Not to be confused with his Irish-bred namesake, foaled on February 17, 2018, the original, American-bred Gorytus, foaled on February 7, 1980, was a top class juvenile in 1982. Indeed, at the end of his two-year-old campaign, he was awarded a Timeform rating of 132, despite an inexplicably frightful performance in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on his final start.
Bred and owned by Alice du Pont Mills and trained by Major William Richard ‘Dick’ Hern in West Isley, Berkshire, Gorytus raced just three times as a juvenile, but made an immediate impact. The son of Nijinsky made his racecourse debut in the Acomb Stakes, over 7 furlongs, at York long before its elevation to Listed status, but nonetheless won easily, by 7 lengths, and smashed the juvenile track record in the process. After another facile, 5-length win in the Group Two Champagne Stakes, also over 7 furlongs, at Doncaster the following month, Gorytus was installed as ante-post favourite for both the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby.
On his final start of the season, Gorytus faced just three rivals in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes, again over 7 furlongs, at Newmarket and was duly sent off at odds of 1/2 in what effectively appeared to be a match with Middle Park Stakes-winner, Diesis, trained by Henry Cecil. However, Gorytus was in trouble soon after halfway, quickly weakening out of contention and eventually trailing in 37 lengths behind the winner, Diesis.
Although no conclusive explanation was ever found for the poor performance, the general concensus was that Gorytus had been the victim of foul play. In any event, Gorytus was never the same horse again; he finished unplaced in the 2,000 Guineas, for which he started second favourite, missed the Derby because of unseasonably soft ground and never won again, including when transferred to respected US trainer Woody Stephens as a four-year-old.