Little Bold John
Encyclopedia
Little Bold John is a multi-millionaire American Thoroughbred
racehorse. Bred in Maryland
by Hal C.B. Clagett and raced under the Hidden Hill Farm's banner as his owner. He finished racing with a record of 38-16-14 in 105 starts with career earnings of $
2,056,406. Little Bold John was best known for his wins in the grade one Donn Handicap
and the grade two General George Handicap
.
In 1997 he became the first Maryland Bred horse to have won one million dollars in career earnings. He still remains only one of six horses to have multi-million dollar earnings from the state of Maryland. The others are Cigar
, Awad, Concern
, Broad Brush
and the filly Safely Kept
.
with 34 stakes wins and John Henry
with 30 stakes wins. In a 1997 interview with the Baltimore Sun, Robb said that Little Bold John, who earned $2,056,406, was the best horse he had ever trained. "Not only that," Robb said. "I think he's the best horse we ever had in Maryland. I could run him short, long, on the turf, the dirt, in the mud, and he'd win anyway. That makes him special over any horse I've ever seen."
Little Bold John overcame injuries and raced. He even overcame retirement and raced. Robb tried to retire him a couple of times, but Little Bold John rebelled against farm life and persuaded Robb to put him back into training. Finally, Robb had no choice but to retire the gallant gelding. "In his last race, he hurt himself about the quarter pole and dropped back to third or fourth," Robb said. "He pulled his suspensory ligament. "Most horses, when they get hurt, pull up. But he came back to win the race, like he was three-legged. After that, I knew he'd end up killing himself if I kept running him."
Little Bold John's final race was Halloween 1992 at Pimlico Race Course
. He was 10, having raced every year since 1984 when he was two. His biggest win came at Gulfstream Park
in the Donn Handicap
a grade one stakes worth $175,000. Little Bold John paid a record $113.80 to win that race.
He also won two $200,000 stakes in Maryland, including the grade two General George Handicap
and the Maryland Million Classic
, both at Laurel Park Racecourse. Mostly, as Robb put it, his $2 million in earnings came the hard way, "$50,000 at a time." Fans lined the paddock and winner's circle to cheer for this brave horse with the catchy name. One woman for years sent sugar cubes, his favorite snack, to the stable gate. The parents of a young man killed in a car wreck called Robb asking for photos and mementos of Little Bold John for display at the funeral.
"They said he was all their son ever talked about," Clagett said. A breeder of horses for more than half a century, Clagett, 86, took particular pride in breeding Little Bold John. The horse far exceeded the accomplishments of his dam, Little Bold Sphinx, and his sire, John Alden.
Clagett sold Little Bold John after his fourth start to Jack Owens, an Anne Arundel County businessman. Robb, who remained as trainer, bought Little Bold John from Owens in 1990 and then, in 1996, gave him back to Clagett. Clagett said Little Bold John had been as rambunctious as ever up to the end, romping in his hillside paddock with other horses. Never forgetting that he was Little Bold John, the gelding held his head even higher in the snow.
program at Laurel.
Little Bold John, one of the most popular horses ever to race in Maryland and the most prolific stakes winners in North America, died January 21, 2003 after a bout of colic. He lived the last fewyears of his life at Weston Farm in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
. He died in the same field where he romped as a baby, outside the barn where he was born 21 years and two days earlier.
No better epitaph could be written for Little Bold John than the "Daily Racing Form
" cover headline in 1992, the year he finally had to give up racing: Courage, thy name is 'John'.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse. Bred in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
by Hal C.B. Clagett and raced under the Hidden Hill Farm's banner as his owner. He finished racing with a record of 38-16-14 in 105 starts with career earnings of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2,056,406. Little Bold John was best known for his wins in the grade one Donn Handicap
Donn Handicap
The Donn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late January/early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.The race is named after the Donn family, who for many years owned and operated the racetrack....
and the grade two General George Handicap
General George Handicap
The General George Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually on Presidents' Day in mid February at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. A Grade II event, it is open to horses age three and older...
.
In 1997 he became the first Maryland Bred horse to have won one million dollars in career earnings. He still remains only one of six horses to have multi-million dollar earnings from the state of Maryland. The others are Cigar
Cigar (horse)
Cigar , is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, who in 1995 and 1996 became the first American racehorse racing against top-class competition to win 16 consecutive races since the Triple Crown winner, Citation did so in 1948 and 1950...
, Awad, Concern
Concern (horse)
Concern is a multi-millionaire American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by top stallion Broad Brush, who in turn was a son of Ack Ack. His dam was Fara's Team. Concern was best known for his wins in the 1994 Breeders' Cup Classic and the grade two Arkansas Derby. Born at owner Robert...
, Broad Brush
Broad Brush
Broad Brush was an American thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Maryland. He was out of the Hoist The Flag mare, Hay Patcher, by the Hall of Fame stallion, Ack Ack.Bred and owned by Robert E. Meyerhoff, and trained by Richard W...
and the filly Safely Kept
Safely Kept
Safely Kept was a Maryland-bred Bay thoroughbred filly sired by Horatius. Safely Kept stormed onto the nationwide sprint stage in 1988 and won 24 of her 31 starts over the next three years in an era when there weren't a great deal of sprint races restricted to females...
