Buck’s Boy (USA)
April 18, 1993 – January 27, 2022
Bucksplasher (USA) x Molly’s Colleen (USA), by Verbatim (USA)
Family 52
April 18, 1993 – January 27, 2022
Bucksplasher (USA) x Molly’s Colleen (USA), by Verbatim (USA)
Family 52
Buck’s Boy was a graded stakes winner on dirt as a 4-year-old, but he found his true calling when campaigned as a long-distance turf runner at 5. His chief weapon was his front-running speed, which he used to good effect in the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Turf (USA-G1). The hero of the Illinois-bred program, he enjoyed a long and peaceful retirement at his owner’s farm after his career.
Race record
30 starts, 16 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, US$2,750,830
1997:
1998:
1999:
2000:
Honors
As an individual
A small bay gelding, Buck’s Boy had plenty of natural speed and was a confirmed front runner. He had a low, skimming action. He was gelded prior to his first race because of his rambunctious behavior. He handled both firm and soft turf surfaces well.
Connections
Foaled in Illinois, Buck’s Boy competed as a homebred for Noel Hickey’s Irish Acres Farm, which also owned his sire and bred and raced his dam. Following Buck’s Boys second career win, the gelding was purchased by coffee machine manufacturer George Bunn, who raced him under the name of his Quarter B Stable. Hickey trained Buck’s Boy for 20 of his 30 starts, including the first three and last four of the horse’s championship campaign; in the others, the gelding was trained by Doug Matthews (one start in 1997) and Hilary Pridham (nine starts in 1997-1998). Buck’s Boy was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Turf win by Shane Sellers. After his retirement, Buck’s Boy lived at Bunn’s Quarter B Farm near Pleasant Plains, Illinois, where he died on January 27, 2022.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the Grade 2-placed Buckpasser horse Bucksplasher, Buck’s Boy is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to Mugsey Molly (by Mugassas), dam of listed Island Riffle Cat (by Cat Creek Slew).
Buck’s Boy is out of the winning Verbatim mare Molly’s Colleen, whose dam Irish Molly (by 1965 Canadian Horse of the Year George Royal) is a half sister to English stakes winners High Camber (by His Highness), Sans Souci (by His Highness), and Beau Ideal II (by Beau Sabreur). Irish Molly is also a half sister to Cam Shaft (by Fleet Path), dam of two-time Canadian champion filly Par Excellance (by L’Enjoleur; dam of listed stakes winner Khozaam, by Seattle Slew) and Canadian stakes winners Lady Cornwall (by Cornish Prince) and Regal Path (by Viceregal), second dam of 1994 Allan Robertson Fillies Futurity (SAF-G1) winner Sydney’s Dream and Australian Group 3 winner Marzam, and third dam of 2005 The Galaxy Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Charge Forward, multiple Australian Group 2 winner Kidman’s Cove, English Group 2 winner Hawajiss, and multiple Australian Group 3 winner Faiza.
Molly’s Colleen is out of the Irish import Cambalee, a stakes-placed daughter of multiple English stakes winner Cambyses and the Ballyogan mare Ballymaginathy. Cambalee is a half sister to English sprint stakes winner Harmon (by Whistler) and to In Orbit (by The Phoenix), dam of Irish stakes winner Smooth Jet II. She is also a half sister to Indian Error (by Seminole II), dam of German hurdle stakes winner Indian Brave (by Warpath), and to Egualita (by Democratic), second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Jay Bird (by Hot Spark).
Books and media
Footage of Buck’s Boy’s win in the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Turf can be viewed at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/bucks-boy).
