Carlos Gracida

Carlos Gracida (1960 to 2014) was a Mexican-American polo player who reached a ten-goal handicap at the age of 25. Born in Mexico City into the Gracida polo dynasty, he began playing at five and competing at ten; his father Guillermo was a nine-goal player. He first reached ten goals in 1985 and held that rating, on and off, for about fifteen years, playing for the Ellerstina team owned by the Australian magnate Kerry Packer and for La Espadana. In 1994 he won the Argentine Triple Crown of Hurlingham, Tortuguitas and Palermo, along with the U.S. Open and the British Open Gold Cup, and he is the only player to have won the Grand Slam of Polo, which he did in 1987, 1988 and 1994. With his brother Guillermo he was named American Player of the Year five times, and he won the Abierto Argentino de Palermo five times, the British Open Gold Cup ten times and the U.S. Open nine times.