Ambrosio was bred by J Lowther and sold after his first race as a three year old to J Cookson. It was said that in his day he was "universally allowed to be Sir Peter's best son". A St Leger winner, he was considered to be as stout as his sire and required a great deal of exercise. His dam Tulip (b f 1783), bred by Mr Hale, also produced Ambrosio's full sister, Roxana (b f 1796), winner of a 300 guineas match against Sir C Turner's Volatile (gr f 1796 Overton), the latter being later sent to Russia, and a 100 guineas match against Mr Dodsworth's Manilla (b f 1796 Spadille or Young Marske) at York. Ambrosio's half-sister, Lord Grosvenor's Daisy (ch f 1798 Buzzard), placed second in the Oaks, and his half-brother, Lord Grosvenor's Plantaganet (b c 1802 John Bull), placed second in the Derby Stakes.

Ambrosio raced successfully for four years, mostly at distances from two to four miles, before entering the stud. He spent some time at Woburn, Bedfordshire, before moving to Barham Wood, (between Elstree, Hertfordshire, and Edgeware, Middlesex) where he covered from 1803 to around 1808 or 1809. Thereafter he covered at Wood-Park, Armagh, in Ireland. His fee remained steady at 10gs in England and around 8gs in Ireland.

Although most of his offspring had little influence on the stud book he did get Matilda (ch f 1805), the dam of July Stakes winner The Mummer (ch c 1827 Reveller).