Editing Tom Rolfe

{{short description|American Thoroughbred racehorse}}
{{distinguish|Tom Rolf}}
{{Infobox racehorse
| horsename = Tom Rolfe
| image = 
| caption =
| sire = [[Ribot (horse)|Ribot]]
| grandsire = [[Tenerani]]
| dam = Pocahontas
| damsire = Roman 
| sex = [[Stallion (horse)|Stallion]]
| foaled = 1962
| country = United States
| color = [[Bay (horse)|Bay]]
| breeder = [[Raymond R. Guest]]
| owner = [[Raymond R. Guest|Powhatan Stable]]
| trainer = [[Frank Y. Whiteley Jr.]]
| record = 31: 16-5-5
| earnings = $671,297
| race = [[Cowdin Stakes]] (1964)<br>[[American Derby]] (1965)<br>[[Arlington Classic]] (1965)<br>[[Aqueduct Handicap]] (1966)<br>[[Salvator Mile Handicap]] (1966)<p>
'''[[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing#United States Triple Crowns|American Triple Crown]] wins:'''<br>[[Preakness Stakes]] ([[1965 Preakness Stakes|1965]])</p>
| awards= [[American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse|U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt]] (1965)
| honors =  
|updated= 
}}
'''Tom Rolfe''' (April 14, 1962 – June 12, 1989) was an American [[Thoroughbred]] [[horse racing|racehorse]]  and [[Horse breeding#Terminology|sire]]. He was the leading colt of his generation in the United States, winning the [[Preakness Stakes]] and being voted [[American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse]] in 1965.

==Background==
Tom Rolfe was one of the best American sons of the undefeated Italian champion [[Ribot (horse)|Ribot]]. His dam was Pocahontas, from whom he takes his name (the historical [[Pocahontas]]'s only child was named Thomas). His half-siblings include the talented racehorse and sire Chieftain (a son of [[Bold Ruler]]).

A small horse, Tom Rolfe stood  15.2 hands and weighed less than 1,000 pounds.

==Racing career==
Tom Rolfe won 16 of his 31 starts, with total earnings of $671,297. Ridden by future [[National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] jockey [[Ron Turcotte]], he ran third to winner [[Lucky Debonair]] in the 1965 [[Kentucky Derby]]. In May he won the [[Preakness Stakes]] at [[Pimlico Race Course]], beating Dapper Dan by a neck, despite losing a [[horseshoe|shoe]] in the race and sustaining a minor injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hOVLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LosDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7377,4298643&dq=tom-rolfe+preakness&hl=en|title=The Free Lance-Star - Google News Archive Search|work=google.com}}</ref> In the [[Belmont Stakes]] in June he led in the straight but was caught close to the finish and beaten a neck by [[Hail To All]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RIY1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=Wp8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=7235,1434484&dq=tom-rolfe+preakness&hl=en|title=The Montreal Gazette - Google News Archive Search|work=google.com}}</ref> He went on to record a notable hat-trick at [[Arlington Park]], winning the [[Citation Handicap]]<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1965/08/29/archives/3t010-favorite-makes-late-move-time-of-134-45-sets-mark-for-classic.html|title=3-T0-10 FAVORITE MAKES LATE MOVE - Time of 1 - 34 4/5 Sets Mark for Classic -- Sum Up Is Third as Seven Start - Article - NYTimes.com|work=The New York Times |date=29 August 1965}}</ref> in July, the [[Arlington Classic]] in August,<ref name="nytimes.com"/> and the [[American Derby]] in September (breaking the track record).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1965/09/14/archives/tom-rolfe-sets-track-mark-in-winning-128100-american-derby.html|title=Tom Rolfe Sets Track Mark in Winning $128,100 American Derby - SHOEMAKER RIDES 2-TO-5 FAVORITE Tom Rolfe Is Clocked in 2 - 00 3/5 for 1 1/4 Miles -Royal Gunner Second - Article - NYTimes.com|work=The New York Times |date=14 September 1965}}</ref> His performances were enough to earn him [[American Champion 3-Year-Old Male Horse]] honors.

His sire, Ribot, won back-to-back runnings of the [[Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe]], and Tom Rolfe was shipped to [[Longchamp Racecourse]] in [[Paris]], [[France]] to contest the 1965 Arc. He disputed the lead until the closing stages and finished sixth on the grass course to [[Sea-Bird]], but that result remains one of the best by an American-trained entry in that championship race.

Tom Rolfe stayed in training as a four-year-old in 1966. His wins included carrying 127 [[Pound (mass)|pounds]] to victory in the [[Aqueduct Handicap]] in September.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tMwwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-QUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3735,887431&dq=tom-rolfe&hl=en|title=Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search|work=google.com}}</ref>

==Stud record==
Retired to stud at [[Claiborne Farm]] near [[Paris, Kentucky]], Tom Rolfe proved a successful sire. He is largely known today as a sire of outstanding broodmares, but his best offspring on the track was 1970 [[American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt]] and 1987 [[Leading broodmare sire in North America|leading broodmare sire]] [[Hoist The Flag]]. Tom Rolfe died in 1989 and was buried at Claiborne Farm's Marchmont cemetery.

==Breeding==
{{Pedigree
|name = Tom Rolfe
|f = [[Ribot (horse)|Ribot]]
bay  1952
|m = Pocahontas
brown  1955
|ff = [[Tenerani]]  
brown  1944
|fm = Romanella
ch.  1943
|mf = Roman 
bay 1937
|mm = How
bay 1948
|fff = Bellini
|ffm = Tofanella
|fmf = El Greco
|fmm = Barbara Burrini
|mff = [[Sir Gallahad]]
|mfm = Buckup
|mmf = [[Princequillo]]
|mmm = The Squaw
|ffff = Cavaliere D'Arpino
|fffm = Bella Minna
|ffmf = Apelle
|ffmm = Try Try Again
|fmff = [[Pharos (horse)|Pharos]]
|fmfm = Gay Gamp
|fmmf = [[Papyrus (horse)|Papyrus]]
|fmmm = Bucolic
|mfff = [[Teddy (horse)|Teddy]]
|mffm = [[Plucky Liege]]
|mfmf = Buchan
|mfmm = Look Up
|mmff = [[Prince Rose]]
|mmfm = Cosquilla
|mmmf = [[Sickle (horse)|Sickle]]
|mmmm = Minnewaska
|}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
*[http://www.pedigreequery.com/tom+rolfe Tom Rolfe's pedigree and stats]

{{Preakness Stakes Winners}}

[[Category:1962 racehorse births]]
[[Category:1989 racehorse deaths]]
[[Category:Racehorses bred in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Racehorses trained in the United States]]
[[Category:Horse racing track record setters]]
[[Category:Preakness Stakes winners]]
[[Category:United States Champion Thoroughbred Sires]]
[[Category:Eclipse Award winners]]
[[Category:Thoroughbred family 9-h]]
[[Category:Chefs-de-Race]]