Secretariat’s Illustrious Lineage

Hailed as the “king of racing,” Triple Crown legend Secretariat truly sprang from racing royalty. Both the top of his pedigree (sire) and the bottom (dam) boast extraordinary forebears. This series will focus on Bold Ruler, Nasrullah, Nearco, Somethingroyal and Princequillo.

Leeanne Meadows Ladin 9/22/24 Leeanne Meadows Ladin 9/22/24

Bold Ruler, Sire of Secretariat

Bold Ruler, son of Nasrullah and grandson of Nearco, is renowned as one of the greatest stallions in Thoroughbred racing.

Leeanne Meadows Ladin 7/30/24 Leeanne Meadows Ladin 7/30/24

Nearco, the Italian Stallion and the Godfather of Thoroughbreds

This 1941 photo by a photographer named Anscomb shows Nearco being led back outside from his bomb shelter at Beech House Stud in England following an air raid during WWII. That the stallion merited his own bomb shelter speaks to his enormous importance in the world of Thoroughbred breeding.

Leeanne Meadows Ladin 7/28/24 Leeanne Meadows Ladin 7/28/24

Nasrullah, the Irish Rogue

The potent influence of Nearco, the great grandsire of Secretariat, became personified in America by his talented but tempestuous son, Nasrullah.