Amerigo was cantankerous and willful, but he was also an amazingly versatile runner with the speed to equal a course record at 5.5 furlongs and the stamina to win over 14 furlongs. A major winner over both dirt and turf as well, Amerigo began very well at stud but unfortunately died young and did not leave a successor to continue his male line.
Race record
46 starts, 14 wins, 12 seconds, 7 thirds, US$419,171 (including converted English earnings)
1957:
1958:
1959:
1960:
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 116 pounds at 2.
Rated at 108 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1958, 20 pounds below champion Tim Tam.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1959, 11 pounds below co-highweights Round Table (the official divisional champion) and Hillsdale.
Ranked fourth among American older males of 1960 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1960, 9 pounds below champion Bald Eagle.
As an individual
A big, powerful chestnut horse who was considered unusually handsome, Amerigo had an extremely difficult disposition and was known for fighting with his handlers in the saddling paddock, often to the point that he got more exercise before a race than during it.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Amerigo sired 93 winners (73.2%) and 20 stakes winners (15.7%) from 127 named foals. His fillies were generally better than his colts.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Amerigo Lady (USA), Amerivan (USA), Fort Marcy (USA), Gris Vitesse (USA), Politely (USA), Take a Stand (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Carnauba (USA), Silver Hawk (USA)
Connections
Amerigo was bred by Lord Howard de Walden. In the United States, he was owned by Mrs. Tilyou Christopher and trained by Harris Brown. He died of colic in 1965.
Pedigree notes
Amerigo is inbred 4x5 to two-time English champion broodmare sire Chaucer and 5x5 to 1890 Derby Stakes winner Sainfoin. He is a full brother to Rosario, dam of 1962 Park Hill Stakes winner Almiranta (by Alycidon) and the minor English stakes winner Rodado (by Crepello). Rosario is also the dam of stakes-placed Antalya (by Acropolis), dam of multiple English stakes winner Attalus (by Shantung) and second dam of 1984 South African co-champion 3-year-old male Bodrum. Amerigo is also a half brother to Mossinea (by Mossborough), second dam of South African Group 3 winner Wild Amber.
Amerigo and his siblings were produced from Sanlinea, whose sire Precipitation won the 1957 Ascot Gold Cup and was the English champion older male of that year. A multiple stakes winner in her own right, Sanlinea is a full sister to juvenile stakes winner Suntime, dam of American stakes winner Lustrous Hope (by Never Say Die) and French stakes winner Agamemnon (by Alizier) and second dam of 1966 Prix de Flore winner Solitude and of the juvenile stakes winner Peace II, an important producer. Sanlinea is also a half sister to 1948 Cesarewitch Stakes and 1949 Yorkshire Cup winner Woodburn (by Bois Roussel).
Sanlinea's dam is the unraced Hyperion mare Sun Helmet, whose half sister Traffic Light (by Solario) won the 1936 Coronation Stakes and Park Hill Stakes and produced 1945 Jockey Club Cup winner Amber Flash (by Precipitation; dam of 1953 Oaks Stakes winner Ambiguity, by Big Game) and minor stakes winner Acceleration (by Precipitation). Produced from the Grand Parade mare Point Duty, Sun Helmet is also a half sister to Fair Ranger (by Bois Roussel), dam of English stakes winners Owen Glendower (by Owen Tudor) and Kipling (by Narrator), second dam of 1959 Futurity Stakes winner Weatherwise, and third dam of 1977 French co-champion 3-year-old filly Madelia, 1971 Italian champion 2-year-old filly Francesca Bionda, 1974 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (FR-G1) winner Mount Hagen, and French Group 3 winners Monsanto and Malecite. In addition, Sun Helmet is a half sister to Thorn Wood (by Bois Roussel), second dam of the good English stakes winner and 1979 English champion broodmare sire Hornbeam.
