Moolah Bux was foaled in 1952. His sire, Mahmoud, was a black-type placed winner by Blenheim II and out of Mah Mahal, a British Thoroughbred mare by Gainsborough. Moolah Bux was out of Anchors Ahead, an unraced mare by Man o’ War and out of Friar’s Carse, by Friar Rock. Anchors Ahead produced eight winners including Ocean Blue, On the Level, True Blue, Price Level, Duke K. and Crown. Air Hero, the best starter out of Anchors Ahead, won seven races including the William Penn Stakes and United States Hotel Stakes. Air Hero was by Blenheim II which made him very closely related to Moolah Bux. Both stallions went on to become sires, but Moolah Bux was a far more prolific sire.
As a two-year-old, Moolah Bux made two starts and earned $0 on the track. He broke his maiden at age three. At four, Moolah Bux won four races and placed second in the Governor’s Handicap in Pomona, California. He also ran third in the Lakes And Flowers Handicap at Hollywood Park and Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar. He ran against tough company including stakes winners Colonel Mack and Porterhouse. Moolah Bux continued racing until age five. In total, he made 23 starts, won six races and earned $32,005, the equivalent of about $340,000 today.
Moolah Bux retired from racing in 1957. During his first years at stud, he sired Thoroughbred stakes winners Sunday Slippers and Lots of Moolah. In 1961, he was the leading sire of two-year-old Thoroughbred winners in California. His owners at the time were focused on breeding Thoroughbred racehorses. They only accepted four Quarter Horse mares into his books – Bardella, Assured, Sandy Reed and Jess Hank. The resulting foals were multiple stakes winner Moolah Bar, stakes placed winner Derussa, and race winners Sandy Bux, Saucy Girl, and Buxom.
James Routh, a Quarter Horse owner and breeder, realized the potential Moolah Bux had as a Quarter Horse sire. In 1963, Routh purchased a controlling interest in the Moolah Bux Syndicate and opened his books to quality Quarter Horse mares. That transaction gave Moolah Bux more opportunities in the breeding shed. His best Quarter Horse starter, Joada Bux, was foaled a few years later. Joada Bux was a gray filly out of the stakes winning mare Joada Bar. She won eight races including the 1968 Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. His other Quarter Horse stakes winners include Three Bux, Centennial Miss and Dandy Moolah. Moolah Bux continued to stand to Thoroughbred mares as well and sired stakes winners Storm Boy, Rulla Bux and Moolah Cover.
In total, Moolah Bux sired 448 registered Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals. Among those were 204 race winners, 80 ROM-earners, ten stakes winners and four Superior Race Award-earners with earnings of $1,941,385 on the track. Even though Moolah Bux never sired any champions on the track, he was on the lists of leading sires of race winners and money earners in the 1960s and 1970s. He also became one of the leading Thoroughbred sires of performance ROM-earners. Along Came Jones, Blue Chevelle, Buxom Ella, Moolah Bardell and Tiki Sand were some of his offspring that earned ROMs in the arena.
His Thoroughbred sons Bambi’s Pride, Bradbury Hill, Bux Mahal, Flying Pegasus, Moola Ring, Moolah Bee, Moolahs Image, Mucha Moola, Muscle Bux, Snappy Bux and Top Ambition sired Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas. Gala Go Man, Moolah Rocket and Quick Moolah were among his top Quarter Horse sires. Moolah Bux also sired several Appaloosa stallions including Moolah Bull, Moolah March and Top Moolah. No matter their breed, sons of Moolah Bux were prolific sires of performers. Notable performance horses by his sons include Bar Ley Bree, Cassie Bar Dell, Eternal Moolah, Miss Blue Moolah, Miss Blue Moon, Moolahs Last Tango, Rhonda Bardell, Sorri Sue and Sweet Jolene. Moolah Bux is also the grandsire of stallions Moolah Bar None, Moolah Bee Sweet, Moolah Blue, Sundown War Bux, Sailor Bux, Sunny Bardell, Thunder Bux and Tots Hamas Moolah.
Moolah Bux was an exceptional broodmare sire too. Derussa, Mable Chick Too, Moolah Gayle, Moolah Me and Assure Me were among his best producing daughters. Derussa produced the 1969 AQHA Racing Champion Mare and Aged Mare Go Derussa Go and stakes winner Assured to Go; Mable Chick Too produced multiple stakes winner The Signature and stakes winner Etta Chick; Moolah Gayle produced graded stakes winner Shirley B Gayle; Moolah Me produced multiple stakes winner Rocket Elaine; and Assure Me produced stakes winner Quarter History. Moolah Bux was also the dam sire of stakes winners Gustoso, Grey Moolah, I’m a Sure Thing, Miss Bux an Bo, Moolah Wrangler, Synchrocept and Tripol Surprise. Thoroughbred stakes winners out of Moolah Bux mares include Angel Mary, Bobaloui, Proper Proof, Smugglin George and Vels Gem.
There were many great performance horses out of Moolah Bux mares including Derussa’s Rocket, Profit Policy and The Ole Wrangler. Boola Quixote, Justa Leo Bar and Doc’s Bo Peep were among his grandget that excelled at cutting. Boola Quixote was a sorrel mare by Doc Quixote and out of Boola Mux, a Thoroughbred daughter of Moolah Bux. Boola Quixote was the 1982 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro Reserve Co-Champion. Justa Leo Bar was a gray mare by Leo Bar and out of Pitti’s Patti, by Moolah Bux. Justa Leo Bar earned a Superior Cutting Horse award. Doc’s Bo Peep was a sorrel mare by Doc Bar and out of Buxom Ella, by Moolah Bux. Doc’s Bo Peep produced NCHA money earners Bobby Bo Badger, Little Memory Maker, Peeping Peppy, Peeping Bo Badger and Pretty Bo Badger. Doc’s Bo Peep is also the dam of AQHA World Champion Docs Bo Acres, as well as notable sires Hesa Skipa Star and Tinhorn Doc.
Additionally, Moolah Bux was the damsire of Thoroughbred sires Blazestone and Guy Host. Quarter Horse stallions Blurr the Bux, Dan’s Sugar Boy, Docs Deodar, Etta Bux, Faster Bux and Mad Dash were also out of Moolah Bux mares. Moolah Bux was the damsire of Appaloosa horses Dial Brites Last, Impressive Style and Top Moolah Quest. In 1976, Moolah Bux passed away at 24 years old. His influence on the western industry can still be observed in racing, halter, cutting, western pleasure and barrel racing bloodlines today!
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, The Quarter Horse Journal, Speed and the Quarter Horse, All Breed Database
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