federico Tesio who passed away without having the opportunity to see Ribot run. His dam, Pocahontas, was named 1965 Broodmare of the Year.
Small, well-balanced bay stood just above 15 hands and weighed less than 1,000 pounds.
The Champion 3-Year-Old Colt of 1965, Tom Rolfe won the Preakness Stakes between his third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and runner-up effort in the Belmont Stakes.
In addition to the 1965 Preakness, Tom Rolfe won 15 other races including the Cowdin Stales at two; American Derby, Chicagoan Stakes, Arlington Classic, and Citation Handicap at three; and the Aqueduct and Salvator Mile Handicaps at four.
American Derby – conceded 14 pounds to his rivals and still managed a new track record of 2:00 2/5 while winning by two lengths. The following year, he equaled Arlington’s 7-furlong track record of 1:21 in the Arlington Park Handicap.
By a two-time winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Tom Rolfe was sent to France to contest the 1965 Arc and his sixth-place finish to the great Sea-Bird remains one of the best ever by an American-trained horse. It was one of the rare off-the-board finishes in his record of 16 wins, five seconds and five thirds from 31 career starts.
Offspring included Champion and Leading Broodmare Sire, Hoist the Flag.
Sired 49 stakes winners and nearly 100 stakes horses from 525 starters in 23 crops, all sired at Claiborne.
Sire of Champion Grass Horses Bowl Game and Run the Gantlet, European Champion and American Grade 1 winner Allez Milord and the aforementioned Hoist the Flag. Son Hoist the Flag and in turn his son, Alleged, were prominent sires and Leading Broodmare Sires.
Buried at the Marchmont division of Claiborne Farm.