Roman Brother

Roman Brother (May 27, 1961 – March 8, 1991) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old, he was initially overshadowed by his stable companion Raise a Native before emerging as one of the year's leading juveniles with a win in the Champagne Stakes. As a three-year-old, he was highly tried, running twenty times and winning six races including the Jersey Derby and the American Derby. He was also placed second in the Belmont Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He reached his peak as a four-year-old in 1965 when he was voted American Horse of the Year in a poll conducted by the Daily Racing Form.

Background

Roman Brother was a bay gelding bred by the Ocala Stud Farm in Marion County Florida. He was sired by Third Brother, who won the Long Island Handicap for his owner-breeder Christopher Chenery in 1956. Third Brother showed some promise as a stallion before his death in 1963: in addition to Roman Brother, he sired Exceedingly, who defeated Damascus in the William Dupont Jr. Handicap. Roman Brother's dam, Roman Zephyr, won four races and was a descendant of the influential broodmare Plucky Liege. In January 1963, Roman Brother was sent to the Florida Breeders' sale, where he sold for $23,500 (the second highest price at the sale) to Farnsworth Farm.