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Miss Olene is the top money earner by Leo, with a win in the 1959 Bardella Handicap. She went on to produce 1977 and 1978 Champion Aged Mare Little Blue Sheep, winner of 25 of 78 starts including 13 stakes races.
The headstone for Leo reads: A Superior Broodmare Sire. American Quarter Horse Registry. 1940-1967
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Leola won the race in 1950; Mona Leta won the 1951 version; Fanny Leo won it in 1952; Leo Star Lady won it in 1953; Miss Adelita won it in 1954; and Rosa Leo won it in 1955. It must be noted that they were all fillies.
It wasn’t long and Leo was a leading sire in the early 1950’s, and his list of Champions highlights his success as
a sire during this time period. Mona Leta, winner of the 1951 Oklahoma Futurity, also won the Rocky Mountain QHA Futurity and then in 1952 she won the Oklahoma QH Exhibitor’s Association Derby and the Rocky Mountain QHA Derby, earning the
title of the 1952 Co-Champion Three- Year-Old Filly. Miss Meyers was the 1953 World Champion and the Racing Champion Aged Mare. This great
mare won seven stakes races, including the 1953 RMQHA World Champion Dash, California Championship and Billy Anson Stakes. Bobbie Leo and her brother Palleo Pete made 1954 a banner year for Leo. Bobbie Leo didn’t win
the 1954 Oklahoma Futurity but did finish second to the Leo daughter Miss Adelita. Bobbie Leo did not win a stakes race but finished in the money with
a third in the 1954 Rocky Mountain QHA Futurity to earn the title of the 1954 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. Palleo Pete followed his sisters across
the finish line with a third in the 1954 Oklahoma Futurity. This gave Leo the top three finishers in this Futurity. Palleo Pete also won the 1954 Kansas QHA Futurity and the Winner Take All with Bobbie Leo finishing second. He was rewarded with the title of the 1954 AQHA Champion Stallion and the Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. Leo Star Lady, the winner of the 1953 Oklahoma Futurity was a full sister to Palleo Pete.
Leo would go on to sire 370 starters with 211 of them earning a racing ROM. He sired 31 stakes winners
with 46 stakes wins. He sired 33
stakes placed winners. His foals won $606,882. His leading money earner was Miss Olene. This mare was first in the 1959 Bardella Handicap, with thirds that year in the Ruidoso Futurity and the All American Futurity.
Next time we have the opportunity, we will finish our story of Leo and his role as a broodmare sire and the evolution of Bud Warren as a breeder of running Quarter Horses.
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