This is the story of Sir Archy, a horse who became the foundation sire of the American Thoroughbred. Almost every registered Thoroughbred in America today, and many quarter horses, can trace their pedigrees back to this great bay sire. He lived in the Roanoke Valley region of northern North Carolina, north of Raleigh along the Virginia border. This is where American horse racing flourished before the Civil War. The times in which he lived - the early 1800s - were full of interesting characters, and the history of the area ties to Sir Archy in a fascinating web. His prodigy include famous Thoroughbreds people remember today: Man o'War, Seabiscuit, Secretariat, Seattle Slew. With the huge numbers of people adopting former Thoroughbred racers, the tale of this fascinating sire is sure to please. Sir Archy was truly The Legend of the Roanoke Valley, but his story pertains to everyone interested in racing, or horses in general.