Bubbling Over (USA)
1923 – June 2, 1938
North Star III (GB) x Beaming Beauty (USA), by Sweep (USA)
Family 8-h
1923 – June 2, 1938
North Star III (GB) x Beaming Beauty (USA), by Sweep (USA)
Family 8-h
Bubbling Over had plenty of talent, but it was matched by significant liabilities. In addition to the unsoundness common to the stock of North Star III, Bubbling Over had defective eyesight that was getting worse during the spring of his 3-year-old season. Bubbling Over's eyes and legs both lasted just long enough for him to win the 1926 Kentucky Derby and land a major bet for owner Edward Riley Bradley in the process. Bubbling Over sired 1932 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Burgoo King but had a more lasting legacy through his daughters Baby League, dam of the great filly Busher and the excellent broodmare Striking, and Hildene, dam of champions Hill Prince and First Landing.
Race record
13 starts, 10 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, US$78,552
1925:
1926:
Assessments
Ranked second to Pompey among American 2-year-old males of 1925 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked second to Crusader among American 3-year-old males of 1926 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A lengthy chestnut horse, Bubbling Over had great speed but was bad-legged and bowed a tendon either during the Kentucky Derby or shortly afterward. Contemporary photographs suggest that he was somewhat over at the knees. Because of his poor eyesight (a secret kept by his stable), he needed to take and keep the lead early as he could easily become disoriented if bounced around in traffic. A stud advertisement described him as being a horse of "splendid individuality" in disposition, a carefully ambiguous description if there ever was one.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Bubbling Over sired 95 winners (60.9%) and eight stakes winners (5.1%) from 156 named foals. Unlike his sire North Star III, Bubbling Over usually transmitted good substance to his foals.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse and Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Baby League (USA), Burgoo King (USA), Hildene (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Bubbling Over was bred and owned by Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm. He was trained by H. J. “Derby Dick” Thompson. He was retired to Idle Hour following his Kentucky Derby win. After he was found dead in his stall in 1938, he was buried on land that is now part of Darby Dan Farm.
Pedigree notes
Bubbling Over is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to By Mistake, dam of the multiple stakes winner Burning Dream (by Bimelech), and to Blonde Beauty, third dam of 1965 Flamingo Stakes and Florida Derby winner Native Charger. He is a half brother to Bit o' Love (by Light Brigade), dam of stakes winners Boysy (by Blue Larkspur) and Bamboula (by North Star III). Another half sister to Bubbling Over, Bar Nothing (by Blue Larkspur), is the second dam of 1945 Santa Anita Derby winner Bymeabond, 1946 Hopeful Stakes winner Blue Border, 1949 Futurity Stakes winner Guillotine, and 1951 Monmouth Oaks winner Ruddy (all out of Blade of Time, by Sickle) and is the third dam of 1967 Horse of the Year Damascus.
Bubbling Over's dam Beaming Beauty is out of Bellisario, whose sire Hippodrome was, like Ultimus, a son of Commando and inbred 2x2 to Domino. Unlike Ultimus, Hippodrome had little impact on pedigrees other than through Bellisario. Beaming Beauty is a half sister to Berryessa (by Uncle), dam of 1935 Latonia Oaks winner Wise Bessa (by Wise Counsellor). Bellisario, in turn, is out of the Hamburg mare Biturica and is a half sister to two-time American champion filly Maskette (by Disguise) and the good stakes winner Veil (by Disguise).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photograph by Sutcliffe; commissioned for Colonel Bradley's private photo album. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: May 3, 2021
Race record
13 starts, 10 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, US$78,552
1925:
- Won Nursery Handicap (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Champagne Stakes (USA, about 6.75FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Pimlico Futurity (USA, 8FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Breeders' Futurity (USA, about 5.75FD, Lexington)
- 3rd Grab Bag Handicap (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1926:
- Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA, 9FD, Lexington)
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
Assessments
Ranked second to Pompey among American 2-year-old males of 1925 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked second to Crusader among American 3-year-old males of 1926 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A lengthy chestnut horse, Bubbling Over had great speed but was bad-legged and bowed a tendon either during the Kentucky Derby or shortly afterward. Contemporary photographs suggest that he was somewhat over at the knees. Because of his poor eyesight (a secret kept by his stable), he needed to take and keep the lead early as he could easily become disoriented if bounced around in traffic. A stud advertisement described him as being a horse of "splendid individuality" in disposition, a carefully ambiguous description if there ever was one.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Bubbling Over sired 95 winners (60.9%) and eight stakes winners (5.1%) from 156 named foals. Unlike his sire North Star III, Bubbling Over usually transmitted good substance to his foals.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse and Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1932.
