Burrito

Burrito was a handsome, “blindingly fast” dark bay thoroughbred gelding bred at John T. Oxley’s Oxley Polo Stables by breeder/trainer Joe Casey. Originally named Ike’s Chivo, he was by Chivo out of Real Glory, both bloodlines reaching back to racing greats. Burrito’s handlers stopped counting his numerous Best Playing Pony awards, but do recall those won in the 1978 America Cup, 1978 Continental Cup, and the 1981 USPA Gold Cup. All who knew him said that his speed, handiness and game sense were above reproach.

Burrito started his first season in polo with Memo Gracida, then at six goals, and playing for John Oxley. Burrito was then played by polo legends Gonzalo Pieres and Ernesto Trotz in the 1980’s, each crediting this remarkable horse with helping them rise to their 10-goal handicap and naming him as a favorite. Considering all of the great ponies these two have played in tournament victories all over the world, it is noteworthy that both singled out Burrito. Gonzalo Pieres put Burrito on an even plane with Levicu, another of our “Horses to Remember.” Ernesto Trotz played Burrito for three years, and once scored six goals from the field in a single chukker.

Memo Gracida had this to say about Burrito in a 1986 interview:

“You always like to believe your own ponies are the best, but the horse I most respect belongs to somebody else. The horse is Burrito… I saw him develop into the complete polo machine, and he deserves full recognition as one of the top ten polo ponies in the world… What makes him so different is his fitness and stamina, his endurance. His speed is tremendous. I don’t think we’ll ever see a horse like that again on a polo ground or find another to emulate his performance.”

David Wigdahl, who owned Burrito for two years and later sold him back to Oxley, noted, “When the chips are down, there’s no better horse than Burrito, the ‘Secretariat of Polo’.”

Watercolor portrait of Burrito (Top Photo) by artist, Melinda Brewer; www.poloart.ca