Gal in a Ruckus (CAN)
April 7, 1992 – c. 2013
Bold Ruckus (USA) x Quillummo (USA), by Gummo (USA)
Family 3-j
April 7, 1992 – c. 2013
Bold Ruckus (USA) x Quillummo (USA), by Gummo (USA)
Family 3-j
Gal in a Ruckus made history in the spring of 1995 when she became the first filly to win both the Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) and the Canadian Oaks, throwing in the listed Dogwood Stakes between those two races for good measure. She never won another stakes race after her Canadian Oaks triumph and was a disappointing broodmare in spite of assignations with the best stallions of her day.
Race record
16 starts, 5 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$507,870
1995:
1996:
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Gal in a Ruckus typically ran on or near the lead but was game and genuine when hooked. She handled both fast and sloppy surfaces well. She raced on the antidiuretic medication furosemide after bleeding in a fall race at Churchill Downs during her juvenile season and suffering a series of lung infections between her 2-year-old and 3-year-old seasons.
As a producer
Gal in a Ruckus produced 14 named foals, of which eight started and four won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Ontario. Gal in a Ruckus was bred by Gustav Schickedanz. She was owned by John Oxley, who purchased the filly for US$90,000 from the 1994 Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale. She was trained by John Ward Jr. (with his wife Donna as his chief assistant) and was ridden to her Classic triumphs by Herb McCauley.
Pedigree notes
Gal in a Ruckus is inbred 4x5x4 to 1947 American champion sprinter Polynesian and 4x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah, also a leader of the English/Irish sire list. She is a full sister to restricted stakes-placed Rambuckus, third dam of Grade 2 winner Venus Valentine. She is a half sister to minor stakes winner Pirate’s Quill (by Pirate’s Bounty) and to Miss Sobriety (by Temperence Hill), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Habibti (by Tabasco Cat), second dam of Grade 2 winner Eldaafer, and third dam of Grade 3 winner Shagaf.She is also a half sister to Eidercrown (by Regal Classic), dam of 2004 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (NZ-G1) winner Clean Sweep (by End Sweep), and to Highbury (by Seattle Slew), second dam of Group 2 winners Soft Falling Rain and Let It Rain. Finally, Gal in a Ruckus is a half sister to If Dubai (by Stephen Got Even), dam of French listed stakes winner Holy Warrior (by Holy Roman Empire).
Quillummo, the dam of Gal in a Ruckus, was sired by the stakes-winning Fleet Nasrullah horse Gummo, who proved a good regional sire in California, She is a winning half sister to Grade 3 winner Baccalaureate (by Outing Class), to 1969 Prince of Wales Stakes winner Sharp-Eyed Quillo (by One-Eyed King); a good sire in Chile); and to Canadian stakes winner Allquillo (by All Hands), dam of Canadian stakes winner Dianne’s Lady (by His Majesty). She is also a half sister to Classy Quillo (by Outing Class), dam of stakes winners Baraquillo (by Barachois) and Money by Orleans (by L’Enjoleur) and of the great Canadian matriarch No Class (by Nodouble), the 1985 Canadian Broodmare of the Year. In addition, Quillummo is a half sister to Just Plain Polly (by Truxton King), dam of juvenile stakes winner Just Plain Smart (by Pirate’s Bounty), second dam of Australian Group 3 winner Just Polite, and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Top of the Range.
Quilummo and her siblings were produced from the winning Princequillo mare Quillopoly, whose dam Tonga (by Polynesian) won the 1951 Del Mar Debutante Stakes. The next dam in the tail-female lineage, Tirl (by 1931 Hopeful Stakes winner Tick On), is a half sister to stakes winner Sierra Fox (by Sierra Nevada) and is out of the unraced Gallant Fox mare Glamour-Girl.
Books and media
Gal in a Ruckus is profiled in Chapter 12 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: January 21, 2023
Race record
16 starts, 5 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$507,870
1995:
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Canadian Oaks (CAN-R, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Dogwood Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Monmouth Oaks (USA-G2, 9FD, Monmouth)
1996:
- 2nd Educated Risk Handicap (USA-R, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Gal in a Ruckus typically ran on or near the lead but was game and genuine when hooked. She handled both fast and sloppy surfaces well. She raced on the antidiuretic medication furosemide after bleeding in a fall race at Churchill Downs during her juvenile season and suffering a series of lung infections between her 2-year-old and 3-year-old seasons.
As a producer
Gal in a Ruckus produced 14 named foals, of which eight started and four won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Her Own Terms (1999, by Storm Cat) failed to win or place in four starts but produced listed stakes winner Stormin Monarcho (by Monarchos).
