Rulla Bux was foaled on March 9th, 1963. He was bred by J. H. & N. M. Monaghan Farms Co. in California. Rulla Bux was by Moolah Bux, a son of the French stallion Mahmoud. Moolah Bux won six races and was stakes placed. Moolah Bux was a leading sire of Thoroughbred winners in California. His best runners were Sunday Slippers, Lots of Moolah and Storm Boy. He was also a leading Thoroughbred sire of Quarter Horse Register of Merit earners. His best Quarter Horse starters were Joada Bux, Moolah Bar and Three Bux. Altogether, his 448 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals earned over $1.9 million on the track.
Miss Uppity, the dam of Rulla Bux, was bred by Mrs. John D. Hertz in Maryland. She was by five-time North American Leading Sire Nasrullah. Her dam, Nursery School, was a two-time stakes winner by Count Gallahad. Miss Uppity won four races, including the 1958 Nursery Stakes and 1959 California Oaks. She went on to produce fifteen Thoroughbred foals for Mrs. N. M. Monaghan and Monaghan Farms. Her foals Prince Rule, Shepard Boy, Miss Gams, Rapid Royal, Top Job, One Uppity, Lady Pilot and Bobbie Bald were all race winners.
Careless Notion, one of Miss Uppity’s daughters, won one race and placed second in the 1973 La Centinela Stakes at Santa Anita. Careless Notion went on to produce multiple graded stakes winner Fabulous Notion and stakes winner Margaret Booth. She was also the dam of Cacoethes, winner of the 1989 King Edward VII Stakes (Gr. 2) at Ascot and the 1990 Turf Classic Handicap (Gr. 1) at Belmont. Cacoethes went on to sire many great runners in Japan. Careless Notion was the second dam of Subordination, winner of the 1997 Hollywood Derby (Gr. 1); Fabulously Fast, winner of the 1997 Test Stakes (Gr. 1); and Fighting Notion, a multiple stakes winner.
Double Ack, another daughter of Miss Uppity, won five races ran third in the 1976 Bi-Centennial Pageant Stakes at Atlantic City. Double Ack went on to produce Twice An Angel, winner of the 1983 Canadian Maturity at Woodbine. Double Ack was also the second dam of multiple stakes winners Arctic Laur and Victorian Angel. Miss Uppity produced her final foal, a bay filly named High Associate, in 1981 at the age of 25. Her record as a broodmare was truly exceptional.
With the speed of his sire and producing-power of his dam, Rulla Bux looked like a likely champion on paper. As a two-year-old, he won three races, including the 1965 Cabrillo Stakes at Hollywood Park. He did not make an official start at three, but he did cover at least thirteen Quarter Horse mares that year. At age four, he returned to the track to make five starts, including one against Quarter Horse company, but he did not hit the board. His final race record was ten starts, three wins and two seconds, with $24,043 in earnings, which is the equivalent of about $240,000 today.
Rulla Bux was owned by a syndicate. His first foal crop arrived in 1967 while he was still racing. Rulletta Bars, an Indiana-bred Quarter Horse mare, was among his first foals. Rulletta Bars won the Bluegrass Futurity, Indiana Derby, Daniel Boone Stakes, Wabash Valley Downs Derby and two editions of the Beulah 870 Stakes. Her final race record showed 62 starts and 24 wins. She was by far the best starter by Rulla Bux. Rulletta Bars went on to produce three AQHA registered foals, including Racing ROM earner Miss Rulletta Moon.
Liberty Deck, a sorrel Quarter Horse stallion bred by A. O. Phillips in Michigan, was the next-best runner by Rulla Bux. In 1970, Liberty Deck set a new track record at Hiloma Downs for 350 yards in 18.410 seconds. He won six races and placed second in the 1971 Michigan Championship at Latonia. The following year, Liberty Deck earned a Superior Race Horse award. He went on to sire 19 AQHA registered foals, including Racing ROM earner Liberty Deck Jr. His APHA registered sons Liberty Bux and Liberty Yellow sired APHA point-earners Ima Painted Bux, Triple the Bux and Sandusky.
By 1976, Rulla Bux had moved to the Southwest Stallion Station in Elgin, Texas. His foals Aunt Mamie, Rulla Breeze and Noble Bux were stakes placed. Rulla Hoist, Texas Charm and Rulla the Roost were his best Thoroughbred staters. Altogether, Rulla Bux sired 124 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals in thirteen foal crops. They included 34 race winners, 25 ROM earners, 10 stakes finalists and one stakes winner. They earned $192,296 on the track and 6.0 points in the arena.
Sons of Rulla Bux sired more than 190 AQHA registered foals. Tornado Bux, a Quarter Horse stallion out of a daughter of Curragh King, was the largest contributor to that number. Tornado Bux sired 84 AQHA registered foals, including race winner Candy Bux.
Daughters of Rulla Bux produced 166 AQHA registered foals that earned $192,498 on the track and 17.0 points in the arena. They included 38 ROM earners, 33 race winners, two Superior Race Award earners and one Regional Champion. Miss Sugar Bux, a stakes-placed daughter of Rulla Bux, was probably his best producer. Miss Sugar Bux produced five AQHA registered foals, including Dualistic, the chief earner out of a Rulla Bux mare. Dualistic won thirteen races and earned $42,083 on the track. Miss Sugar Bux also produced track record setter Tiny Bux and Racing ROM earners Miss Arlington, Azurulla and Easy Elf.
Sitting On Rulla, a gray gelding by Sitting On Go and out of Lemoyne’s Rulla, by Rulla Bux, was the 1995 New Mexico Hi-Point Claiming Horse. Sitting On Rulla made 82 starts, won 19 races, and earned a Superior Race Horse award. Hum Bux, Winsumbux and Billys Wind Runner were Rulla Bux’s only AQHA performance point-earning grandget. I Dance Country, a Quarter Horse mare by Poco Gold Investor and out of Blazin Rulla Bux, by Rulla Bux, earned 20.0 performance points with the Palamino Horse Breeders Association.
Rulla Bux passed away in 1978 at the age of fifteen. His last foal, Miss Rulla Bux, was born in 1979. Today, very few Quarter Horses can find Rulla Bux in their pedigrees, but many trace back to his sire. Many Thoroughbreds also trace back to his dam. While he wasn’t a prolific sire, Rulla Bux is a great example of the interconnectedness of the two breeds. There were hundreds of stallions just like him.
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, American Quarter Horse Association, The Quarter Horse Journal, All Breed Database
The Western Thoroughbred 