Buck's Boy (1993 – January 27, 2022) was an American

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. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

Background

He was bred by horseman Noel Hickey's Irish Acres Farm of

Ocala, Florida Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida. Home to ...

who sold him to George Bunn of Quarter B Farm in

Pleasant Plains, Illinois Pleasant Plains is a village in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States. The population was 802 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geography Pleasant Plains is located at (39.874221, -89.92 ...

. Out of Noel Hickey's

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...

Molly's Colleen, by multiple stakes winner, Verbatim, his grandsire was U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee and U.S. Horse of the Year,

Buckpasser Buckpasser (1963–1978) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1966 Horse of the Year. His other achievements include 1965 Champion Two-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Three-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Handicap Horse, and 1967 Champi ...

Racing career

Conditioned by Noel Hickey, Buck's Boy was sent to the track at age three, making six starts of which he won three. In 1997 he had nine starts, winning five, the most important of which was the

Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap The Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap is a Grade III race for thoroughbred horses run at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Illinois each year. The Hawthorne Gold Cup trophy has always been made of solid gold. The Hawthorne Gold Cup is currently a Gr ...

. In the 1997

Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...

, he finished third behind winner,

Chief Bearhart Chief Bearhart (February 1, 1993 – September 18, 2012) was a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A turf specialist, he won six Sovereign Awards and was voted American Champion Male Turf Horse for 1997. Background Chief Bearheart was b ...

. At age five, Buck's Boy was the United States' Champion Male Turf Horse, winning several important races including the Turf Classic Invitational Stakes and the Riggs Handicap then capping off his season by winning the 1998 Breeders' Cup Turf in which he defeated a field that included the

parimutuel betting Parimutuel betting or pool betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and the "house-take" or "vigorish" are deducted, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winnin ...

favorite,

Royal Anthem The anthem for a person, office or rank is music played on formal or ceremonial occasions in the presence of the person, office-holder, or rank-holder, especially by a military band. The head of state in many countries is honored with a prescribe ...

. A

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

, Buck's Boy raced in 1999 and 2000, winning five of his thirteen starts including his second 1½ mile

Pan American Handicap The Pan American Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses that are four years or older held over a distance of one and one-half miles (twelve furlongs) on the turf usually scheduled annually in late March as an under card ev ...

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

Retirement and death

At the end of 2000, he was retired to his owner's Quarter B Farm in Pleasant Plains, Illinois. Buck's Boy died on January 27, 2022, at the age of 29.

Notes

References

{{Reflist
Buck's Boy's pedigree and partial racing stats
1993 racehorse births 2022 racehorse deaths Breeders' Cup Turf winners Eclipse Award winners Racehorses bred in Illinois Thoroughbred family 52