Bred by John Harper at his farm near Midway, Kentucky, Ten Broeck was sired by English import Phaeton, a son of Baron Mayer de Rothschild's stallion King Tom.
In May's Kentucky Derby, he moved into second place by the three-quarters of a mile pole but faded to finish fifth behind winner Aristides.
That only defeat came to Pierre Lorillard IV's future Hall of Fame colt, Parole, in the Baltimore Special.
Ridden by Billy Walker, he won a much-talked-about match race victory over the Californian star Mollie McCarty.
He was also the sire of the filly Ten Penny, who won the 1888 Kentucky Oaks, and Tolu, winner of the 1884 Alabama Stakes.