.
Racing career
Bred by the venerable Hal C.B. Clagett and trained by Jerry Robb, Little Bold John competed 105 times during nine seasons, winning 38 races, of which 25 were stakes. That ranks him third in stakes victories among thoroughbreds in North America behind only Native DiverNative Diver
Native Diver was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Louis K. Shapiro who had claimed his dam, Fleet Diver, the daughter of Devil Diver out of Our Fleet by Count Fleet. Despite the fact that her immediate lineage included members of Blood-Horse magazine List of the...
with 34 stakes wins and John Henry
John Henry (horse)
John Henry was an American Thoroughbred race horse who had 39 wins, with $6,591,860 in earnings. He was twice voted the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 1981 and 1984, with his 1981 selection is the only one whereby the victor received all votes cast for that award. John Henry was also...
with 30 stakes wins. In a 1997 interview with the Baltimore Sun, Robb said that Little Bold John, who earned $2,056,406, was the best horse he had ever trained. "Not only that," Robb said. "I think he's the best horse we ever had in Maryland. I could run him short, long, on the turf, the dirt, in the mud, and he'd win anyway. That makes him special over any horse I've ever seen."
Little Bold John overcame injuries and raced. He even overcame retirement and raced. Robb tried to retire him a couple of times, but Little Bold John rebelled against farm life and persuaded Robb to put him back into training. Finally, Robb had no choice but to retire the gallant gelding. "In his last race, he hurt himself about the quarter pole and dropped back to third or fourth," Robb said. "He pulled his suspensory ligament. "Most horses, when they get hurt, pull up. But he came back to win the race, like he was three-legged. After that, I knew he'd end up killing himself if I kept running him."
Little Bold John's final race was Halloween 1992 at Pimlico Race Course
Pimlico Race Course
Pimlico Race Course is a horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London...
. He was 10, having raced every year since 1984 when he was two. His biggest win came at Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans December through April, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America....
in the Donn Handicap
Donn Handicap
The Donn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late January/early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.The race is named after the Donn family, who for many years owned and operated the racetrack....
a grade one stakes worth $175,000. Little Bold John paid a record $113.80 to win that race.
He also won two $200,000 stakes in Maryland, including the grade two General George Handicap
General George Handicap
The General George Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually on Presidents' Day in mid February at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. A Grade II event, it is open to horses age three and older...
and the Maryland Million Classic
Maryland Million Classic
Maryland Million Classic is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in October since 1986 primarily at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland or at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. To be eligible for the Maryland Million Classic, a horse must be sired by a stallion who stands in...
, both at Laurel Park Racecourse. Mostly, as Robb put it, his $2 million in earnings came the hard way, "$50,000 at a time." Fans lined the paddock and winner's circle to cheer for this brave horse with the catchy name. One woman for years sent sugar cubes, his favorite snack, to the stable gate. The parents of a young man killed in a car wreck called Robb asking for photos and mementos of Little Bold John for display at the funeral.
"They said he was all their son ever talked about," Clagett said. A breeder of horses for more than half a century, Clagett, 86, took particular pride in breeding Little Bold John. The horse far exceeded the accomplishments of his dam, Little Bold Sphinx, and his sire, John Alden.
Clagett sold Little Bold John after his fourth start to Jack Owens, an Anne Arundel County businessman. Robb, who remained as trainer, bought Little Bold John from Owens in 1990 and then, in 1996, gave him back to Clagett. Clagett said Little Bold John had been as rambunctious as ever up to the end, romping in his hillside paddock with other horses. Never forgetting that he was Little Bold John, the gelding held his head even higher in the snow.
Retirement
Little Bold John set foot on the Laurel Race Course dirt for the last time in his illustrious career in October 2002, but he didn't run a step. The eleven year-old gelding, a 38 time winner with 26 stakes wins and one of the most admired thoroughbreds on the entire Maryland circuit, has left racing to younger steeds. Owner-trainer Jerry Robb has sent him to live on the green pastures of Hidden Hill Farm in Edgewater, Maryland. Little Bold John was brought back and honored in October during the Maryland Million DayMaryland Million Day
The Maryland Million Day is an annual series of stakes thoroughbred horse races operated by Maryland Million Limited, a company formed in 1985....
program at Laurel.
Little Bold John, one of the most popular horses ever to race in Maryland and the most prolific stakes winners in North America, died January 21, 2003 after a bout of colic. He lived the last fewyears of his life at Weston Farm in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
. He died in the same field where he romped as a baby, outside the barn where he was born 21 years and two days earlier.
No better epitaph could be written for Little Bold John than the "Daily Racing Form
Daily Racing Form
The Daily Racing Form is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of race horses as a statistical service for bettors on horse racing in the United States....
" cover headline in 1992, the year he finally had to give up racing: Courage, thy name is 'John'.