Raging Bull Colt Reps New Sire at The Saratoga Sale

When Mesingw Farm owners Steve and Denise Smith were approached about bringing their colt by first-crop yearling sire Raging Bull (FR) to Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale, it wasn't that hard of a sell. The colt out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Run Like the Boss was one of the best physicals on the couple's Lexington farm, and just months after they bred Run Like the Boss to Raging Bull, the mare's foal of 2020 Andthewinneris, by Oscar Performance, won the 2022 Bourbon Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. "We thought he was a standout colt, maybe the best on our farm. We have a Not This Time colt that we think is equally as stunning as he is," Steve Smith said. "We had four or five consignors come look at him at the farm, and they all thought he was Saratoga quality. (Fasig-Tipton vice president) Bayne Welker liked him a lot. He thought he was an interesting horse and being by a first-crop yearling stallion, Fasig likes to have athletic horses by diverse stallions at the Saratoga Sale, so we were game. "Who wouldn't want to have a horse at Saratoga, right?" Consignor Kitty Taylor of Warrendale Sales said she has no doubt Hip 137 belongs at the select auction. "He's gorgeous," Taylor said. "I haven't seen many Raging Bulls, but if they look like this, the stallion has every chance to succeed. This is a stellar individual with a great walk, from a good female family. He's the right kind." The Smiths purchased Run Like the Boss at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $20,000 when in foal to Cupid. "We bred to Raging Bull before Andthewinneris even raced, and my wife deserves all the credit for it, and for picking out the mare," Steve Smith said. "She found her, I believe in book five, and we got lucky. You have to get lucky in this business. "Raging Bull was a new stallion that we thought had potential, and we wanted a grass horse to breed to our Scat Daddy mare." Unique Stallion Prospect for America Raging Bull is a son of Dark Angel (IRE), out of the stakes placed Mr. Greeley mare Rosa Bonheur. He is a half to French group 3 winner Kubrick (IRE), by Dubawi (IRE). Raging Bull was purchased by E. Colombo Agency at the 2016 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale for $101,000. He was imported to America in late September 2017 and joined Chad Brown's barn for owner Peter Brant. He broke his maiden at Keeneland in April of his 3-year-old season and won three graded stakes at three, including the Hollywood Derby (G1). He added victories in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) at age four and the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1) at five. He finished his career with seven wins from 22 starts and earnings of $1,730,044. Retired to Gainesway Farm near Lexington for the 2022 breeding season, Raging Bull was syndicated (40 shares), with Brant and Gainesway being the largest shareholders. Gainesway set his stud fee at $10,000, and it has remained at that level. His first season produced 92 live foals from 121 reports of mares bred, according to The Jockey Club statistics. Raging Bull was visited by 59 mares in 2023, and Ryan Norton, Gainesway's stallion director, said about 50 mares came his way in 2024. "We put a good syndicate together of breeders and he's been well supported by his shareholders. I think he'll be well supported this year when his yearlings go to auction," Norton said. Raging Bull's sire Dark Angel is from a branch of the Northern Dancer line that is not common in America. "Dark Angel is one of the top sprint producers over in Europe. He's by Acclamation, and he is having a great career over there," Norton said. "It's rare that we have such a great European stallion that's not by Galileo or his influences that stand over here. I think it speaks well for (Gainesway chairman Antony Beck) and Mr. Brant wanting to introduce new bloodlines to the American marketplace." Norton said Raging Bull's race record and physical conformation are his best selling points. "When Raging Bull walks out of his stall, you definitely see fast, and you see a good-sized horse with a great hip and a great shoulder," Norton said. "And he's been throwing that with his foals." Norton called Hip 137 one of the nicest Raging Bull yearlings he has seen. "He definitely warrants being up here at the select sale," Norton said. "We are starting to see more and more excitement from American breeders and the commercial market for turf racing. "Kentucky Downs added $3.5 million to their purse structure this year. Turf purses are coming up, and where the money is, the horses will follow."