Roving Boy (USA)
February 9, 1980 – November 2, 1983
Olden Times (USA) x Black Eyed Lucy (USA), by Prince Royal II (GB)
Family 1-o
February 9, 1980 – November 2, 1983
Olden Times (USA) x Black Eyed Lucy (USA), by Prince Royal II (GB)
Family 1-o
After losing his first two races, Roving Boy put everything together with a six-length maiden score at Del Mar. That was the start of a five-race winning streak that carried the colt to an Eclipse Award as the best American juvenile male of 1982. Misfortune doomed what could have been a brilliant campaign at 3 as Roving Boy fractured a leg during a workout in January 1983 and lost his life after both hind legs gave way during the last race of his career, the Alibhai Handicap (USA-G3). His loss was a great blow, both because of the promise he had shown and because of his status as a potential successor to the Relic branch of the Man o’ War male line.
Race record
9 starts, 6 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$843,765
1982:
1983:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old male (1982)
Assessments
Co-highweighted with Copelan at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1982, 4 pounds above third-rated Desert Wine.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1983, 8 pounds below champion Slew o’ Gold.
As an individual
A large-framed but elegant and lengthy bay colt, Roving Boy fractured his his left fore cannon during a workout at Santa Anita in January 1983. In the second start of his comeback, the Alibhai Handicap in November 1983, he won the race by a nose in spite of having fractured both hind legs during the final strides. Following veterinary consultation, the colt was euthanized.
Connections
Foaled in California, Roving Boy was bred and owned by Robert E. Hibbett. He was trained by Joe Manzi. Following his fatal breakdown, he was buried near the quarter pole at Santa Anita, alongside the graves of Lamb Chop and Quicken Tree.
Pedigree notes
Roving Boy is inbred 4x4 to the immortal Man o’ War and to 1925 American champion 2-year-old filly Friar's Carse through the stakes-winning full siblings War Relic and War Kilt. He is a full brother to Roving Girl, second dam of Grade 2 winner Irguns Angel. He is also a full brother to Reckoning, second dam of five minor stakes winners and third dam of Grade 3 winner Our Edge. In addition, Roving Boy is a half brother to Sally’s Ride (by Inverness Drive), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner A Wild Ride (by Wild Again), and to Lucy Black (by Alydar), second dam of 2013 Santa Margarita Stakes (USA-G1) winner Joyful Victory and third dam of Grade 3 winner Artie Hot.
Roving Boy was produced from unraced Black Eyed Lucy, a daughter of 1964 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner and Italian champion 3-year-old male Prince Royal II (by Ribot). She is a half sister to War Khal (by Khaled), dam of multiple Group 3 winner Corby (by Round Table) and stakes winner Durban Deep (by Inverness Drive), and to Distaff Decider (by Khaled), dam of stakes winners Flaming Leaves (by Olden Times) and Libanon (by Tom Rolfe), second dam of Grade 3 winners Now Listen and Quintana, and third dam of 2010 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) winner Kinsale King and Grade 3 winner Victoria’s Wildcat. Black Eyed Lucy is also a half sister to Willing Maid (by Olden Times), dam of listed stakes winners More Than Willing (by Seattle Dancer; dam of multiple listed stakes winner Lavender, by Smile) and Mignon (by Seattle Dancer).
Black Eyed Lucy, in turn, is out of Lady O’ War, who was unplaced in three starts. Sired by Princequillo out of War Kilt (winner of the 1945 Demoiselle Stakes), Lady O’ War is a half sister to Providence (by Easton), dam of 1961 Prix de la Salamandre and Prix Morny winner Prudent (by My Babu), 1964 Prix du Conseil Municipal winner Timmy Lad (by Tim Tam), and French stakes winner Beactive (by Johns Joy) and second dam of 1966 French champion 2-year-old filly Silver Cloud and 1962 Prix La Rochette winner Wideawake. Lady O’ War is also a half sister to Way Out (by Alibhai), dam of 1968 Jersey Derby winner Out of the Way (by Mamboreta).
