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Ragusa was a Champion
ThoroughbredThe Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorseHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. Bred by American
Harry Guggenheim who owned his dam Fantan II, he was sired by
RibotRibot was an Italian bay Thoroughbred racehorse, considered the strongest horse of all time.Undefeated in 16 races, he won over distances ranging from 5 furlongs to 1m 7f , in three different countries and in all types of track conditions...
. Sold at the Ballsbridge Sales for 3,800 guineas, Ragusa was purchased by
trainerIn horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
Paddy 'Darkie' Prendergast for owners James R. Mullion and Meg Mullion with whom he had a long and illustrious association at their Ardenode and Ragusa stud in
County KildareCounty Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland.
Ragusa's notable wins included the
St. LegerThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
(the oldest of the Classic horseracing prizes), the Irish Derby, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the
Great Voltigeur StakesThe Great Voltigeur Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
, and the
Eclipse StakesThe Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
. He was third in the
Epsom DerbyThe Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
1963 losing out to his great rival
RelkoRelko was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1963 Epsom Derby. A grandson of Tantieme, he was owned by French hotelier, François Dupré and bred at his stud farm in Pont-d'Ouilly in the Basse-Normandie region....
.