Bold Forbes

Background

Bold Forbes was a bay horse bred in Kentucky by Lee Eaton. Bold Forbes' dam Comely Nell was a daughter of the Kentucky Oaks winner Nellie L.

1975: two-year-old season

Bold Forbes was campaigned in Puerto Rico as a two-year-old, where he won seven of eight starts in 1975. He was then transferred to the United States where he won the Saratoga Special Stakes and the Tremont Stakes.

1976: three-year-old season

As a three-year-old Bold Forbes was trained by Laz Barrera. He won the San Jacinto Stakes, Wood Memorial Stakes and Bay Shore Stakes.

On the first Saturday in May 1976, Bold Forbes contested the Kentucky Derby. Ridden by Angel Cordero, he led from the start, setting a "blistering pace," and won by half a length from the 2/5 favourite Honest Pleasure. In the Preakness Stakes Bold Forbes again took an early lead and set an exceptionally fast pace, but after a prolonged battle with Honest Pleasure, both horses tired in the final stages and were beaten by Elocutionist. In the Belmont Stakes, Bold Forbes again led from the start and won by a neck from McKenzie Bridge with Great Contractor a further neck away in third.

At the end of the year, Bold Forbes was voted American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse. He lost Horse of the Year honors to six-year-old champion Forego.

Retirement

Bold Forbes was retired to stud after his three-year-old season with earnings of $546,536. He stood at Stone Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He sired 13 crops through 1990 with 460 named foals and 304 winners, 30 of which were stakes winners, and his offspring have won over $18 million. Some of Bold Forbes' offspring include champions Tiffany Lass (winner of the Kentucky Oaks) and Bold Apparel, as well as Grade I stakes winner Air Forbes Won.

The dark bay/brown champion was moved to the Kentucky Horse Park in April 1991. He was a resident of the Hall of Champions for nine years. Until his death, he was the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner. He died on August 9, 2000, at the age of 27 after being humanely euthanized due to renal failure and complications from gastroenteritis. Bold Forbes is buried at the Hall of Champions, where a memorial is dedicated to him in the "Memorial of Champions."

Career earnings

In 1975, at age two, Bold Forbes started 8 times, winning seven times and finishing third once, for earnings of $86,250. In 1976, as a three-year-old, he made 10 starts, winning six, placing second once, and placing third three times. He won a total of $460,286.