Bold Ego was foaled March 2nd, 1978. He was bred by J. D. Barton in Anthony, New Mexico. Bold Ego was by Bold Tactics, a multiple stakes placed son of Bold Ruler. Bold Tactics set a new track record for 6 furlongs at Hawthorne Park. Many of his foals possessed his same blistering speed. Bold Tactics sired Thoroughbred track record setters Jungle Tactics and Market Fever, as well as stakes winners George Navonod and Wild Tactics. Bold Tactics also sired Quarter Horse race winners Bold Mack, Little Tactics and One Bold Broad.
Coya’s Ego, the dam of Bold Ego, was bred by Montell Stewart in Michigan. She was by Bullin and out of French Annie, by Goya II. Coya’s Ego made 24 starts and won five races. She produced eight Thoroughbred foals for J. D. Barton in Texas and New Mexico, of which, Coya’s Dancer, She Za Challenge, Conceited Leader and Heza Challenge were race winners. Saket Racing Stables purchased Coya’s Ego and took her to Easy Jet. The resulting Quarter Horse foal, Coyas Angel, made six starts and won one race. Coya’s Ego was sold again to Cimarron Ranches, Inc. where she produced Thoroughbred race winners Sharp Ego and Raise My Ego. She produced her thirteenth and final foal, a dark bay colt by Louisiana Slew, for J. E. Jumonville, Jr. in 1988. She was 23 years old.
Bold Ego raced under J. D. Barton’s Double B. Ranch colors in a three-way partnership with Dr. Joseph N. Kidd and James Howard. Under trainer Clifford Lambert, Bold Ego won his first five starts, including the Riley Allison Futurity at Sunland Park and Rio Grande Kindergarten Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. He placed third in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (Gr. 2) behind Loma Malad and Motivity. After that first defeat, Bold Ego went back to New Mexico where he won the New Mexico Futurity at Albuquerque. He ended his two-year-old season having won seven of eight starts but never stretching beyond 6 furlongs.
In 1981, Bold Ego was transferred to the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg at Oaklawn Park. After he won the Southwest Handicap, Rebel Handicap and Arkansas Derby (Gr. 1), Bold Ego secured his spot on the Triple Crown trail. He went into the Kentucky Derby with the highest earnings of any horse in the field. Right out of the gate, Bold Ego went to the lead with Top Avenger. Those two horses ran one of the fastest first halves in Derby history before tiring. Pleasant Colony was victorious and Bold Ego finished tenth.
In the Preakness, Bold Ego went to the lead again. He looked like the likely winner around the Clubhouse Turn, but Pleasant Colony challenged him in the stretch. He faltered and finished second by less than a length. He ran dead last in the Belmont Stakes. After a taxing Triple Crown campaign, Bold Ego rested until October. He found the winner’s circle again in an Allowance Race at Churchill Downs. As a four-year-old, Bold Ego won four more races and set a new track record at Ruidoso Downs for 5 ½ furlongs in 1:05 flat. He won his last start at Hollywood Park in November of 1982. His final race record was 35 starts, 15 wins, 6 seconds and 3 thirds, with $511,648 in earnings.
In 1983, Bold Ego was syndicated and began stud duties at the McCutchin Ranch in Texas. By 1986, he moved to Aire Alto Stud Farm in Clovis, New Mexico. He later moved to Double L Farms in Bosque, New Mexico. His first foals arrived in 1984 and made him a leading Thoroughbred freshman sire in 1986. Big Bold Boz, Prince Ego and Sid’s Ego were Thoroughbred stakes winners from his first foal crop.
Fearless Ego, Bold Ego’s best Thoroughbred starter, was foaled in 1985. Fearless Ego was bred by Double B Ranch and Dr. Joesph N. Kidd. She won sixteen races and earned $326,377 on the track. Her biggest wins were in the Norgor Futurity Stakes, Thoroughbred Sale Futurity Stakes, Sunland Fall Thoroughbred Futurity, Riley Allison Derby, Miss New Mexican Handicap and Marion H. Van Berg Memorial Handicap. Fearless Ego later produced Thoroughbred race winners Go for the Gold, Said Twice and Fear Premier.
Wash and Wear was Bold Ego’s first Quarter Horse stakes winner. Wash and Wear won the 1988 Rocket Bar Futurity (Gr. 3) and Oklahoma Futurity (Gr. 3). She also set a new track record in the Fall Division of the 1989 Oklahoma Derby at La Mesa Park for 440 yards in 21.290 seconds. Wash and Wear went on to produce 25 Quarter Horse foals. Her best starter, Drip Dry Dash, was a multiple graded stakes winning gelding. Wash and Wear was also the dam of Johnathan Perry, a track record setter and sire, as well as stakes contenders Fantastic Jessie, The Perfect Diamond and Special Wrinkle.
