View source for Nearco

{{Short description|Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}

{{Infobox racehorse
| horsename = Nearco
| image = Nearco.jpg
| caption = Nearco
| sire = [[Pharos (horse)|Pharos]] (GB)
| grandsire = [[Phalaris (horse)|Phalaris]]
| dam = [[Nogara (horse)|Nogara]]
| damsire = [[Havresac]]
| sex = [[Stallion (horse)|Stallion]]
| foaled = January 24, 1935
| country = [[Italy]]
| colour = [[Brown (color)|Brown]]
| breeder = [[Federico Tesio]]
| owner = Federico Tesio
| trainer = Federico Tesio
| record = 14: 14–0–0
| earnings = $86,328 (converted from earnings in Italy and France)<ref name="ACP">{{cite web|last1=Avalyn Hunter|author-link=Avalyn Hunter|title=Nearco (horse)|url=http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/nearco-ity.html|website=American Classic Pedigrees|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref>
| race = [[Gran Criterium]] (1937)<br>[[Premio Tevere]] (1937)<br>[[Premio Chiusura]] (1937)<br>[[Derby Italiano]] (1938)<br>[[Premio Parioli]] (1938)<br>[[Gran Premio di Milano]] (1938)<br>[[Gran Premio d'Italia]] (1938)<br>[[Grand Prix de Paris]] (1938)
| awards=Italian champion two-year-old (1937)<br>Italian champion three-year-old (1938)<br> Italian Horse of the Year (1938)<br> [[Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland|Leading sire in GB & Ireland]] (1947, 1948)<br>[[Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland|Leading broodmare sire in Britain & Ireland]] (1955, 1956)
| honours =  
|updated= 
|death_date={{death date and age|1957|06|27|1935|01|24}}}}

'''Nearco''' (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an [[Italy|Italian]]-bred [[Thoroughbred]] [[racehorse]] described by ''[[Thoroughbred Heritage]]'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Peters|first1=Anne|title=Pharos – Thoroughbred Heritage|url=http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Pharos.html|website=www.tbheritage.com|access-date=7 March 2017}}</ref> He was unbeaten, winning 14 races at distances from 1000m (5 furlongs) to 3000m (1 mile 7 furlongs), including the Derby Italiano and Grand Prix de Paris. He was then sold for a record amount to [[Martin H. Benson]] and stood stud in England, where he became the patriarch of several of the most dominant sire lines in Thoroughbred history.

==Breeding==
Nearco was bred in Italy by [[Federico Tesio]], who also bred several other champions including the undefeated [[Ribot (horse)|Ribot]]. His dam was the excellent racemare Nogara, who had won the Italian 1000 and 2000 guineas and was Italian champion filly at ages two and three. In 1934, Tesio wished to breed Nogara to the leading English sire [[Fairway (horse)|Fairway]], but was unable to obtain a nomination. Therefore, Tesio chose to breed Nogara to Fairway's full brother, [[Pharos (horse)|Pharos]].<ref name=ACP />

Nearco stood just over {{hands|16}} and had nearly perfect conformation. He was known for his fiery temperament and explosive turn of foot, traits he passed on to many of his descendants. After retiring to stud, Nearco could only be handled by his groom Ernie Lee.<ref name=ACP />

==Racing record==

===Two-year-old season===
In 1937, Nearco won all seven of his starts on his way to being named Italian champion two-year-old.<ref name=ACP /> His races were as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Date
!Race
!Location
!Distance
|-
|June 1937
|Premio Colico
|San Siro
|1000m
|-
|September 1937
|Premio Menaggio
|San Siro
|1200m
|-
|September 1937
|Premio Vimercate
|San Siro
|1200m
|-
|September 1937
|Criterium Nazionale
|San Siro
|1200m
|-
|October 1937
|[[Gran Criterium]]
|San Siro
|1500m
|-
|October 1937
|[[Premio Tevere]]
|Capannelle
|1600m
|-
|November 1937
|[[Premio Chiusura]]
|San Siro
|1400m
|}
In his 1986 book ''Makers of the Modern Thoroughbred'', Peter Willett wrote that Tesio tried to sell Nearco at two, believing that the colt would not have enough stamina to last the classic distances.<ref name=ACP /> Tesio later wrote in his stud book, "Not a true stayer, though he won up to 3,000 meters... He won these longer races by his superb class and brilliant speed."<ref name=Justify>{{cite web |title=Experience Justify's pedigree with this video tour of his greatest ancestors |url=https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/experience-justifys-pedigree-with-this-video-tour-of-his-greatest-ancestors |website=www.kentuckyderby.com |access-date=10 June 2018}}</ref>

