Y’all knew this was coming, right? I mean if I do a “Behind the Breeding” column for EN with top event horses, you can guarantee that I’m doing one for all my horses too. And Rubert is a really interesting one, I think!

First, the Ruby Bleu stats. He raced 100 times, hit the board 59 times, and won 23 times. He finished 3rd in 4 different stakes races: the Turning for Home Handicap and Roanoke Stakes when he was a 4yo, the Storm Cat Stakes when he was an 8yo, and the Washington Crossing Stakes when he was a 9 year old. All total he earned $939,169 and although he was claimed away from his breeder Donald Brown several times throughout his career (it’s hard to avoid claiming races when horses run out of conditions), Donnie always made it a point to go get the horse back. He raced very consistently year after year, with no long breaks in his schedule, and he just kept showing up. This horse ran and ran and ran and ran, with the kind of frequency and longevity you don’t see very often.

Anyway, on to the breeding. Let’s start with his sire!

Messner was, to be entirely fair, a flop as a racehorse. With his exceptional pedigree he sold for 160k at Keeneland as a yearling, but went on to only race twice and win a measly $809. As a 4 year old he ended up at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Mixed sale, where he sold to Rubert’s breeder/owner Donnie for $7500.

To be fair his pedigree did make him a VERY interesting stallion prospect. Messner was a 3/4 brother to the phenomenal runner and sire Malibu Moon, who at the time stood in Kentucky for a $70,000 fee. Messner and Malibu Moon share the same dam, Macoumba, and Malibu Moon is by AP Indy whereas Messner is by AP Indy son Bernardini.

Messner stood for a fee of only $1500 while in PA but didn’t attract a huge number of mares. He stood in PA for 2013 and 2014 before being sold to Haras Las Trinitarias in Venezuela. Ruby Bleu was one of his first foals and remains by far the highest earner. However, many of Messner’s foals have had good longevity on the racetrack.

Bernardini, however, had quite a different experience as both a racehorse a sire. By the legendary AP Indy and out of grade 1 stakes winner Cara Rafaela, Bernardini was a multiple grade 1 winner, including a win in the Preakness, Travers, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and second in the Breeders Cup Classic. He also earned the champion 3-year-old male title in 2006 and earned over $3 million in his career. One article quotes Bernardini’s trainer as saying “He was one of those types that if he was a human, he would have been quarterback on the football team in high school with the GQ looks and incredible athletic ability. He would have been valedictorian, too, and then roll on to win a Nobel Peace Prize.”

Bernardini entered stud in Kentucky in 2007 and was shuttled between the US and Australia from 2008 to 2011. He was known for his kind temperament and was often used to teach new employees the ins and outs of a breeding farm. Bernardini sired 80 black-type winners that have earned around $100 million.

In addition to producing excellent racehorses, Bernardini has also made his mark on the sporthorse world, particularly when it comes to eventing. He’s the sire of 5* horse Humble Glory, 4* horse Global Victory, and 3* horse WE Empyrean. He also has two stallion sons in the US that have competed to the Prelim/2* level, Saketini (Fey’s sire) and Redtail Achiever.

Messner’s dam, Macoumba, raced in France, where she was a Grade 1 winner before being imported to the US to serve as a broodmare for Walmac International. Her dam, Maximova by Green Dancer, was a Grade 1 winner against the colts in France, and she also placed second in Ireland in the Irish One Thousand Guineas. Maximova produced five stakes winners: Septieme Ciel, Grade 1 winner by Seattle Slew; Macoumba; Maxigroom Grade 3 winner by Blushing Groom; Balchaia by Nureyev; and Manureva by Nureyev.

Whew. That was a lot and we’re only halfway through. Props if you’re still with me. Moving on to the dam’s side…

Ruby Bleu hails from Thoroughbred mare family 8-c, which is also home to some heavy hitters such racehorses Uncle Mo and Ruffian, Derby winners Fusaichi Pegasus and Orb, as well as steeplechasers Brave Inca, Kicking King, Roman Hackle, and Grand National winner Hedgehunter.

Ruby Bleu’s dam, Ruby Soul, was bred in Kentucky by Charles Fipke. She raced a grand total of one time and finished last… she was slow to break and never made much effort. As a 4 year old she sold at Fasig Tipton for $4k, and then was sold again at Keeneland (to Ruby Bleu’s breeder, Donnie) in 2013 for $4500 in foal to Super Saver. She produced a handful of foals in the US for Donnie, with Ruby Bleu being the most successful.

Ruby Soul’s sire was the Irish-bred stallion Perfect Soul, a Grade 1 winner of over $1.5 million who was the 2003 Champion Turf Horse in Canada. True to his pedigree, he raced exclusively on the turf. Also true to his pedigree, he produced some very successful steeplechase horses.

Perfect Soul’s sire, Sadler’s Wells, has left a huge legacy in both turf racing and steeplechase both directly and via his sons, particularly in Europe. This line is known for both jumping ability and longevity, and Sadler’s Wells also shows up in the pedigree of some top eventers, including as the damsire of 5* horse Just Kidding.

Perfect Soul’s dam is the famous Ball Chairman, a Secretariat mare that was an excellent producer for Fipke’s breeding program. And we all know about Secretariat, right?

Ruby Soul’s dam, Ruby City, raced only as a 2yo, making six starts, winning once, and earning a total 35k. Her value really was mostly in her pedigree. Her dam, Island Kitten, was a stakes-placed racehorse and an excellent producer. Island Kitten’s most famous offspring was the Grade 1 winner and prolific sire Hennessy, and she also produced three other stakes winners: Shy Tom, Wild Kitty, and Pearl City. Island Kitten’s dam was the Reines-de-Course mare T.C. Kitten, who produced Grade 1 winner Field Cat as well as the mare Beware of the Cat, dam of Editor’s Note and Hold That Tiger. It’s a really nice line of race mares! Which is how Ruby City found herself selling for $200k at a Keeneland sale when she was 10yo in foal to Stephen Got Even.

Ruby City proved to be a pretty decent broodmare herself, producing 6 winners as well as one stakes winner, Tale for Ruby.

Ruby City’s sire was stakes winner Carson City, who is known in sporthorse circles for producing horses with good temperaments and longevity.

Ruby City’s damsire was the South-African bred Hawaii, who was an excellent racehorse known for his intelligence and soundness. Although a flat runner himself, he produced a high number of timber racing horses, and many also made it over into the sporthorse world. His best-known offspring is probably 5* eventer and Eventing Hall of Famer Molokai who completed Badminton, Burghley, and Kentucky.

Hawaii is also the sire of the phenomenal sport stallion Porter Rhodes, sire of 5* horses Majas Hope and Spring Panorama, 1.50m showjumper Newtown Jumping Jack, and 4* horses Kiltealy Rogers, Porters Hill, Stellor Rhodes, and Diesel Green.

As you can see, I think Ruby Bleu lives up to his pedigree. There are a lot of horses on his page that are known for their longevity and intelligence, and he certainly has the Bernardini phenotype. There’s also a lot of proven jumping blood in his pedigree… I’m excited to get him going and see what he can do beyond the racetrack!