Fun facts
Last updated: September 24, 2022
Race record
46 starts, 14 wins, 12 seconds, 7 thirds, US$419,171 (including converted English earnings)
1957:
- Won Coventry Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Ascot)
- 3rd National Breeders' Produce Stakes (ENG, Sandown)
1958:
- Won City of Miami Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Hialeah; new track record 1:40-3/5)
- Also equaled the course record of 1.03-4/5 for 5.5 furlongs at Atlantic City
1959:
- Won New York Handicap (USA, 9FT, Aqueduct; new American record 1:47)
- Won Ocean City Handicap (USA, 8.5FT, Monmouth)
- Won Magic City Handicap (USA, 8f+70y, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Californian Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Man o' War Handicap (first division) (USA, 12FT, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Monmouth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Trenton Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Whitney Stakes (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Inglewood Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Orange Bowl Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Tropical Park)
- 2nd Appleton Handicap (USA, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Los Angeles Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Saratoga Handicap (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
1960:
- Won San Juan Capistrano Handicap (USA, about 14FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Hialeah Turf Cup (USA, 12FT, Hialeah)
- 2nd Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd Santa Anita Handicap (USA, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd John B. Campbell Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Bowie)
- 3rd Bougainvillea Handicap (USA, 9.5FT, Hialeah)
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 116 pounds at 2.
Rated at 108 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1958, 20 pounds below champion Tim Tam.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1959, 11 pounds below co-highweights Round Table (the official divisional champion) and Hillsdale.
Ranked fourth among American older males of 1960 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1960, 9 pounds below champion Bald Eagle.
As an individual
A big, powerful chestnut horse who was considered unusually handsome, Amerigo had an extremely difficult disposition and was known for fighting with his handlers in the saddling paddock, often to the point that he got more exercise before a race than during it.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Amerigo sired 93 winners (73.2%) and 20 stakes winners (15.7%) from 127 named foals. His fillies were generally better than his colts.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1968; 4th in 1969; 5th in 1967; 8th in 1966.
Notable progeny
Amerigo Lady (USA), Amerivan (USA), Fort Marcy (USA), Gris Vitesse (USA), Politely (USA), Take a Stand (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Carnauba (USA), Silver Hawk (USA)
Connections
Amerigo was bred by Lord Howard de Walden. In the United States, he was owned by Mrs. Tilyou Christopher and trained by Harris Brown. He died of colic in 1965.
Pedigree notes
Amerigo is inbred 4x5 to two-time English champion broodmare sire Chaucer and 5x5 to 1890 Derby Stakes winner Sainfoin. He is a full brother to Rosario, dam of 1962 Park Hill Stakes winner Almiranta (by Alycidon) and the minor English stakes winner Rodado (by Crepello). Rosario is also the dam of stakes-placed Antalya (by Acropolis), dam of multiple English stakes winner Attalus (by Shantung) and second dam of 1984 South African co-champion 3-year-old male Bodrum. Amerigo is also a half brother to Mossinea (by Mossborough), second dam of South African Group 3 winner Wild Amber.
Amerigo and his siblings were produced from Sanlinea, whose sire Precipitation won the 1957 Ascot Gold Cup and was the English champion older male of that year. A multiple stakes winner in her own right, Sanlinea is a full sister to juvenile stakes winner Suntime, dam of American stakes winner Lustrous Hope (by Never Say Die) and French stakes winner Agamemnon (by Alizier) and second dam of 1966 Prix de Flore winner Solitude and of the juvenile stakes winner Peace II, an important producer. Sanlinea is also a half sister to 1948 Cesarewitch Stakes and 1949 Yorkshire Cup winner Woodburn (by Bois Roussel).
Sanlinea's dam is the unraced Hyperion mare Sun Helmet, whose half sister Traffic Light (by Solario) won the 1936 Coronation Stakes and Park Hill Stakes and produced 1945 Jockey Club Cup winner Amber Flash (by Precipitation; dam of 1953 Oaks Stakes winner Ambiguity, by Big Game) and minor stakes winner Acceleration (by Precipitation). Produced from the Grand Parade mare Point Duty, Sun Helmet is also a half sister to Fair Ranger (by Bois Roussel), dam of English stakes winners Owen Glendower (by Owen Tudor) and Kipling (by Narrator), second dam of 1959 Futurity Stakes winner Weatherwise, and third dam of 1977 French co-champion 3-year-old filly Madelia, 1971 Italian champion 2-year-old filly Francesca Bionda, 1974 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (FR-G1) winner Mount Hagen, and French Group 3 winners Monsanto and Malecite. In addition, Sun Helmet is a half sister to Thorn Wood (by Bois Roussel), second dam of the good English stakes winner and 1979 English champion broodmare sire Hornbeam.
Fun facts
- In history, Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, navigator and mapmaker who demonstrated that Columbus' discoveries in the West Indies were part of a previously unknown continent rather than the eastern frontier of Asia. The name “America” (later divided into North and South America as the geography of the New World became better known) derives from his first name.
Last updated: September 24, 2022