▁Sus sex . ▁According ▁to ▁his ▁son ▁William , ▁later ▁a ▁successful ▁tra iner ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁right , ▁Day ▁believed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁acquired ▁" the ▁fin est ▁year ling ▁in ▁the ▁world ". ▁ ▁Vi rag o ▁was ▁s ired ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁E ps om ▁Derby ▁winner ▁P yr r hus ▁The ▁First . ▁Her ▁dam , ▁Virginia , ▁became ▁an ▁influ ential ▁bro od m are , ▁with ▁her ▁direct ▁descend ants ▁including ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁Gu ine as ▁and ▁E ps om ▁O aks ▁winner ▁The b ais , ▁the ▁Pre ak ness ▁St akes ▁winner ▁War ▁Cloud , ▁and ▁the ▁Italian ▁champion ▁Rib ot . ▁ ▁Racing ▁career ▁▁ 1 8 5 3 : ▁two - year - old ▁season ▁Day ▁ran ▁Vi rag o ▁in ▁her ▁first ▁serious ▁private ▁trial ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁and ▁was ▁so ▁im pressed ▁that ▁he ▁offered ▁to ▁buy ▁the ▁fil ly ▁from ▁Pad wick ▁for ▁£ 3 , 0 0 0 , ▁but ▁his ▁offer ▁was ▁re buff ed . ▁Vi rag o ▁showed ▁none ▁of ▁her ▁ability ▁on ▁her ▁only ▁race course ▁appearance ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁finishing ▁well ▁be aten ▁in ▁the ▁Ast ley ▁House ▁S elling ▁St akes ▁at ▁Sh rew s bury ▁Race course ▁in ▁November . ▁In ▁fact , ▁Day ▁had ▁made ▁sure ▁that ▁Vi rag o ▁would ▁not ▁produce ▁her ▁true ▁running ▁by ▁having ▁her ▁accompanied ▁to ▁the ▁start ▁by ▁a