Bold Ruler (USA)
April 6, 1954 – July 12, 1971
Nasrullah (IRE) x Miss Disco (USA), by Discovery (USA)
Family 8-d
April 6, 1954 – July 12, 1971
Nasrullah (IRE) x Miss Disco (USA), by Discovery (USA)
Family 8-d
Although he was plagued by physical problems throughout his career, Bold Ruler was one of the best of a vintage crop. Gifted with blazing speed, boundless courage and the ability to carry high weights, he usually controlled his races from the front end. With a little more soundness and racing luck, he might have enjoyed an even higher reputation. At stud, he was one of the most successful stallions in American history.
Race record
33 starts, 23 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, US$764,204
1956:
1957:
1958:
Honors
Assessments
Bold Ruler was rated #19 among American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1956, 1 pound below champion Barbizon and tied with Federal Hill.
Highweighted at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1957, 1 pound above Gallant Man.
Co-highweighted with Gallant Man at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1958, 1 pound above Horse of the Year Round Table.
As an individual
Registered as dark bay or brown, Bold Ruler stood 16.1-1/2 hands. According to author Edward Bowen, he was "a tall and lovely colt" although he had slightly long ears that gave his head a plain look. Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton described him as having a long pelvis and exceptional length from hip to hock, with well formed joints and hoofs. His hind pasterns could be faulted for being a bit too long and sloped. He was a free-running colt who responded to challenges gamely but would sometimes sulk if not allowed to cruise on or near the lead.
Bold Ruler suffered from chronic arthritis and overcame a number of injuries during his career, including a back injury from slamming into the gate at the start of the Juvenile Stakes and a hock problem that caused him to miss the 1956 Saratoga meeting. In his first race back from the hock injury, he slammed his head into the gate and came back bleeding from the mouth after a second-place finish. At 3, a nerve problem in a shoulder forced him to sit out the 1957 Saratoga meeting, and an ankle injury forced his retirement prior to the major late summer and fall stakes of 1958.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Bold Ruler sired 240 winners (65.6%) and 82 stakes winners (22.4%) from 366 named foals. He was often categorized as a sire of precocious juveniles that did not train on or stay despite siring Bold Bidder, Gamely, Lamb Chop, Secretariat and Wajima, all champions at 3 or older and all winners of major races at 1¼ miles or more. Bold Ruler is a Brilliant/Intermediate chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
Notable progeny
Bold Bidder (USA), Bold Hour (USA), Bold Lad (IRE), Bold Lad (USA), Bold Princess (USA), Clear Ceiling (USA), Gamely (USA), Intrepid Lady (USA), Irish Castle (USA), Jungle Cove (USA), Lamb Chop (USA), Plum Bold (USA), Queen Empress (USA), Queen of the Stage (USA), Raja Baba (USA), Reviewer (USA), Secretariat (USA), Successor (USA), Vitriolic (USA), Wajima (USA), What a Pleasure (USA), What Luck (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Autobiography (USA), Avowal (CAN), Cellini (USA), Christmas Past (USA), Effervescing (USA), Fordham (USA), Intrepid Hero (USA), Intrepidity (GB), Fordham (USA), Landscaper (USA), Mitterand (USA), Posse (USA), Predictable (USA), Prince Dantan (USA), Private Terms (USA), Quick as Lightning (USA), Sea Saga (USA), Sensational (USA), Seraphic (CAN), Slew's Exceller (USA), Sovereign Dancer (USA), Targowice (USA)
Connections
Bold Ruler was bred and owned by Mrs. Henry Carnegie Phipps' Wheatley Stable. He was trained by James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. He stood at his birthplace, Claiborne Farm, until he was humanely destroyed due to sinus cancer in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Bold Ruler is inbred 5x5 to 1911 English champion sire Sundridge. He is a full brother to stakes winner Nasco and the good steeplechaser Independence. Bold Ruler's half sister Foolish One (by Tom Fool) is the second dam of 1982 St. Leger Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Touching Wood and multiple South African Group 1 winner Fools Holme. Another half sister, Hill Rose (by Rosemont), produced 1971 Widener Handicap winner True North.
