Pinza, Ezio, 1892-1957, Italian bass, b. Rome, studied at the Bologna Conservatory. After military service (1915-19), he resumed his operatic career in Rome, later singing at La Scala in Milan. In 1926 he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera. There, in revivals of Mozart's Don Giovanni (1929) and The Marriage of Figaro (1939) and in Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov (1939), he achieved outstanding success. He also appeared on the New York stage in South Pacific (1949) and in motion pictures.

''This article is about the racehorse. For the opera singer see Ezio Pinza.

Pinza (1950 - 1977) was a thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 1953 Epsom Derby beating Aureole by 4 lengths. Pinza was owned by the businessman and hotelier Sir Victor Sassoon.

Pinza was a popular Derby winner, not only because he was one of the most fancied contenders, but also because he enabled the recently knighted Gordon Richards finally to win the race after 27 previous failures. As well as the Derby, Pinza also won the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, again beating Aureole, and the Newmarket Stakes.Pinza's racing career was cut short by injury forcing him to retire in 1954. He was then put out to stud and sired, amongst others Pindari, winner of the King Edward VII Stakes.

Following the LNER tradition of naming locomotives after winning racehorses, the English Electric 'Deltic' diesel locomotive, no. 55 007 was named for Pinza on 22 June 1961 and remained in service until 31 December 1981.

References

• The Complete Encyclopedia of Horse Racing Bill Mooney and George Ennor 2006 ISBN 978-1844421176

External links

• Footage of Pinza winning the 1953 Derby
• Pinza's pedigree and racing stats