Bold (USA)
1948 – July 9 or 10, 1952
By Jimminy (USA) x Little Rebel (USA), by John P. Grier (USA)
Family 1-k
1948 – July 9 or 10, 1952
By Jimminy (USA) x Little Rebel (USA), by John P. Grier (USA)
Family 1-k
A colt whose racing career was plagued by physical and mental issues, Bold overcame his problems to turn in one smashing performance in the 1951 Preakness Stakes, beating eventual Horse of the Year Counterpoint by seven lengths. Unfortunately, the question of his true quality was never fully answered as he was killed by lightning while still in training as a 4-year-old.
Race record
12 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$107,460
1950:
1951:
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1951, 11 pounds below highweighted Uncle Miltie and 9 pounds below the official divisional champion, Battlefield.
Ranked fifth among American 3-year-old males of 1951 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A brown horse, Bold suffered from tender feet and repeated episodes of bucked shins throughout his racing career. Perhaps because of his chronic soreness, he was a difficult horse to train and was given to bolting and other problem behaviors. He ran best when racing on the lead.
Connections
Bold was bred and owned by Isabel Dodge Sloane's Brookmeade Stable. He was trained by Preston Burch.
Pedigree notes
Bold was outcrossed through five generations. His dam, Little Rebel, produced nothing else of significance but is a full sister to Marching Home, dam of 1944 Belmont Stakes winner Bounding Home and multiple stakes winners Breezing Home and Romping Home (all by Espino). Marching Home is also the dam of stakes-placed Leading Home (by Bull Lea), second dam of 1976 Vanity Handicap (USA-G1) winner Miss Toshiba and third dam of four-time champion Committed (who won titles in England, France and Ireland), 1986 Vosburgh Handicap (USA-G1) winner King's Swan, Grade 2 winner Smart 'n Noble, and Grade 3 winner Camarado. In addition, Marching Home is the dam of Sailing Home (by Wait a Bit), second dam of 1968 San Bernardino Handicap winner Tiltable and of 1971 Jersey Derby winner Bold Reasoning, sire of the great Seattle Slew.
Returning to Little Rebel, she is also a full sister to Mistress Grier, dam of 1946 Pimlico Oaks winner Red Shoes (by Easton), second dam of 1955 American co-champion 2-year-old filly Nasrina and 1954 Maskette Handicap winner Ballerina, and third dam of 1965 Prix d.Aumale winner Nasambi, and to Lasso, second dam of 1965 Beverly Handicap winner Swoonalong and third dam of Grade 3 winner Beira. In addition, Little Rebel is a half sister to 1939 Metropolitan Handicap winner Knickerbocker (by Teddy) and to War East (by Easton), dam of stakes winner Dos Equis (by Poona II) and of 1971 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Iberia (by Heliopolis), whose produce includes two-time American champion Riva Ridge (by First Landing). Another half sister to Little Rebel, stakes-placed Easton Queen (by Easton), is the dam of stakes winner Smart Apple (by Jet Pilot).
Little Rebel and her siblings were produced from the winning Man o' War mare Warrior Lass, a half sister to 1936 Arlington Futurity winner Case Ace (by Teddy), multiple stakes winner Teddy Haslam (by Teddy) and Appeal (by John P. Grier), dam of 1938 Gazelle Stakes winner Invoke (by Teddy) and stakes winner The Finest (by Teddy) and second dam of six stakes winners including 1945 Dwyer Handicap winner Wildlife and 1952 American Handicap winner Admiral Drake. Warrior Lass is also a half sister to Psyche (by John P. Grier), dam of 1937 Blue Grass Stakes winner Fencing (by Chance Shot); to Kiss (by Teddy), dam of multiple stakes winner Gabe Paul (by Sickle); and to Granheart (by Granville), dam of 1957 Toboggan Handicap winner Decimal (by Slide Rule).
Books and media
Bold is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. Pictured winning the 1951 Preakness Stakes. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 11, 2021
Race record
12 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$107,460
1950:
- 2nd Pimlico Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Endurance Handicap (USA, 8f+70yD, Bowie; disqualified from first)
1951:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Saranac Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Saratoga)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1951, 11 pounds below highweighted Uncle Miltie and 9 pounds below the official divisional champion, Battlefield.
