39 Facts About Bold Ruler

Bold Ruler was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who was the 1957 Horse of the Year.

Bold Ruler was named American Champion Sprinter at age four, and upon retirement became the leading sire in North America eight times between 1963 and 1973, the most of any sire in the twentieth century.

Bold Ruler is best known as the sire of the 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, and was the great-grandsire of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.

Bold Ruler was an outstanding sire of sires, whose modern descendants include many classic winners such as California Chrome.

Bold Ruler's sire was Nasrullah, who has the distinction of being a champion sire in both Europe and North America.

Bold Ruler's dam was the stakes-winning sprinter Miss Disco, by Discovery.

Bold Ruler was trained by Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, and was regularly ridden by Eddie Arcaro.

Bold Ruler stood out because of his raw speed, combined with courage that allowed him to overcome infirmities ranging from a tender mouth to chronic arthritis and soreness.

At age two, Bold Ruler won seven starts, including the Youthful and Juvenile and the Futurity Stakes.

Bold Ruler did not race in the Garden State Stakes, then one of the most prestigious races for two-year-olds, and lost the title for champion 2-year-old to the winner of that race, Barbizon.

Bold Ruler began his three-year-old campaign in Florida by winning the Bahamas Stakes on January 30,1957 while equaling the track record.

Bold Ruler then finished second in the Everglade Stakes before taking the Flamingo Stakes while breaking the track record.

Bold Ruler opened up an early four-length lead, but Gallant Man gradually closed ground and surged to the front at the top of the stretch.

Bold Ruler fought against Arcaro's restraint and was carried wide around the first turn while battling for the lead with Federal Hill.

Bold Ruler remained in contention until the far turn but faded down the homestretch to finish fourth behind Iron Liege.

Fitzsimmons later revealed that Bold Ruler was suffering from a sore mouth, dating back to an incident as a yearling when he nearly tore his tongue in two after catching it on something in his stall.

Arcaro had let Bold Ruler run at his own pace and later attributed the loss in the Derby to his attempt to restrain the colt.

Bold Ruler went to the early lead but was closely challenged by Bold Nero.

Bold Ruler hung on for third but was so tired after the race that he didn't want to return to the unsaddling enclosure.

Bold Ruler was given a long layoff to recover from the race and a variety of physical issues.

Bold Ruler broke well but soon settled into second behind Reneged, who set a brisk early pace.

Bold Ruler battled for the early lead with Nearctic, then started to draw away to win by nine lengths.

Bold Ruler went to the early lead and opened up a six length lead before being eased in the stretch.

Round Table and Gallant Man were both assigned 124 pounds while Bold Ruler carried 122 pounds.

Bold Ruler went to the early lead, opening an advantage of seven or eight lengths going into the far turn.

At age four, Bold Ruler carried from 133 to 136 pounds in his seven starts, was the odds-on favorite in all seven, and won five.

Bold Ruler was assigned 135 pounds compared to 128 pounds for Gallant Man.

Bold Ruler rated close behind the early pace, while Gallant Man was far back.

For Bold Ruler's next start, Fitzsimmons was faced with the choice of being assigned 138 pounds in the Roseben Handicap, run at Bold Ruler's favorite distance of seven furlongs, or 133 pounds in the Stymie Handicap, over nine furlongs.

Bold Ruler vied for the lead with Clem and Beau Diable for the first half mile, then cut over to the rail and opened a three length lead as they rounded the final turn.

Down the stretch, Clem started to close ground and actually got a head in front before Bold Ruler rallied in the final strides to win by a nose.

Bold Ruler went straight to the lead and set an even tempo, then "coasted home" to win by three-quarters of a length over Sharpsburg.

Bold Ruler settled in third place but was heavily bumped by Sharpsburg on the final turn and faded to seventh.

Just three weeks later, Fitzsimmons announced that Bold Ruler was being retired because of an ankle injury.

Bold Ruler ended his career with 23 wins, including 17 stakes wins, from 33 starts, with earnings of $764,204.

Bold Ruler retired to stud at Claiborne Farm in 1959, where he became the leading sire in North America from 1963 to 1969 and again in 1973.

Bold Ruler was the dominant American sire of sires in the 1970s.

Bold Ruler was the first horse to undergo radiation therapy when he was diagnosed with sinus cancer in 1971.

Bold Ruler was listed at No 19 in the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 United States thoroughbred horse racing champions of the 20th century.