Cape Blanco is an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 who won five Group One

Conditions races

Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...

/Grade I

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 races between 2009 and 2011. In addition, he also won twice at Group 2 level and once at Group 3 level between 2009 and 2010.

Background

Cape Blanco was sired by champion sire, Galileo

Galileo (horse)

Galileo is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He is best known for winning the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby Stakes, and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2001 and for his rivalry with the Godolphin champion Fantastic Light...

 out of the Presidium mare, Laurel Delight. As a foal of Laurel Delight he is a half-brother to the Kelso Stakes winner Mr O'Brien. Cape Blanco was trained throughout his racing career by Aidan O'Brien

Aidan O'Brien

Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates....

 at Ballydoyle

Ballydoyle

Ballydoyle is a racehorse training facility located in County Tipperary in Ireland. It is a sister thoroughbred facility to Coolmore Stud, and both are owned by John Magnier...

 Stables near Cashel

Cashel, County Tipperary

Cashel is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 2936 at the 2006 census. The town gives its name to the ecclesiastical province of Cashel. Additionally, the cathedra of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly was originally in the town prior to the English Reformation....

 in County Tipperary

County Tipperary

County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...

 for John Magnier

John Magnier

John Magnier is Ireland's leading thoroughbred stud owner and has extensive business interests outside of the horse breeding industry....

 and his Coolmore Stud

Coolmore Stud

Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....

 associates.

Racing career

He is the winner of the 2010 Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes

Irish Champion Stakes

The Irish Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1976, and...

  as well as being placed second in the 2010 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes behind Harbinger

Harbinger (horse)

Harbinger is a retired thoroughbred racehorse trained by Sir Michael Stoute. He won the 2010 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in a track record time, and beat the previous race record set by Grundy in 1975, albeit at the old Ascot track.He was sold at yearling auction for 180,000 guineas...

. In 2011, he won the Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes

Man O' War Stakes

The Man o' War Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Now Raced in July, it is a Grade I event offering a purse of $500,000 and is open to horses three-years-old and up. Run at one and three-eighths mile on the grass, the race sometimes attracts top European horses...

 at Belmont Park

Belmont Park

Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...

 , Arlington Million

Arlington Million

The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flathorse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward. It is raced over a distance of 1¼ miles on the turf at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois in August each year...

 at Arlington Park

Arlington Park

Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...

 and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park

Belmont Park

Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...

, New York, USA. In the last-named Grade 1

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 classic race, he sustained a knee fracture and was retired to stud after the race..

Assessment

In the 2010 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings

World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings

The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities , an organization established in 2003 with headquarters in Paris, France made up of members from around the world....

 Cape Blanco was rated the eighth best horse in the world on a mark of 126.

In addition, Cape Blanco was given a Timeform

Timeform

Timeform Publications is a publishing company in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans, bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry...

 rating of 130 for top middle-distance performers in 2010 alongside his stablemate Fame and Glory

Fame and Glory

Fame and Glory is a thoroughbred horse from Ireland. Sired by Montjeu from the dam Gryada, Fame and Glory is a grandson of Sadler's Wells....

.

Stud career

According to a news release by Coolmore Stud

Coolmore Stud

Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....

, Cape Blanco will stand for them at the Ashford Stud in Kentucky for the 2012 breeding season.