Immaculately bred, Tompion was the son of the Hall of Fame horse Tom Fool.
During his racing career he was owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney and trained by Robert L. Wheeler.
Ridden by Willie Shoemaker, at age three Tompion won the Santa Anita Derby and the Blue Grass Stakes.
The favorite going into the 1960 Kentucky Derby, the colt threw a shoe and finished fourth behind winner Venetian Way and runners-up Bally Ache and Victoria Park.
Tompion was sent to France to stand at stud, and then at the age of 18, went to Japan.