===Three-year-old season===
In 1938, Nearco again won all seven starts and was named Italian champion three-year-old and Horse of the Year.<ref name=ACP /> His races were as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Date
!Race
!Location
!Distance
|-
|February 1938
|Premio Ministero Agricoltura e Foreste
|Pisa
|1400m
|-
|April 1938
|[[Premio Parioli]] (Italian 2,000 Guineas)
|Capannelle
|1600m
|-
|May 1938
|Premio Principe Emanuele Filliberto
|San Siro
|2000m
|-
|May 1938
|Gran Premio del Re Imperatore ([[Derby Italiano]])
|Capannelle
|2400m
|-
|May 1938
|[[Gran Premio d'Italia]]
|San Siro
|2400m
|-
|June 1938
|[[Gran Premio di Milano]]
|San Siro
|3000m
|-
|June 1938
|[[Grand Prix de Paris]]
|Longchamp
|3000m
|}

==Stud career==
Nearco retired undefeated after 14 races. With the political turmoil and the possibility of war caused by [[Benito Mussolini]] aligning Italy with [[Nazi Germany]], Federico Tesio sold Nearco in 1938 to [[Martin H. Benson]] of [[Beech House Stud]] in [[Newmarket, Suffolk|Newmarket]], [[England]], for £60,000 (a world record for a sire in those days; {{Inflation|UK|60000|1938|r=-3|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}).<ref>{{cite book |last=Greene |first=Melanie |title=Nasrullah: Forgotten Patriarch of the American Thoroughbred |publisher=The History Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-62619-014-6 |page=28 }}</ref> The potential importance of Nearco's progeny was forecast in the provision of a bomb shelter to ensure his survival should Newmarket be subject to an air raid.<ref name=ACP />

Nearco was one of the top 10 sires in England for 15 years. He was the [[leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland]] in 1947 and, depending on the source, either 1948<ref name=tbheritage>{{cite web|title=Leading Sires of Great Britain and Ireland|url=http://www.tbheritage.com/HistoricSires/LeadingSires/GBLeadSires.html|website=www.tbheritage.com|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref> or 1949 or both.<ref name=Ahnert /> From 482 named foals, he sired 273 winners (56.6%) and 87 stakes winners (18.0%).<ref name=ACP /> His major stakes winners include:<ref name=ACP /><ref>{{cite web|title=Nearco Sire Line|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Sirelines/Nearco.htm|website=www.bloodlines.net|access-date=29 October 2016|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420025901/http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Sirelines/Nearco.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Nasrullah (horse)|Nasrullah]], top rated two-year-old of 1942
* [[Dante (horse)|Dante]], 1945 Epsom Derby
* [[Royal Charger]], 1946 Queen Anne Stakes
* [[Sayajirao]], 1947 [[St. Leger Stakes]]
* [[Masaka (horse)|Masaka]], 1948 Epsom and Irish Oaks
* [[Nimbus V|Nimbus]], 1949 Epsom Derby and [[2,000 Guineas Stakes|2,000 Guineas]]
* Mossborough, sire of [[Ballymoss]]
* [[Neasham Belle]], 1951 Epsom Oaks
* [[Hafiz (horse)|Hafiz]], 1955 Queen Elizabeth II and Champion Stakes
* [[Nearctic (horse)|Nearctic]], 1958 Canadian Horse of the Year

Nearco was also the damsire of the French multiple Group One winner [[Charlottesville (horse)|Charlottesville]], and damsire of the Epsom Derby winners [[Arctic Prince]] (1948) and [[Tulyar (horse)|Tulyar]] (1952).