Fun facts
Last updated: July 1, 2025
Race record
9 starts, 6 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$843,765
1982:
- Won Hollywood Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- Won Norfolk Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Del Mar Futurity (USA-G2, 8FD, Del Mar)
- Won Balboa Stakes (USA, 8FD, Del Mar)
1983:
- Won Alibhai Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old male (1982)
Assessments
Co-highweighted with Copelan at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1982, 4 pounds above third-rated Desert Wine.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1983, 8 pounds below champion Slew o’ Gold.
As an individual
A large-framed but elegant and lengthy bay colt, Roving Boy fractured his his left fore cannon during a workout at Santa Anita in January 1983. In the second start of his comeback, the Alibhai Handicap in November 1983, he won the race by a nose in spite of having fractured both hind legs during the final strides. Following veterinary consultation, the colt was euthanized.
Connections
Foaled in California, Roving Boy was bred and owned by Robert E. Hibbett. He was trained by Joe Manzi. Following his fatal breakdown, he was buried near the quarter pole at Santa Anita, alongside the graves of Lamb Chop and Quicken Tree.
Pedigree notes
Roving Boy is inbred 4x4 to the immortal Man o’ War and to 1925 American champion 2-year-old filly Friar's Carse through the stakes-winning full siblings War Relic and War Kilt. He is a full brother to Roving Girl, second dam of Grade 2 winner Irguns Angel. He is also a full brother to Reckoning, second dam of five minor stakes winners and third dam of Grade 3 winner Our Edge. In addition, Roving Boy is a half brother to Sally’s Ride (by Inverness Drive), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner A Wild Ride (by Wild Again), and to Lucy Black (by Alydar), second dam of 2013 Santa Margarita Stakes (USA-G1) winner Joyful Victory and third dam of Grade 3 winner Artie Hot.
Roving Boy was produced from unraced Black Eyed Lucy, a daughter of 1964 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner and Italian champion 3-year-old male Prince Royal II (by Ribot). She is a half sister to War Khal (by Khaled), dam of multiple Group 3 winner Corby (by Round Table) and stakes winner Durban Deep (by Inverness Drive), and to Distaff Decider (by Khaled), dam of stakes winners Flaming Leaves (by Olden Times) and Libanon (by Tom Rolfe), second dam of Grade 3 winners Now Listen and Quintana, and third dam of 2010 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) winner Kinsale King and Grade 3 winner Victoria’s Wildcat. Black Eyed Lucy is also a half sister to Willing Maid (by Olden Times), dam of listed stakes winners More Than Willing (by Seattle Dancer; dam of multiple listed stakes winner Lavender, by Smile) and Mignon (by Seattle Dancer).
Black Eyed Lucy, in turn, is out of Lady O’ War, who was unplaced in three starts. Sired by Princequillo out of War Kilt (winner of the 1945 Demoiselle Stakes), Lady O’ War is a half sister to Providence (by Easton), dam of 1961 Prix de la Salamandre and Prix Morny winner Prudent (by My Babu), 1964 Prix du Conseil Municipal winner Timmy Lad (by Tim Tam), and French stakes winner Beactive (by Johns Joy) and second dam of 1966 French champion 2-year-old filly Silver Cloud and 1962 Prix La Rochette winner Wideawake. Lady O’ War is also a half sister to Way Out (by Alibhai), dam of 1968 Jersey Derby winner Out of the Way (by Mamboreta).
Fun facts
- Roving Boy was the first colt raced exclusively in California to win an official American juvenile championship since voting for divisional champions began in 1936. He was the first California-bred colt to earn such honors since Warfare in 1959.
- Roving Boy set a new world record for earnings by a juvenile, finishing the 1982 season with US$800,425.
- Joe Manzi may have been the unluckiest American trainer of 1983. Within a month of Roving Boy’s initial injury, the trainer ended up with his other two potential Kentucky Derby hopefuls—San Miguel Stakes winner Pillager and El Camino Real Derby winner Knightly Rapport—also on the sidelines with cannon bone fractures. Pillager won two allowance races in October 1983 before being retired with a perfect five-for-five record. Knightly Rapport, who sported a lifetime record of four wins (including two stakes wins) and a second from six starts prior to his injury, also came back to the races and was a minor winner at ages 5 and 6 but never won another stakes race.
Last updated: July 1, 2025