Bold Ruler /

Bold Ruler (1954–1971) was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. Bred by the Wheatley Stable of Gladys Mills Phipps, Bold Ruler was foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to Nasrullah and Miss Disco by Discovery. He was trained by Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons and regularly ridden by Eddie Arcaro. As a three-year-old, Bold Ruler won the 1957 Flamingo Stakes while breaking a track record and then won the Wood Memorial Stakes. In the U.S. Triple Crown races, Bold Ruler went off as the heavy 6:5 favorite in the Kentucky Derby, but faded down the homestretch after fighting Arcaro's restraint. He finished 4th behind longshot winner Iron Liege and future Hall of Famers Gallant Man (who was mistakenly pulled up at the 16th pole by jockey Bill Shoemaker) and Round Table. In the Preakness Stakes, Bold Ruler bounced back to win convincingly. In the Belmont Stakes, Bold Ruler finished 3rd after he was forced through exceptionally fast early fractions by Gallant Man's rabbit. Gallant Man set a new stakes record that day that remained until Bold Ruler's son Secretariat broke it in 1973. He went on to win other important races and his performances that year earned him the Eclipse Award