Merry Ego, a bay mare out of Merry Wagon, stakes winning daughter of St Bar, was Bold Ego’s best Quarter Horse starter. Merry Ego won eleven races and earned $138,067 on the track. Her biggest wins were in the Santa Fe Downs Derby (Gr. 3), Zia Sophomore Championship, El Bosque Handicap, Tall Cotton Handicap, Arapahoe Park Championship and New Mexico Breeders’ Championship. Merry Ego went on to produce thirteen AQHA registered foals. She was a leading dam by earnings according to Q-Racing Journal Online. Merry Ego produced Superior Race Horse Stick It To Em Merry, as well as Racing Register of Merit earners Fly Special Merry, Merry Eights, Rimen Ego, Yes I Know, Shayden and Merryist.
Greatest Ego, a bay Quarter Horse by Bold Ego, was the 1992 Oklahoma Hi-Point Aged Stallion. Other notable Quarter Horse runners by Bold Ego included Blue Ego, Peg Ego, Let Go My Ego, Buyers Guide, A Femme Fatale and Mr Egotistical. Additional Thoroughbred stakes winners by Bold Ego included Caznire, Egocentric, Macho Ego, My Special Ego, Sonsearay, Medifast, Herewego, Bold Spirit, Busy Ego and Coronado Del.
Abyssinian, a brown gelding out of Rockete Elaine, a stakes-placed daughter of Easy Jet, was Bold Ego’s leading AQHA point earner. After Abyssinian failed to win a race, he was shown by Amy Stanton in English events. He placed in the Top Ten in Show Jumping and Working Hunter at the 1993 AQHA Youth World Show. Abyssinian earned Performance ROMs in the Open and Youth divisions. Bold Ego’s sons Clearhaven and Bold And Impressive also earned Performance ROMs.
In total, Bold Ego sired 716 registered Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals in fifteen foal crops. They included 366 race winners, 117 ROM earners, 34 stakes finalists, 22 stakes winners, seven Superior Race Award earners, three graded stakes winners and one Regional Champion. They earned $8,022,965 on the track and 213.0 points in the arena. Not included in those statistics were his Appaloosa foals that earned at least $220,000 on the racetrack. His daughter Mental Note won the Vallejo Juvenile Futurity and earned an ApHC Bronze Medallion. His Appaloosa offspring Genas Ego, Bold Sailing G and True Bravado were also race winners.
Sons of Bold Ego only sired 75 AQHA recognized foals. His daughters produced 557 AQHA recognized foals that earned $3,792,335 on the track and 66.5 points in the arena. Raw Appeal, a bay gelding by Takin On the Cash and out of Legal Ego, was the leading Quarter Horse earner out of a Bold Ego mare. Raw Appeal won 14 races and earned $207,176 on the track. His biggest wins were in the Remington Distance Handicap (Gr. 3), Governor’s Cup Marathon (Gr. 3) and Juarez Handicap (Gr. 3). He was the 1998 Oklahoma Hi-Point Aged Gelding.
Pats Ego, a black Quarter Horse mare by Bold Ego, produced Slick Ace, the 1994 New Mexico Hi-Point Three-Year-Old Gelding and 1995 New Mexico Hi-Point Aged Gelding. Ladys Ego produced Nu Mex Ego, the 1999 New Mexico Hi-Point Aged Mare. Other Quarter Horse stakes winners out of Bold Ego mares included A Banner Day and I Know Pepto. His daughter Dynamic Ego was the second dam of multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Major Bites.
Bold Ego’s stakes winning Thoroughbred daughter To the Post was probably his best producing daughter of any breed. She produced Rocky Bar, a stakes winner and leading sire in Arizona. To the Post also produced Rockin On, winner of the Arizona Breeders’ Futurity; Pocketful, the dam of stakes winner Full Spirit; and French Debutante, the dam of stakes winners Uh Oh Bango, Ez Dreamer, Top Fortitude, Top Debutante, French Hit and Code Five. Bold Ego was also the damsire of Thoroughbred stakes winners Goosey Moose, Wild Wild West and Thatsaknife. His daughter Hopper Specialty was the third dam of multiple stakes winner Bella Dona.
Sticks Rolling Stone, a brown mare by Sticks An Stones and out of Bold Toni, was the leading AQHA point earner out of Bold Ego mare. Sticks Rolling Stone earned Performance ROMs in the Open and Youth divisions. Sparkling Ego, a brown mare by First Down Dash and out of Sugar Ego, was an accomplished barrel horse. Momas Sixarun, aka “Mamas Boy,” a gray gelding by Sixarun and out of Harry’s Moma, by Bold Ego, was claimed from Los Alamitos by barrel racer Linda Vick. Mamas Boy helped Linda qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2005. Other performance horses out of Bold Ego mares included Mystic Dance, Bold Satin, Bold Go Colonel, Princess Polyester, First Patriot, Spot of Fame and Regan Special.
Bold Ego died on June 30th, 1997, due to complications of colic. He was nineteen years old. It is hard to exaggerate the impact that Bold Ego had on racing in the Southwest. It was more than twenty years before another New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred won another graded stakes race outside of the state. He is honored annually by the Bold Ego Handicap at Sunland Park.
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, American Quarter Horse Association, Speedhorse Magazine, All Breed Database
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