Fun facts
Last updated: January 31, 2022
Race record
30 starts, 16 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, US$2,750,830
1997:
- Won Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 10FD, Hawthorne)
- Won W. H. Bishop Handicap (USA-R, 8.5FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd My Trip Stakes (USA-R, 8.5FT, Arlington Park)
1998:
- Won Breeders' Cup Turf (USA-G1, 12FT, Churchill Downs)
- Won Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
- Won Pan American Handicap (USA-G2, 12FT, Gulfstream Park; new course record 2:23.43)
- Won Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Stakes (USA-L, 11FT, Woodbine)
- Won Fort McHenry Handicap (USA-L, 10FT, Laurel)
- Won Riggs Handicap (USA-L, 12FT, Pimlico)
- 2nd Man o' War Stakes (USA-G1, 11FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G2, 11FT, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd Manhattan Handicap (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont)
1999:
- 2nd Sky Classic Handicap (CAN-G3, 11FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Breeders' Cup Turf Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Gulfstream Park)
2000:
- Won Pan American Handicap (USA-G2, 12FT, GP)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (1998)
- Illinois-bred Horse of the Year (1997-1999)
- Illinois-bred champion older male (1997-1999)
As an individual
A small bay gelding, Buck’s Boy had plenty of natural speed and was a confirmed front runner. He had a low, skimming action. He was gelded prior to his first race because of his rambunctious behavior. He handled both firm and soft turf surfaces well.
Connections
Foaled in Illinois, Buck’s Boy competed as a homebred for Noel Hickey’s Irish Acres Farm, which also owned his sire and bred and raced his dam. Following Buck’s Boys second career win, the gelding was purchased by coffee machine manufacturer George Bunn, who raced him under the name of his Quarter B Stable. Hickey trained Buck’s Boy for 20 of his 30 starts, including the first three and last four of the horse’s championship campaign; in the others, the gelding was trained by Doug Matthews (one start in 1997) and Hilary Pridham (nine starts in 1997-1998). Buck’s Boy was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Turf win by Shane Sellers. After his retirement, Buck’s Boy lived at Bunn’s Quarter B Farm near Pleasant Plains, Illinois, where he died on January 27, 2022.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the Grade 2-placed Buckpasser horse Bucksplasher, Buck’s Boy is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to Mugsey Molly (by Mugassas), dam of listed Island Riffle Cat (by Cat Creek Slew).
Buck’s Boy is out of the winning Verbatim mare Molly’s Colleen, whose dam Irish Molly (by 1965 Canadian Horse of the Year George Royal) is a half sister to English stakes winners High Camber (by His Highness), Sans Souci (by His Highness), and Beau Ideal II (by Beau Sabreur). Irish Molly is also a half sister to Cam Shaft (by Fleet Path), dam of two-time Canadian champion filly Par Excellance (by L’Enjoleur; dam of listed stakes winner Khozaam, by Seattle Slew) and Canadian stakes winners Lady Cornwall (by Cornish Prince) and Regal Path (by Viceregal), second dam of 1994 Allan Robertson Fillies Futurity (SAF-G1) winner Sydney’s Dream and Australian Group 3 winner Marzam, and third dam of 2005 The Galaxy Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Charge Forward, multiple Australian Group 2 winner Kidman’s Cove, English Group 2 winner Hawajiss, and multiple Australian Group 3 winner Faiza.
Molly’s Colleen is out of the Irish import Cambalee, a stakes-placed daughter of multiple English stakes winner Cambyses and the Ballyogan mare Ballymaginathy. Cambalee is a half sister to English sprint stakes winner Harmon (by Whistler) and to In Orbit (by The Phoenix), dam of Irish stakes winner Smooth Jet II. She is also a half sister to Indian Error (by Seminole II), dam of German hurdle stakes winner Indian Brave (by Warpath), and to Egualita (by Democratic), second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Jay Bird (by Hot Spark).
Books and media
Footage of Buck’s Boy’s win in the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Turf can be viewed at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/bucks-boy).
Fun facts
- Buck’s Boy was the first Illinois-bred to win a Breeders’ Cup race, a feat that also made him the first Illinois-bred to win a race with a purse of US$1 million or more.
- Buck’s Boy retired as the all-time leading money-winner among Illinois-bred Thoroughbreds.
Last updated: January 31, 2022