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Buckaroo (USA)

February 13, 1975 – July 30, 1996

Buckpasser (USA) x Stepping High (USA), by No Robbery (USA)

Family 11-g
​
​Buckaroo was talented but had nowhere near the ability of his sire, the great Buckpasser. He earned his lone American sire title on the strength of his son Spend a Buck's Horse of the Year season and otherwise had only a modest impact on pedigrees as a sire of miler speed, though his sons Spend a Buck and Montbrook were successful sires in Brazil and Florida, respectively.


Race record

18 starts, 5 wins, 5 seconds, 1 third, US$138,604

1978:
  • Won Peter Pan Stakes (USA-G3, 9FD, Belmont)
  • Won Saranac Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Saratoga)
  • 2nd Dwyer Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Belmont)
  • 2nd Whitney Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
  • 3rd Withers Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Aqueduct)


Assessments

Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1978, 13 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Affirmed and tied for eighth place.


As an individual

A bay horse who bore a strong resemblance to his sire, Buckaroo stood 16.1 hands.



As a stallion

Buckaroo led the American general sire list in 1985, his only placing among the top 10 American sires. The Jockey Club credits him with siring 350 winners (64.9%) and 29 stakes winners (5.4%) from 539 named foals. He was a better sire of colts than fillies. Buckaroo 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 1985.

Per The Blood-Horse:
  • Led the American general sire list in 1985.

Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
  • Led the American general sire list in 1985.

Per the Korean Studbook (https://studbook.kra.co.kr/neweng/main.jsp):
  • 9th on the Korean broodmare sire list in 2007

Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
  • Led the American general sire list in 1985.

Per Thoroughbred Times (previously the Thoroughbred Record):
  • Led the American general sire list in 1985.


Notable progeny

Another Review (USA), Lite the Fuse (USA), Roo Art (USA), Spend a Buck (USA)


Notable progeny of daughters

Mr. McCartney (BRZ), Prenup (USA)



Connections

Foaled in Kentucky, Buckaroo was bred by Greentree Stud and raced in the colors of Greentree Stable. He was trained by John Gaver Jr. He entered stud at Greentree Stud in 1980 and transferred to Happy Valley in Florida following the 1984 breeding season. After standing at Happy Valley through 1990, he stood the 1991 season at the Florida Stallion Station and from there moved to Bridlewood Farm, where he stood for the rest of his life. He was euthanized due to kidney failure in July 1996.



Pedigree notes

Buckaroo is inbred 4x5 to 1929 American Horse of the Year Blue Larkspur and to the great 20th-century matriarch La Troienne. He is a full brother to Flare Pass, second dam of Grade 2 winners True Flare and Apple of Kent and Grade/Group 3 winners War Zone, Capital Secret, and Set Alight and third dam of 2006 Malibu Stakes (USA-G1) winner Latent Heat, Grade 2 winner Indian Flare, and multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Art Master. He is a half brother to Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner Parade Marshal (by Caro), a successful sire in Argentina. In addition, Buckaroo is a half brother to stakes-placed Cavort (by Foolish Pleasure), third dam of Grade 3 winner Zakaroff and of Clodine, a two-time champion over the jumps in Slovakia. Finally, Buckaroo is a half brother to Westabout (by Gone West), second dam of Argentine Group 3 winners Sunset Dubai and Brilliant Sun Van, and to Cheetah (by Seeking the Gold), second dam of Japanese Group 3 winner Meiner Crop.


Stakes-placed at 2, Buckaroo's dam Stepping High is a full sister to Larceny Gal, dam of stakes winner Smuggled (by Sham) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Astudillo. She is a half sister to Bebopper (by Tom Fool), dam of 1972 Champagne Stakes winner Stop the Music (by Hail to Reason), multiple Grade 1 winner Hatchet Man (by The Axe II), and listed stakes winner Flag Waver (by Hoist the Flag); second dam of Grade 3 winner Crazy Moon; and third dam of 1996 American champion 3-year-old filly Yanks Music and 1999 Illinois Derby (USA-G2) winner Vision and Verse. Stepping High is also a half sister to Clasbio (by Outing Class), dam of restricted stakes winner Genista (by Good Counsel).

Stepping High and her siblings were produced from Bebop II (by 1951 French champion sire Prince Bio), a stakes-placed half sister to 1954 Oaks Stakes winner Sun Cap (by Sunny Boy; dam of stakes winners Capuchon, by Abernant, and In the Gloaming, by Crepello); to 1952 Prix Jean Prat winner La Verende (by Blue Moon); and to Miss Cap (by Mistral), dam of French stakes winner Caissa (by Sunny Boy). The next dam in the tail-female lineage, Capellina (by 1923 Prix du Jockey Club/French Derby winner Le Capucin), was produced from the hardy winner Bellina, a daughter of 1925 Prix du Jockey Club winner Belfonds.


Fun fact
  • “Buckaroo” is a corruption of the Spanish word “vaquero.” It is generally used to refer to a cowboy or stockman using the style of horsemanship, equipment and cattle handling commonly seen in the American Great Basin region and California, a style that originated among Spanish ranchers and their work crews.
​


Last updated: November 17, 2023
© 2014-2025 by Avalyn Hunter. All rights reserved. Contributors' materials remain the property of the copyright owners and are used by permission. For information regarding use or licensure of photographs, please contact the copyright holder.

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