Exclusive Ribot, Son of the Great Ribot, Dies

Exclusive Ribot, perhaps the last living offspring sired by Federico Tesio's great European champion Ribot, died Aug. 8 at age 32 of heart failure at Brian Wallis' Dormello II Stud near Decatur, Texas. Dormello was the name of Tesio's Italian farm where Ribot was raised.

Exclusive Ribot's fame goes beyond Ribot. His dam, Exclusive (by Shut Out), produced five stakes winners, including two-time leading sire Exclusive Native, sire of Affirmed and Genuine Risk.

Bred in Kentucky by John Gaines, Exclusive Ribot was sold for $205,000 to trainer William Resseguet Jr., agent, at the 1973 Keeneland July yearling sale. The price was the seventh-highest for a colt that year.

Exclusive Ribot began his racing career for Gerald Robins at Keeneland as a 2-year-old, winning at first asking at the April meeting. He raced through age five and retired with six wins and earnings of $43,974. He was stakes-placed at Calder Race Course.

Exclusive Ribot stood most of his career at Michael Sherman's Farnsworth Farms near Ocala, Fla., and also held court at farms in California and Oregon. Two of his six stakes winners, Men's Exclusive and Exclusive Partner, developed into grade II winners and proved highly durable. Millionaire Men's Exclusive won or placed in 20 stakes, and Exclusive Partner did the same in 22 stakes.

Wallis buried Exclusive Ribot at his farm and had a granite and bronze marker inscribed with a quote from Tesio about rhythm and life.