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

==Sire of sires==
{{see also|Northern Dancer sire line}}

Nearco's legacy primarily comes from three of his sons, Nasrullah, Royal Charger and Nearctic, although several other sons also sired important winners.<ref name=tbheritage /> In all, more than 100 of Nearco's sons have stood at stud around the world.<ref name="Ahnert">Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), “Thoroughbred Breeding of the World”, Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970</ref>

Nasrullah was the first son of Nearco to distinguish himself as a sire, first in England and then in America. Nasrullah's important sire sons include:<ref name=tbheritage /><ref>{{cite web|title=Nasrullah (horse)|url=http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/nasrullah-ire.html|website=American Classic Pedigrees|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref>
* [[Grey Sovereign]], to whom 2016 Kentucky Derby winner [[Nyquist (horse)|Nyquist]] descends through the [[Caro (horse)|Caro]] sire line
* [[Red God]], whose modern descendants include 2010 Kentucky Derby winner [[Animal Kingdom (horse)|Animal Kingdom]] through the [[Blushing Groom]] sire line
* [[Bold Ruler]], eight-time leading sire in the United States, whose descendants include Triple Crown winners [[Secretariat (horse)|Secretariat]] and [[Seattle Slew]]. More recently, Seattle Slew has established a successful sire line that has produced several American classic winners including [[California Chrome]]
* [[Never Bend]], sire of [[Mill Reef]], whose modern descendants include [[Sir Percy]] and [[Dalakhani]]

Royal Charger's most important son was [[Turn-To]], whose most important sire sons were [[Hail to Reason]] and [[Sir Gaylord]].<ref name=tbheritage /><ref>{{cite web|title=Royal Charger (horse)|url=http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/royal-charger-gb.html|website=American Classic Pedigrees|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref> Hail to Reason's son [[Halo (horse)|Halo]] was the sire of dual classic winner [[Sunday Silence]], who then became the [[leading sire in Japan]] from 1995 through 2007. Sunday Silence is the sire of numerous Japanese champions including [[Deep Impact (horse)|Deep Impact]], and is the grandsire of the top-rated horse of 2014 [[Just A Way]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Sunday Silence|url=http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/sunday-silence.html|website=American Classic Pedigrees|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref>

Nearctic is principally known as the sire of [[Northern Dancer]], who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before becoming one of the dominant sires of the late 20th century. Northern Dancer sired numerable sons who themselves went on to become outstanding sires, principally [[Nijinsky (horse)|Nijinsky]], [[Lyphard]], [[Nureyev (horse)|Nureyev]], [[Storm Bird]], [[Danzig (horse)|Danzig]] and [[Sadler's Wells (horse)|Sadler's Wells]]. The [[Northern Dancer sire line]] accounts for hundreds of major winners from around the world, particularly in Europe. His modern descendants include [[Justify (horse)|Justify]], [[Galileo (horse)|Galileo]], [[Ouija Board (horse)|Ouija Board]], [[Sea the Stars]], [[Black Caviar]], [[Frankel (horse)|Frankel]] and [[Treve (horse)|Treve]].

Several of Nearco's male-line descendants were ranked among the [[Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century|Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century]] by ''[[The Blood-Horse]]'': #2 [[Secretariat (horse)|Secretariat]], #9 [[Seattle Slew]], #10 [[Spectacular Bid]], #18 [[Cigar (horse)|Cigar]], #19 [[Bold Ruler]], #24 [[Nashua (horse)|Nashua]], #31 [[Sunday Silence]], #35 [[Ruffian (horse)|Ruffian]], #43 [[Northern Dancer]], #57 [[Riva Ridge]], #58 [[Slew o' Gold]], #69 [[Noor (horse)|Noor]], #70 [[Shuvee]], #72 [[Go For Wand]], #76 [[Lady's Secret]], #82 [[Miesque]], #85 [[Lure (horse)|Lure]], #86 [[Fort Marcy (horse)|Fort Marcy]], #90 [[Davona Dale]], #95 [[Bayakoa]] and #97 [[Foolish Pleasure]].<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Duke|editor1-first=Jacqueline|title=Thoroughbred champions : top 100 racehorses of the 20th century|date=1999|publisher=The Blood-Horse, Inc.|location=Lexington, Ky.|isbn=1-58150-024-6|edition=1st|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781581500240}}</ref>

