TB class of 1954--Bold Ruler, Gallant Man, Round Table

[vineyridge]

Interesting quote from Charles Hatton’s 1958 article about Round Table on Boojum’s Bonanza about the relative merits of three very great TB racers and sires.

In late years racing has been fortunate to develop intense rivals who evoked profound admiration for different gifts and skills. It is a rare generation graced by three such performers as Round Table, Bold Ruler and Gallant Man, all foals of 1954. The '57 Horse of the Year, Bold Ruler, appealed irresistibly to those who are most impressed by horses capable of making light of heavy burdens. Gallant Man was the turf’s idol to those who genuflect before a superior order of stamina. Round Table came to symbolize the thoroughbred’s durability and toughness of fibre. He is celebrated most by those who consider “bottom” the quality which his species most lacks. Whether consciously or subconsciously we are prone to value highest those attributes we consider rarest.

Sticklers for a surpassing ability to carry crushing weights successfully in competition with rivals in the top class will doubtless feel that Bold Ruler earned the honors again in '58 despite the brevity of his campaign. If it is any solace, Round Table’s citation is a certificate of the high caliber of the competition in which Bold Ruler originally won the title, since they are of the same generation. No evidence can be adduced that the understudy has succeeded the star. Rather the mantle fell on his sturdy shoulders when a splintered cannon enforced Bold Ruler’s retirement in midseason. Surely the stoutness which enabled Round Table to carry on should be rewarded.

Who knew Bold Ruler retired from racing with a broken bone in his leg? I keep thinking Bold Ruler/Reviewer/Ruffian. But then I think of all the Bold Rulers who didn’t break legs, of which there were probably hundreds and now thousands.

Round Table is known to passed on his “bottom” and soundness to his get.

[FLIPPED_HER_HALO]

My Bold Ruler line boy, Bold Thou Art, is 23 this year…not huge bone on his legs but never been unsound either. For the most part he still tears around the pasture like he did at 4 when I got him.

[Fred]

I would suggest that Bold Ruler’s “surpassing ability to carry rushing weights” would imply a great deal of courage, durability and ‘bottom’ (ie stamina).

[r3dd0g]

Ruffian was bred to break down. Both her parents retired with severe injuries. Contrast to her half brother Icecapade.

I read somewhere that Round Table and Bold Ruler were foaled in the same barn on the same night (April 6, 1954). How’s that for lightning striking twice?

[vineyridge]

I’d be very leary of having a horse with multiple Bold Ruler and going to one of Shenanigans’ other Bold Ruler foals, even Laughter. I agree that Shenanigans x Bold Ruler might have been a recipe for disaster. Certainly Reviewer (Bold Ruler son) was a walking disaster. From what I’ve been able to learn, Challenger on the bottom of Reviewer was famous for passing on unsoundness. Don’t know if the notoriety is for weak bones though.

Round Table and Bold Ruler have the same birthday. Round Table was bred by Claiborne and Bold Ruler by Wheatley Stables, but they could very well have been foaled out at the same farm.

[Mara]

Claiborne also had the standout Gen. Duke that same year, but he was euth’d at 3 (?) due to Wobbler’s.

[vineyridge]

What flat racing people consider “crushing” weight is anything over about 130 pounds. Jumps racing horses normally carry much heavier weights over longer distances and jumps. Bold Ruler was a lightly built horse who inherited his father’s speed/granddam’s sprinter speed when he was racing. He was neither built nor bred to hold up to pounding. But the horses out of High Bid certainly were and did.

[QUOTE=Fred;5754295]
I would suggest that Bold Ruler’s “surpassing ability to carry rushing weights” would imply a great deal of courage, durability and ‘bottom’ (ie stamina).[/QUOTE]

[r3dd0g]

[QUOTE=vineyridge;5755705]
Round Table was bred by Claiborne and Bold Ruler by Wheatley Stables, but they could very well have been foaled out at the same farm.[/QUOTE]

According to W.H.P. Robertson’s The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America, Bold Ruler was foaled at Claiborne.

[Mara]

[QUOTE=r3dd0g;5756716]
According to W.H.P. Robertson’s The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America, Bold Ruler was foaled at Claiborne.[/QUOTE]

Correct. Bold Ruler’s dam, Miss Disco, belonged to Bull Hancock/Claiborne originally. Gladys Mills Phipps was the owner of Wheatley Stables, who kept all of its stock at Claiborne. Bull didn’t want to sell the mare but Mrs. Phipps wanted her so badly that he gave in, to keep an old friend and client happy.

As far as I know all of the Phipps horses have always been foaled and raised at Claiborne - Daisy Phipps, the great-granddaughter of Gladys, oversees the horses now. Seabiscuit was a Phipps horse originally.

[rocksolid]

Bold Ruler and Round Table were both foaled at Claiborne on the same day. Bold Ruler was certainly the more “Fragile” of the two. However, he still made more starts than most of the top 3yos today. Round Table was an iron horse. You never see a current 3yo run that much any more.

[ASB_Stars]

I stood a stud, for a syndicate, who was the toughest, dumbest SOB- evah! I was told that both Nashua and Round Table- his sire, and damsire, respectively, were very, very difficult stallions. Apparently, RT was a self mutilator- anyone ever hear anything about that?

[vineyridge]

Nashua is supposed to have inherited Nasrullah’s iffy temperament; Nasrullah had times when he simply refused to race.

Round Table’s racing trainer for most of his career has been quoted as saying that he was “easy to manage.” Princequillo is rather famous for sanity, which is one reason why he was such a good cross for Nasrullah.

[ASB_Stars]

Wasn’t Round Table’s trainer Bill Mott?

I understand that, like Ribot, Round Table became a different horse, when at stud. The stories about Ribot are legend; I like the one about him standing on his hind legs, chewing a furrow in the ceiling…

[vineyridge]

I looked this up today, and the trainer’s name has flown away. It’s something like Molter or Nolter.

Just checked. His trainer for his career after he was sold was William Molter. That’s from whom the quote came.

[TKR]

I love the Nashua’s I handled. I took care of Beldale Ball (x Nashua) at a farm where he stood at stud here for awhile (he won the Melbourne Cup in Australia). He was a kind horse, a bit aloof, but certainly not dumb. Breathtaking mover and I bred a mare to him and she produced a wonderful foal that showed successfully and is now in his 20’s and well loved by his owner and teaching kids. I had a granddaughter that I leased for several years. She was very intelligent, big girl and lovely manners. Her foal was a sweetheart from foaling on – named Love Me Tenderly aka “Teddy”. He was a total delight and was sold to a junior rider. I showed him in a schooling show after only 60 days u/s, did a hunter pace shortly thereafter, etc. Should have kept him! So, I value the Nashua-breds quite a bit for their great athleticism, brains and high trainability. Yes, RT was a self-mutilator. Very unfortunate. Not sure why that happens. I believe he and Gallant Man lived into their 30’s. BR died earlier from cancer. He was treated at Auburn University in the late 60’s or early 70’s. Nashua won 22 out of 30 starts along with 4 shows and 1 place – so he lit the board 27 times out of 30 starts – I’d say that’s a pretty honest racehorse!
PennyG