- 8th on the American broodmare sire list in 1945.
Notable progeny
Baby League (USA), Burgoo King (USA), Hildene (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Bubbling Over was bred and owned by Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm. He was trained by H. J. “Derby Dick” Thompson. He was retired to Idle Hour following his Kentucky Derby win. After he was found dead in his stall in 1938, he was buried on land that is now part of Darby Dan Farm.
Pedigree notes
Bubbling Over is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to By Mistake, dam of the multiple stakes winner Burning Dream (by Bimelech), and to Blonde Beauty, third dam of 1965 Flamingo Stakes and Florida Derby winner Native Charger. He is a half brother to Bit o' Love (by Light Brigade), dam of stakes winners Boysy (by Blue Larkspur) and Bamboula (by North Star III). Another half sister to Bubbling Over, Bar Nothing (by Blue Larkspur), is the second dam of 1945 Santa Anita Derby winner Bymeabond, 1946 Hopeful Stakes winner Blue Border, 1949 Futurity Stakes winner Guillotine, and 1951 Monmouth Oaks winner Ruddy (all out of Blade of Time, by Sickle) and is the third dam of 1967 Horse of the Year Damascus.
Bubbling Over's dam Beaming Beauty is out of Bellisario, whose sire Hippodrome was, like Ultimus, a son of Commando and inbred 2x2 to Domino. Unlike Ultimus, Hippodrome had little impact on pedigrees other than through Bellisario. Beaming Beauty is a half sister to Berryessa (by Uncle), dam of 1935 Latonia Oaks winner Wise Bessa (by Wise Counsellor). Bellisario, in turn, is out of the Hamburg mare Biturica and is a half sister to two-time American champion filly Maskette (by Disguise) and the good stakes winner Veil (by Disguise).
Fun facts
- Bubbling Over's nominations to the major 2-year-old stakes were not kept up because of his unattractiveness as a youngster; he was so wide-legged in front that Idle Hour Stock Farm manager Olin Gentry commented, “You could roll a barrel through his legs.” Thus, he did not get the chance to meet Pompey, the American champion 2-year-old male of 1925, prior to the Kentucky Derby. Nonetheless, Colonel Bradley was so convinced of Bubbling Over's superiority to Pompey that he made a horse-and-horse bet with Pompey's owner W. R. Coe regarding which would finish ahead of the other in the Kentucky Derby. The US$85,000 Bradley collected for his winning bet easily dwarfed the US$50,075 purse that Bubbling Over collected for the win, and Bradley reportedly had similar bets on Bubbling Over with other sportsmen, adding to his winnings on the race. Some newspaper reports indicated that Bradley might have won as much as US$250,000 thanks to Bubbling Over's victory.
- The Nashville Tennessean reported in April 1926 that Bradley turned down an offer of US$100,000 tendered by an unnamed buyer for Bubbling Over. Bradley's reported reply was, "There is not enough money in the United States to buy that horse."
- With Burgoo King's 1932 victory in the Kentucky Derby, Bubbling Over became the second Derby winner to sire a Derby winner, following the father-and-son victories of Halma (1895) and Alan-a-Dale (1902).
- Bubbling Over was the second of four Kentucky Derby winners for Colonel Bradley and trainer "Derby Dick" Thompson. The others were Behave Yourself (1921), the aforementioned Burgoo King, and Brokers Tip (1933).
- While the Blue Grass Stakes was inaugurated specifically as a prep race for the Kentucky Derby at the old Kentucky Association track in Lexington in 1911 (it is now the marquee race of the Keeneland spring meeting), no colt had succeeded in using a Blue Grass win as a springboard to a Derby victory until Bubbling Over won both races.
- According to an August 1926 report by sports columnist French Lane, Colonel Bradley had intended to ship Bubbling Over to Europe to race as a sporting return for the ventures of 1923 Derby Stakes winner Papyrus and the French standout Épinard to the United States. The plan was derailed by Bubbling Over's career-ending injury, which apparently occurred after he was shipped to New York for the Saratoga meeting.
Photo credit
Photograph by Sutcliffe; commissioned for Colonel Bradley's private photo album. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: May 3, 2021