Cougar II was a Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

an 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 also competed in the
United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 where he was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...

. He was sired by Tale of Two Cities, a son of Tehran, winner of the 1944 St. Leger Stakes

St. Leger Stakes

The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...

 and the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland

Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland

The list below shows the leading sire of racehorses in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1751. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...

.

He raced in the late 1960s in Chile and was brought to the United States in 1970, where he was conditioned by future Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Whittingham. A tremendous "closer," Cougar II's career was somewhat overshadowed by his runner-up finishes to Horse of the Year Ack Ack

Ack Ack (horse)

Ack Ack was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. He raced with success at age two to four, scoring wins in the important 1969 Withers Stakes and Arlington Classic. In 1971 at age five, Ack Ack blossomed into the year's most dominant horse...

. Muscular and with a long tail that touched the ground, uncommon for most horses of this time, he was voted the 1972 Eclipse Award

Eclipse Award

The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...

 as American Champion Male Turf Horse.

In his honor, Del Mar Racetrack

Del Mar Racetrack

Del Mar Racetrack is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the seaside city of Del Mar, California, 20 miles north of San Diego. Operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is known for the slogan: "Where The Turf Meets The Surf." It was built by a partnership...

 renamed the Escondido Handicap the Cougar II Handicap

Cougar II Handicap

The Cougar II Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late July/early August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. A Grade III event open to horses age three and older, it is contested on Polytrack synthetic dirt over a distance of a mile and a half...

, which can be used as a prep race for the Breeders' Cup Marathon

Breeders' Cup Marathon

The Breeders' Cup Marathon is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race established in 2008 as part of the annual Breeders' Cup World Championships. A Weight for Age race open to horses three years old and up, it was contested on dirt at a distance of 1½ miles in its inaugural running. For 2009,...

.