Other notable male-line descendants were [[Ballymoss]], [[Arkle]], [[Never Say Die (horse)|Never Say Die]], [[Royal Palace (horse)|Royal Palace]], [[Better Loosen Up]], [[Sir Ivor]], [[Invasor (horse)|Invasor]], [[Wise Dan]], and Summer Breeze. Sireline descendants of Nearco include eight of the first nine horses to earn over $10,000,000 in stakes wins. These horses are [[Deep Impact (horse)|Deep Impact]], [[Makybe Diva]], [[Narita Brian]], [[Sunline]], [[Symboli Kris S]], [[T M Opera O]], [[Viva Pataca]], and [[Vodka (horse)|Vodka]].<ref name="Morris"/>

According to [[France Galop]], from 1985 through to 2010, every [[Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe]] winner can trace a bloodline back to Nearco, through his son Nasrullah and / or his grandson Northern Dancer.<ref name="Morris"/> Including the influence of the daughters from his sire line, it is increasingly rare to find a Thoroughbred without some trace of Nearco in its pedigree.<ref name="Justify" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Is Sire-Line Outcrossing Possible Anymore?|url=http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/scot/archive/2008/06/22/is-sire-line-outcrossing-possible-anymore.aspx|website=cs.bloodhorse.com|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref> For example, while 2023 Preakness Stakes winner [[National Treasure (horse)|National Treasure]] comes from the rival [[Mr. Prospector]] sire line, in the fifth generation of National Treasure's pedigree<ref>[https://www.pedigreequery.com/national+treasure8 National Treasure8 pedigree at pedigreequery.com]</ref> Mr. Prospector's sire [[Raise a Native]] appears twice, while Secretariat (great-grandson of Nearco through Nasrullah and Bold Ruler) and Sir Ivor (great-great-grandson through Royal Charger, Turn-To, and Sir Gaylord) both appear twice and Northern Dancer (grandson through Nearctic) appears three times. Nijinsky (a son of Northern Dancer), Red God (a son of Nasrullah), Bold Bidder (a son of Bold Ruler), and Rich Gift (great-grandson of Nearco through Nasrullah and Princely Gift) each appear once.
On the distaff side, Mr. Prospector's dam [[Gold Digger (horse)|Gold Digger]] is a great-granddaughter of Nearco through Nasrullah and Nashua, Sweet Tooth a great-granddaughter through Nasrullah and On-and-On, and Fairy Bridge a great-great-great-granddaughter through Royal Charger, Turn-To, Hail to Reason, and Bold Reason(and her dam also has a maternal line to Nearco).

==Pedigree==
Fairway and Pharos were full brothers by leading sire [[Phalaris (horse)|Phalaris]] out of the great broodmare Scapa Flow. Fairway was the more successful racehorse, whose wins included the St Leger and Eclipse Stakes, and also initially was the more successful sire, leading the sire list in Great Britain four times. Pharos was a solid racehorse, winning multiple stakes races and finishing second in the Derby. Pharos also proved himself as a sire, leading the British sire list in 1931. Tesio originally wished to breed his mare Nogara to Fairway, but was unable to obtain a nomination so bred her to Pharos instead.

