Mariacci
Mariacci (foaled 13 April 1972) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the highest-rated two-year-old trained in France in 1974, when he was unbeaten in three race including the Prix des Chênes and the Grand Critérium. After extending his winning run to four when winning the Prix Greffulhe on his debut as a three-year-old, he was beaten in his three subsequent races but continued to display top-class form when being placed in the Prix Lupin, Prix du Jockey Club and Prix d'Ispahan. Despite being retired in the summer of his second season, Mariacci defeated many of the best French horses of his era including Allez France, Ivanjica, Green Dancer, Val de l'Orne and Nobiliary. He made little impact as a breeding stallion. Background Mariacci was a "neat, good-looking" bay horse bred in France by his owner Guy de Rothschild. His sire, Djakao, was a stayer who won the Grand Prix de Deauville and was placed in both the Prix du Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris in 1969. The best of Djakao's other progeny included the Arlington Million winner Perrault and the Prix Lupin winner Belgio. Mariacci's dam Marbrisa was a moderate racehorse but was a