Bold Ruler's dam Miss Disco was a good stakes winner over sprint distances and is a full sister to 1949 Metropolitan Handicap winner Loser Weeper and 1950 Oaklawn Handicap winner Thwarted. She was produced from juvenile stakes winner Outdone (by Pompey), a full sister to multiple stakes winner Clean Out and a half sister to Charwoman (by Discovery), dam of 1954 New Orleans Handicap winner Grover B. and multiple Canadian stakes winner Sword Woman (both by Blue Swords). The next dam in the tail-female line, Sweep Out (by Sweep On), is a multiple stakes winner out of Dugout, by Under Fire.
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Bold Ruler at Claiborne Farm, November 10, 1964. Photo by Joel Clyne Meadors. From the Keeneland Library Meadors Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library for any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: September 23, 2024
Race record
33 starts, 23 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, US$764,204
1956:
- Won Futurity Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Juvenile Stakes (USA, 5FD, Belmont)
- Won Youthful Stakes (USA, 5FD, Jamaica)
1957:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Flamingo Stakes (USA, 9FD, Hialeah; new track record 1:47)
- Won Trenton Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth Park)
- Won Wood Memorial Stakes (USA, 9FD, Jamaica; new track record 1:48-4/5)
- Won Benjamin Franklin Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- Won Jerome Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Queens County Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Bahamas Stakes (USA, 7FD, Hialeah; equaled track record 1:22)
- Won Vosburgh Stakes (USA, 7FD, Belmont; new track record 1:21-3/5)
- 2nd Florida Derby (USA, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Everglades Stakes (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 3rd Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
1958:
- Won Monmouth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Carter Handicap (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Toboggan Handicap (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Stymie Handicap (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1973)
- Monmouth Park Hall of Champions
- American co-Horse of the Year (1957)
- American champion 3-year-old male (1957)
- American champion sprinter (1958)
Assessments
Bold Ruler was rated #19 among American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1956, 1 pound below champion Barbizon and tied with Federal Hill.
Highweighted at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1957, 1 pound above Gallant Man.
Co-highweighted with Gallant Man at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1958, 1 pound above Horse of the Year Round Table.
As an individual
Registered as dark bay or brown, Bold Ruler stood 16.1-1/2 hands. According to author Edward Bowen, he was "a tall and lovely colt" although he had slightly long ears that gave his head a plain look. Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton described him as having a long pelvis and exceptional length from hip to hock, with well formed joints and hoofs. His hind pasterns could be faulted for being a bit too long and sloped. He was a free-running colt who responded to challenges gamely but would sometimes sulk if not allowed to cruise on or near the lead.
Bold Ruler suffered from chronic arthritis and overcame a number of injuries during his career, including a back injury from slamming into the gate at the start of the Juvenile Stakes and a hock problem that caused him to miss the 1956 Saratoga meeting. In his first race back from the hock injury, he slammed his head into the gate and came back bleeding from the mouth after a second-place finish. At 3, a nerve problem in a shoulder forced him to sit out the 1957 Saratoga meeting, and an ankle injury forced his retirement prior to the major late summer and fall stakes of 1958.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Bold Ruler sired 240 winners (65.6%) and 82 stakes winners (22.4%) from 366 named foals. He was often categorized as a sire of precocious juveniles that did not train on or stay despite siring Bold Bidder, Gamely, Lamb Chop, Secretariat and Wajima, all champions at 3 or older and all winners of major races at 1¼ miles or more. Bold Ruler is a Brilliant/Intermediate chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- Led the US general sire list in 1963-1969 and 1973; 2nd in 1970; 4th in 1975; 7th in 1972.
- 3rd on the American broodmare sire list in 1982; 4th in 1974; 6th in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981; 7th in 1972 and 1976.
- Led the US juvenile sire list in 1963, 1964, 1966-1968, and 1972
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the US general sire list in 1963-1969 and 1973.
- Led the US juvenile sire list in 1963 and 1964.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the American general sire list in 1963-1969 and 1973; 2nd in 1970; 4th in 1975; 7th in 1972.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1972; 4th in 1974; 5th in 1977, 1981, and 1982; 6th in 1979 and 1980; 7th in 1976
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1963, 1964, 1966-1968, and 1972.
- 6th on the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1980
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American general sire list in 1963-1969 and 1973.
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
- Led the American general sire list in 1963-1969 and 1973.