Nearco's dam Nogara was only {{hands|15.1}} but became a champion on the racetrack and then an outstanding broodmare. In addition to Nearco, she produced seven other winners, including [[Derby Italiano]] winner Niccolo dell'Arca, [[Oaks d'Italia]] winner Nervesa, and stakes winners Nakamuro, Naucide and Niccolo d'Arezzo.<ref name="Pryor">Pryor, Peter, “The Classic Connection”, Cortney Publications, Luton, 1979</ref> Nogara's dam Catnip was a "weedy" foal by Epsom Derby winner Spearmint. Purchased by Tesio at the Newmarket sales for just 75 guineas, Catnip went on to produce multiple stakes winners and stakes producers.<ref name=ACP />

Nearco was [[inbred]] 5 x 4 x 4 x 5 to [[St. Simon (horse)|St. Simon]], meaning St. Simon appears twice in the fourth generation and twice again in the fifth generation of his pedigree.<ref name="Morris">Morris, Simon; ''Tesio Power 2000 – Stallions of the World'', Syntax Software</ref>
{{Pedigree
|name = Nearco (ITY) Brown horse, foaled 1935<ref>{{cite web|title=Nearco Pedigree|url=http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm/=Nearco%20(ITY)?page_state=DISPLAY_REPORT&reference_number=343986&registry=T&horse_name==Nearco%20(ITY)&dam_name==Nogara%20(ITY)&foaling_year=1935&include_sire_line=Y|website=www.equineline.com|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref>
|f = [[Pharos (horse)|Pharos]] (GB)<br>dark bay/brown 1920
|m = Nogara<br>bay 1928
|ff = [[Phalaris (horse)|Phalaris]]<br>brown 1913
|fm = Scapa Flow<br>chestnut 1914
|mf = Havresac II (FR)<br>dark bay/brown 1915
|mm = Catnip (IRE)<br>bay 1910
|fff = [[Polymelus]]
|ffm = Bromus
|fmf = Chaucer
|fmm = Anchora
|mff = Rabelais
|mfm = Hors Concours (FR)
|mmf = [[Spearmint (horse)|Spearmint]] (GB)
|mmm = [[Sibola]] (USA)
|ffff = [[Cyllene (horse)|Cyllene]]
|fffm = Maid Marian
|ffmf = [[Sainfoin (horse)|Sainfoin]]
|ffmm = Cheery by '''St. Simon'''
|fmff = '''[[St. Simon (horse)|St. Simon]]'''
|fmfm = Cantebury Pilgrim
|fmmf = Love Wisely
|fmmm = Eryholme
|mfff = '''[[St. Simon (horse)|St. Simon]]'''
|mffm = Satirical
|mfmf = [[Ajax (horse)|Ajax]]
|mfmm = Simona (GB) by '''St. Simon'''
|mmff = [[Carbine (horse)|Carbine]] (NZ)
|mmfm = Maid Of The Mint
|mmmf = The Sailor Prince (GB)
|mmmm = Saluda (family: 4-r)<ref name="Morris"/>
|}}

==See also==
*[[List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses]]
*[[List of racehorses]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.galopp-sieger.de/galoppsieger/en/pferd_html?pschl=NearcoPharos Nearco's complete racing career]
* {{cite book |author-link=Federico Tesio |last=Tesio |first=Federico |title=Breeding the Racehorse |orig-year=1958 |year=1999 |publisher=[[J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd.]] |isbn=0-85131-618-2 }}


==External links==
* Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/8aL4aJKCQ-w Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190805061546/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aL4aJKCQ-w Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aL4aJKCQ-w |title=Storie di Marcello e di Nearco ai tempi di Federico Tesio di Giuseppe Moscuzza |date=18 September 2014 |trans-title=The story of Nearco |via=YouTube |language=it }}{{cbignore}}

[[Category:1935 racehorse births]]
[[Category:1957 racehorse deaths]]
[[Category:British Champion Thoroughbred Sires]]
[[Category:British Champion Thoroughbred broodmare sires]]
[[Category:Racehorses trained in Italy]]
[[Category:Racehorses bred in Italy]]
[[Category:Undefeated racehorses]]
[[Category:Thoroughbred family 4-r]]
[[Category:Chefs-de-Race]]