Bull Lea (USA)
March 11, 1935 – June 16, 1964
Bull Dog (FR) x Rose Leaves (USA), by Ballot (USA)
Family 9-f
March 11, 1935 – June 16, 1964
Bull Dog (FR) x Rose Leaves (USA), by Ballot (USA)
Family 9-f
The possessor of a good but not outstanding race record in an ordinary crop, Bull Lea was not even the most favored stallion in his own barn. His first foals had not yet come to the races when the brilliant Whirlaway retired to Calumet Farm. Calumet owner Warren Wright, Sr., who was determined to make Whirlaway as a sire, promptly assigned his champion the pick of Calumet Farm's mares. Even before the resulting foals raced, however, Calumet's trainer Ben Jones openly favored Bull Lea and told owner Warren Wright that he needed to give Bull Lea more of the good mares. The results proved that Jones was right. Bull Lea got champions Twilight Tear, Durazna and Armed in his first crop and never looked back. By the time Bull Lea died in 1964, his progeny had made Calumet Farm America's premier racing dynasty of the 1940s and 1950s.
Race record
27 starts, 10 wins, 7 seconds, 3 thirds, US$94,825
1937:
1938:
1939:
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1937, 5 pounds below champion Menow.
Ranked fifth among American 3-year-old males of 1938 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked fifth among American older males of 1939 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A brown, Bull Lea was a plain, sickle-hocked individual but had a good shoulder and hip, a deep girth and good bone and muscling. His ears were rather loose and floppy. He was described by Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form as a horse who "resembled one of Calumet's trotters." (Calumet Farm was originally a well-known Standardbred nursery.) Like most of his progeny, he shipped well and proved reasonably durable.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Bull Lea sired 279 winners (74.2%) and 57 stakes winners (15.2%) from 376 foals (377 per Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines and Blood-Horse's Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985). His get were typically plain with good bone and temperament but were often sickle-hocked and somewhat weak in the coupling. A fair number of them had issues with bleeding. As a group, his sons were disappointing sires. Bull Lea is a Classic 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):
Notable progeny
Armed (USA), Beau Prince (USA), Bewitch (USA), Bubbley (USA), Bull Page (USA), Chanlea (USA), Citation (USA), Coaltown (USA), Durazna (USA), Faultless (USA), Gen. Duke (USA), Hill Gail (USA), Iron Liege (USA), Lea Lark (USA), Mark-Ye-Well (USA), Next Move (USA), Proud One (USA), Real Delight (USA), Twilight Tear (USA), Two Lea (USA), Yorky (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
A Gleam (USA), Ambiopoise (USA), Apatontheback (USA), Barbizon (USA), Bardstown (USA), Bramalea (USA), Eastern Fleet (USA), Gate Dancer (USA), Good Move (USA), Honey Dear (USA), Idun (USA), Leallah (USA), On-and-On (USA), Pucker Up (USA), Quadrangle (USA), Restless Wind (USA), Right Proud (USA), Royal Attack (USA), Secret Step (USA), Sister Antoine (USA), Theory (USA), Tim Tam (USA), Tritium (USA)
Connections
Bull Lea was bred by Coldstream Stud. He was owned by Calumet Farm, which purchased Bull Lea as a yearling for US$14,000 (the fourth-highest price for American yearlings at public auction in 1936) from the Saratoga yearling sales. He was trained by Frank Kearns.
Pedigree notes
Bull Lea is inbred 5x4 to two-time Australian champion sire Musket. He is a full brother to stakes winners Dogpatch (a useful sire from limited opportunities) and Nectarine. The latter is the dam of stakes winner Appleknocker (by Reaping Reward) and the third dam of 1952 American champion 2-year-old filly Sweet Patootie. He is also a half brother to Espino, winner of the 1926 Lawrence Realization and Saratoga Cup, and stakes winner Bois de Rose, both by Negofol and both runners-up in the Belmont Stakes. His dam, Rose Leaves, is a half sister to La Venganza (by Abercorn), dam of 1924 Preakness Stakes winner Nellie Morse (by Luke McLuke).
Colonial, the dam of Rose Leaves, never raced and was imported to the United States by James Ben Ali Haggin. She was produced from Thankful Blossom (by Paradox x The Apple, by Hermit), whose stakes-winning half sister One I Love (by Minting) is responsible for another major American branch of Family 9-f through her daughter Affection (by Isidor).
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: March 15, 2024
Race record
27 starts, 10 wins, 7 seconds, 3 thirds, US$94,825
1937:
- 2nd Hopeful Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Champagne Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Saratoga Special (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1938:
- Won James C. Thornton Memorial Handicap (USA, 9FD, Narragansett Park)
- Won Autumn Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Narragansett Park)
- Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA, 9FD, Keeneland; new track record 1:49-3/5)
- Won Kenner Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Saratoga)
- Won Pimlico Handicap (USA, 8f+70yD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Classic Stakes (USA, 10FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Narragansett Special (USA, 9.5FD, Narragansett Park)
- 2nd Continental Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Potomac Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Havre de Grace)
- 3rd Aquidneck Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Narragansett Park)
- Also set a new track record of 1:44 for 8.5FD at Keeneland in an allowance race
1939:
- Won Widener Handicap (USA, 10FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd McLennan Memorial Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1937, 5 pounds below champion Menow.