Notable progeny
Bold Bidder (USA), Bold Hour (USA), Bold Lad (IRE), Bold Lad (USA), Bold Princess (USA), Clear Ceiling (USA), Gamely (USA), Intrepid Lady (USA), Irish Castle (USA), Jungle Cove (USA), Lamb Chop (USA), Plum Bold (USA), Queen Empress (USA), Queen of the Stage (USA), Raja Baba (USA), Reviewer (USA), Secretariat (USA), Successor (USA), Vitriolic (USA), Wajima (USA), What a Pleasure (USA), What Luck (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Autobiography (USA), Avowal (CAN), Cellini (USA), Christmas Past (USA), Effervescing (USA), Fordham (USA), Intrepid Hero (USA), Intrepidity (GB), Fordham (USA), Landscaper (USA), Mitterand (USA), Posse (USA), Predictable (USA), Prince Dantan (USA), Private Terms (USA), Quick as Lightning (USA), Sea Saga (USA), Sensational (USA), Seraphic (CAN), Slew's Exceller (USA), Sovereign Dancer (USA), Targowice (USA)
Connections
Bold Ruler was bred and owned by Mrs. Henry Carnegie Phipps' Wheatley Stable. He was trained by James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. He stood at his birthplace, Claiborne Farm, until he was humanely destroyed due to sinus cancer in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Bold Ruler is inbred 5x5 to 1911 English champion sire Sundridge. He is a full brother to stakes winner Nasco and the good steeplechaser Independence. Bold Ruler's half sister Foolish One (by Tom Fool) is the second dam of 1982 St. Leger Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Touching Wood and multiple South African Group 1 winner Fools Holme. Another half sister, Hill Rose (by Rosemont), produced 1971 Widener Handicap winner True North.
Bold Ruler's dam Miss Disco was a good stakes winner over sprint distances and is a full sister to 1949 Metropolitan Handicap winner Loser Weeper and 1950 Oaklawn Handicap winner Thwarted. She was produced from juvenile stakes winner Outdone (by Pompey), a full sister to multiple stakes winner Clean Out and a half sister to Charwoman (by Discovery), dam of 1954 New Orleans Handicap winner Grover B. and multiple Canadian stakes winner Sword Woman (both by Blue Swords). The next dam in the tail-female line, Sweep Out (by Sweep On), is a multiple stakes winner out of Dugout, by Under Fire.
Books and media
- Bold Ruler is the 24th book in the Thoroughbred Legends series from Eclipse Press. It was written by Edward Bowen and published in 2005.
- Bold Ruler is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
- Bold Ruler is profiled in Chapter 22 of Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and breeders Association; updated and reprinted by Eclipse Press in 2006).
- Bold Ruler is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
- Bold Ruler's rivalry with Gallant Man and Round Table was featured as the ninth chapter of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press), a compilation produced by the staff of The Blood-Horse.
- Bold Ruler is one of 50 Thoroughbreds profiled in Royal Blood: Fifty Years of Classic Thoroughbreds. Written by racing historian Jim Bolus with illustrations and commentary by noted equine artist Richard Stone Reeves, the book was released by The Blood-Horse, Inc., in 1994.
Fun facts
- Bold Ruler was the sixth and last of jockey Eddie Arcaro's record six Preakness Stakes winners. The others were Whirlaway (1941), Citation (1948), Hill Prince (1950), Bold (1951), and Nashua (1955).
- Bold Ruler stands at the head of one of two three-generation chains of Preakness Stakes winners in American racing history. After winning the Preakness in 1957, he sired 1973 winner Secretariat, who in turn sired 1988 winner Risen Star. The other such chain begins with 1945 Preakness winner Polynesian, who sired 1953 winner Native Dancer, in turn the sire of 1966 winner Kauai King.
- In 1966, Bold Ruler became the first stallion with progeny earnings of over US$2 million in a single season.
- Bold Ruler's 20th-century record of eight American sire championships was ranked #41 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006. His shared birthday with Round Table (who was born on the same night in the same foaling barn at Claiborne) also made the list at #83.
- Bold Ruler is the first horse to have been given radiation therapy for cancer.
- The Bold Ruler Handicap was inaugurated in 1976. It is currently a Grade 3 stakes for ages 3 and up run over 7 furlongs on dirt at Belmont Park.
Photo credit
Bold Ruler at Claiborne Farm, November 10, 1964. Photo by Joel Clyne Meadors. From the Keeneland Library Meadors Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library for any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: September 23, 2024