three pounds and was never in danger of defeat. After taking the lead just after half way he "polished off" Melton in the easiest fashion and won unchallenged by eight lengths to record his third successive victory in the race. Assessment In May 1886 The Sporting Times carried out a poll of one hundred experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th century. St. Gatien was ranked seventh, having been placed in the top ten by thirty-six of the contributors. Lists published later in the year by Baily's Magazine and others also placed St. Gatien among the best of "modern times". At least one English writer considered him the "Horse of the Century" and believed that on the day he won his third Jockey Club Cup, he would have beaten Ormonde. In 1884, St. Gatien earned £7,342, the highest for any horse in Britain. Mathew Dawson, who trained the winners of twenty-eight Classics said of St. Gatien and St. Simon that "two better animals never trod the turf." The "vexed question" of which of the two was the better, was never resolved on the racecourse. Stud career St. Gatien retired to the Heath Stud at Newmarket where he stood at an initial fee of 50 guineas. He remained in England until the summer of 1890 when he was sold to the German government for £14,000 and exported to stand at Graditz. He returned to England to stand at the Cobham stud until 1898 when he was exported to the United States and sold privately to James Ben Ali Haggin. He stood at Rancho del Paso, California until its closure in 1905. St. Gatien was repurchased by Haggin for $500 at the Rancho del Paso dispersal sale in December 1905, and he was relocated to Haggin's Elmendorf Farm. He was sold to George J. Long in January 1906 and was moved to Louisville, Kentucky. The best of St. Gatien's progeny was probably Meddler (out of Busybody), who was a leading two-year-old in Britain where his wins included the Dewhurst Stakes. He was exported to the United States where he was twice Leading sire in North America. Pedigree The following pedigree assumes that St. Gatien was sired by The Rover References 1881 racehorse births Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Epsom Derby winners Thoroughbred family 16