- Very Classy Gal (2003, by Giant’s Causeway) never raced but is the dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Classy Coco (by Not for Love).
Connections
Foaled in Ontario. Gal in a Ruckus was bred by Gustav Schickedanz. She was owned by John Oxley, who purchased the filly for US$90,000 from the 1994 Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale. She was trained by John Ward Jr. (with his wife Donna as his chief assistant) and was ridden to her Classic triumphs by Herb McCauley.
Pedigree notes
Gal in a Ruckus is inbred 4x5x4 to 1947 American champion sprinter Polynesian and 4x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah, also a leader of the English/Irish sire list. She is a full sister to restricted stakes-placed Rambuckus, third dam of Grade 2 winner Venus Valentine. She is a half sister to minor stakes winner Pirate’s Quill (by Pirate’s Bounty) and to Miss Sobriety (by Temperence Hill), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Habibti (by Tabasco Cat), second dam of Grade 2 winner Eldaafer, and third dam of Grade 3 winner Shagaf.She is also a half sister to Eidercrown (by Regal Classic), dam of 2004 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (NZ-G1) winner Clean Sweep (by End Sweep), and to Highbury (by Seattle Slew), second dam of Group 2 winners Soft Falling Rain and Let It Rain. Finally, Gal in a Ruckus is a half sister to If Dubai (by Stephen Got Even), dam of French listed stakes winner Holy Warrior (by Holy Roman Empire).
Quillummo, the dam of Gal in a Ruckus, was sired by the stakes-winning Fleet Nasrullah horse Gummo, who proved a good regional sire in California, She is a winning half sister to Grade 3 winner Baccalaureate (by Outing Class), to 1969 Prince of Wales Stakes winner Sharp-Eyed Quillo (by One-Eyed King); a good sire in Chile); and to Canadian stakes winner Allquillo (by All Hands), dam of Canadian stakes winner Dianne’s Lady (by His Majesty). She is also a half sister to Classy Quillo (by Outing Class), dam of stakes winners Baraquillo (by Barachois) and Money by Orleans (by L’Enjoleur) and of the great Canadian matriarch No Class (by Nodouble), the 1985 Canadian Broodmare of the Year. In addition, Quillummo is a half sister to Just Plain Polly (by Truxton King), dam of juvenile stakes winner Just Plain Smart (by Pirate’s Bounty), second dam of Australian Group 3 winner Just Polite, and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Top of the Range.
Quilummo and her siblings were produced from the winning Princequillo mare Quillopoly, whose dam Tonga (by Polynesian) won the 1951 Del Mar Debutante Stakes. The next dam in the tail-female lineage, Tirl (by 1931 Hopeful Stakes winner Tick On), is a half sister to stakes winner Sierra Fox (by Sierra Nevada) and is out of the unraced Gallant Fox mare Glamour-Girl.
Books and media
Gal in a Ruckus is profiled in Chapter 12 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- A 34-1 shot in the Kentucky Oaks, Gal in a Ruckus was sometimes characterized as the beneficiary of the troubled trip suffered by favored Urbane, who was in a pocket much of the way and had to check going into the final turn when bumped by pace-pressing Forested. Nonetheless, it must be said that Urbane had a clear lane on the inside in the stretch to run Gal in a Ruckus down if she could and proved unable to do so.
- Trainer John Ward Jr. later admitted that if D. Wayne Lukas had not scratched Serena’s Song from the Kentucky Oaks to run in the Kentucky Derby (in which she finished 16th), he probably would have run Gal in a Ruckus in the La Troienne Stakes the day before the Oaks instead of taking a shot at the lilies.
- Badly bumped by runner-up Kathie’s Colleen during the running of the Canadian Oaks, Gal in a Ruckus drew off to win anyway but returned to her barn with cuts on her left foreleg and right hind leg.
- Gal in a Ruckus’ Classic double was the distaff equivalent of Northern Dancer’s capture of the Kentucky Derby and Queen’s Plate in 1964. Since 1995, no Thoroughbred has succeeded in capturing the premier Classics for its sex in both the United States and Canada. (It should be noted that such a feat would only be possible for a Canadian-bred, as the Canadian Classics are restricted to horses bred in Canada.)
- Gal in a Ruckus’ win in the Dogwood Stakes on May 27, 1995, added some extra sparkle to the champagne for John and Debbie Oxley’s celebration of their first wedding anniversary.
Last updated: January 21, 2023