Ranked fifth among American 3-year-old males of 1951 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A brown horse, Bold suffered from tender feet and repeated episodes of bucked shins throughout his racing career. Perhaps because of his chronic soreness, he was a difficult horse to train and was given to bolting and other problem behaviors. He ran best when racing on the lead.
Connections
Bold was bred and owned by Isabel Dodge Sloane's Brookmeade Stable. He was trained by Preston Burch.
Pedigree notes
Bold was outcrossed through five generations. His dam, Little Rebel, produced nothing else of significance but is a full sister to Marching Home, dam of 1944 Belmont Stakes winner Bounding Home and multiple stakes winners Breezing Home and Romping Home (all by Espino). Marching Home is also the dam of stakes-placed Leading Home (by Bull Lea), second dam of 1976 Vanity Handicap (USA-G1) winner Miss Toshiba and third dam of four-time champion Committed (who won titles in England, France and Ireland), 1986 Vosburgh Handicap (USA-G1) winner King's Swan, Grade 2 winner Smart 'n Noble, and Grade 3 winner Camarado. In addition, Marching Home is the dam of Sailing Home (by Wait a Bit), second dam of 1968 San Bernardino Handicap winner Tiltable and of 1971 Jersey Derby winner Bold Reasoning, sire of the great Seattle Slew.
Returning to Little Rebel, she is also a full sister to Mistress Grier, dam of 1946 Pimlico Oaks winner Red Shoes (by Easton), second dam of 1955 American co-champion 2-year-old filly Nasrina and 1954 Maskette Handicap winner Ballerina, and third dam of 1965 Prix d.Aumale winner Nasambi, and to Lasso, second dam of 1965 Beverly Handicap winner Swoonalong and third dam of Grade 3 winner Beira. In addition, Little Rebel is a half sister to 1939 Metropolitan Handicap winner Knickerbocker (by Teddy) and to War East (by Easton), dam of stakes winner Dos Equis (by Poona II) and of 1971 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Iberia (by Heliopolis), whose produce includes two-time American champion Riva Ridge (by First Landing). Another half sister to Little Rebel, stakes-placed Easton Queen (by Easton), is the dam of stakes winner Smart Apple (by Jet Pilot).
Little Rebel and her siblings were produced from the winning Man o' War mare Warrior Lass, a half sister to 1936 Arlington Futurity winner Case Ace (by Teddy), multiple stakes winner Teddy Haslam (by Teddy) and Appeal (by John P. Grier), dam of 1938 Gazelle Stakes winner Invoke (by Teddy) and stakes winner The Finest (by Teddy) and second dam of six stakes winners including 1945 Dwyer Handicap winner Wildlife and 1952 American Handicap winner Admiral Drake. Warrior Lass is also a half sister to Psyche (by John P. Grier), dam of 1937 Blue Grass Stakes winner Fencing (by Chance Shot); to Kiss (by Teddy), dam of multiple stakes winner Gabe Paul (by Sickle); and to Granheart (by Granville), dam of 1957 Toboggan Handicap winner Decimal (by Slide Rule).
Books and media
Bold is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Bold was so erratic in his earlier races that for the Preakness Stakes, he was equipped with a blinkered hood that completely blocked the vision in his right eye to discourage him from drifting out. Apparently, it worked.
- Bold was the second American Classic winner from his immediate female family to die in training after giving a single outstanding performance, as his “cousin” Bounding Home (produced from a full sister to his dam) won the 1944 Belmont Stakes but died as a 6-year-old.
- Bold was the fourth Preakness Stakes winner for jockey Eddie Arcaro, who had previously ridden Whirlaway (1941), Citation (1948) and Hill Prince (1950). Arcaro later rode Preakness winners Nashua (1955) and Bold Ruler (1957), making him the leading Preakness jockey of all time. As a side note, Bold was the only one of Arcaro's six Preakness winners not to earn honors as American Horse of the Year.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. Pictured winning the 1951 Preakness Stakes. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 11, 2021