Ranked fifth among American 3-year-old males of 1938 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked fifth among American older males of 1939 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A brown, Bull Lea was a plain, sickle-hocked individual but had a good shoulder and hip, a deep girth and good bone and muscling. His ears were rather loose and floppy. He was described by Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form as a horse who "resembled one of Calumet's trotters." (Calumet Farm was originally a well-known Standardbred nursery.) Like most of his progeny, he shipped well and proved reasonably durable.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Bull Lea sired 279 winners (74.2%) and 57 stakes winners (15.2%) from 376 foals (377 per Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines and Blood-Horse's Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985). His get were typically plain with good bone and temperament but were often sickle-hocked and somewhat weak in the coupling. A fair number of them had issues with bleeding. As a group, his sons were disappointing sires. Bull Lea is a Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- Led the American general sire list in 1947-1949, 1952, and 1953; 2nd in 1946, 1950, and 1951; 3rd in 1954; 5th in 1957; 8th in 1944 and 1945.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1958-1961; 2nd in 1962; 4th in 1964; 7th in 1963 and 1965; 8th in 1966.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1947.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 1947-1949, 1952, and 1953; 2nd in 1946, 1950, and 1951; 3rd in 1954; 5th in 1957; 8th in 1944 and 1945.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1958-1961; 2nd in 1962; 3rd in 1957; 4th in 1964; 6th in 1956; 7th in 1963 and 1965.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1947.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the American general sire list in 1947-1949, 1952, and 1953; 2nd in 1946, 1950, and 1951; 3rd in 1954 and 1957; 8th in 1944 and 1945.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1958-1961; 3rd in 1957; 4th in 1964; 6th in 1956 and 1965; 7th in 1963; 8th in 1966.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American general sire list in 1947-1949, 1952, and 1953.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1958-1961.
Notable progeny
Armed (USA), Beau Prince (USA), Bewitch (USA), Bubbley (USA), Bull Page (USA), Chanlea (USA), Citation (USA), Coaltown (USA), Durazna (USA), Faultless (USA), Gen. Duke (USA), Hill Gail (USA), Iron Liege (USA), Lea Lark (USA), Mark-Ye-Well (USA), Next Move (USA), Proud One (USA), Real Delight (USA), Twilight Tear (USA), Two Lea (USA), Yorky (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
A Gleam (USA), Ambiopoise (USA), Apatontheback (USA), Barbizon (USA), Bardstown (USA), Bramalea (USA), Eastern Fleet (USA), Gate Dancer (USA), Good Move (USA), Honey Dear (USA), Idun (USA), Leallah (USA), On-and-On (USA), Pucker Up (USA), Quadrangle (USA), Restless Wind (USA), Right Proud (USA), Royal Attack (USA), Secret Step (USA), Sister Antoine (USA), Theory (USA), Tim Tam (USA), Tritium (USA)
Connections
Bull Lea was bred by Coldstream Stud. He was owned by Calumet Farm, which purchased Bull Lea as a yearling for US$14,000 (the fourth-highest price for American yearlings at public auction in 1936) from the Saratoga yearling sales. He was trained by Frank Kearns.
Pedigree notes
Bull Lea is inbred 5x4 to two-time Australian champion sire Musket. He is a full brother to stakes winners Dogpatch (a useful sire from limited opportunities) and Nectarine. The latter is the dam of stakes winner Appleknocker (by Reaping Reward) and the third dam of 1952 American champion 2-year-old filly Sweet Patootie. He is also a half brother to Espino, winner of the 1926 Lawrence Realization and Saratoga Cup, and stakes winner Bois de Rose, both by Negofol and both runners-up in the Belmont Stakes. His dam, Rose Leaves, is a half sister to La Venganza (by Abercorn), dam of 1924 Preakness Stakes winner Nellie Morse (by Luke McLuke).
Colonial, the dam of Rose Leaves, never raced and was imported to the United States by James Ben Ali Haggin. She was produced from Thankful Blossom (by Paradox x The Apple, by Hermit), whose stakes-winning half sister One I Love (by Minting) is responsible for another major American branch of Family 9-f through her daughter Affection (by Isidor).
Books and media
- Bull Lea is profiled in Chapter 60 of Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released by Eclipse Press in 2006).
- Bull Lea 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.
- Bull Lea 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.
Fun facts
- Calumet's purchase of Bull Lea was ranked #32 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006.
- Bull Lea sired six of the horses listed among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century as ranked by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, 7th printing, Eclipse Press), more than any other sire.
- With Citation (1948), Hill Gail (1952) and Iron Liege (1957) to his credit, Bull Lea is one of four stallions to have sired three Kentucky Derby winners; the others are Virgil, Falsetto and Sir Gallahad III.
- Bull Lea is the third stallion to have sired the winners of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks in the same year, a feat he accomplished in 1952 when Hill Gail won the Derby and Real Delight won the Oaks. The other stallions to have completed the double are King Alfonso, sire of 1885 Derby winner Joe Cotton and 1885 Oaks winner Lizzie Dwyer; McGee, sire of 1918 Derby winner Exterminator and 1918 Oaks winner Viva America; and Native Dancer, sire of 1966 Derby winner Kauai King and 1966 Oaks winner Native Street.
- Bull Lea is buried at Calumet beneath a memorial statue, surrounded by the graves of his top progeny.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: March 15, 2024