Caroline Guest, who bred and raced champion Tom Rolfe with her late husband, Raymond, died May 25 at the American Hospital in Paris, France. She was 88. She was a long time owner of Powhatan Plantation in King George, Va.
The Guests’ horses raced in North America, England, Ireland, and France. Tom Rolfe, by Ribot, won the 1965 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and was named champion 3-year-old male. The Guests also raced Epsom Derby winners Larkspur and Sir Ivor. The latter also won the Washington, D.C., International at Laurel.
The Guests were a strong presence in National Hunt racing in Europe and in the United States. Their chocolate and pale blue colors were often seen in the winner’s circle with the great Hall of Fame champion chaser L’Escargot, a two-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and winner of the 1975 Grand National. The Guests were avid polo fans and patrons.
Caroline Guest’s survivors include a son, Achille, and a daughter, Letitia. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to Saint Anthony’s Church in King George.