Page 41 - April 2016

Rocket Bar became known as the “Wonder Horse” after he fell at the start of his second race, injured his left knee, and still won the race by daylight.
Champion Rocket Wrangler is a million-dollar sire who was sired by million-dollar sire Rocket Bar TB.
Rockets Magic, by Rocket Wrangler, is a million- dollar sire.
magazine in June 1966, that the colt could do the quarter in “21 and a fraction.”
But the partnership couldn’t cash in on their jackpot. Three Bars developed what today they tell us was a bloodworm infection and his hind leg would get ice cold. So, Three Bars was sold to Beckam Stivers, who would pay them $300 when the colt won a race and earned his purchase price.
Stivers was unable to cure Three Bars and gave him to Vernon Cloud. Cloud would cure the leg and Three Bars would win a race. Stivers had to pay the $300 owed Goode, Brent and Talbot. The next owner was Stan Snedigar and Toad Haggard. They claimed the colt for $2,000.
Three Bars was turned out when racing was blacked out during World War II. This
is when Sid Vail comes into the picture and buys Three Bars. Snedigar would get a racing lease on Three Bars for 1946 and 1947. Three Bars would go on to win the Aqua Caliente Speed Handicap and set a New Track Record at the Arizona Jockey Club Track going 5-furlongs in 57 3/5 seconds. He would race 17 times in 1946 with 8 wins. He would retire with 12 wins in 28 lifetime starts earning just over $20,000.
Vail would own Three Bars the rest of his life and he would go on to become a legend
in the Quarter Horse industry. Three Bars would sire horses that fit in all categories in
the AQHA and, of course, that would include the racing segment. He sired 435 starters that earned 317 racing ROM with 38 Superior Race Horses. He sired 124 stakes horses with 64 stakes winners. Three Bars is the third leading sire of AQHA Racing Champions with 14.
The sons of Three Bars would add to the influence of this great horse. They include
such greats as Sugar Bars, Triple Chick, Three Chicks, Tonto Bars Gill, Lightning Bar, St Bar, Barred and Rocket Bar. The only million dollar sires on this list are Three Chicks, St Bar and Rocket Bar. We have to admit that
a stallion that sired three million dollar sires during this time period was pretty significant.
Three Chicks himself would establish a sire line of million dollar sires, siring million dollar sires Three Ohs and Chicks Deck. Three Ohs would sire million dollar sires Three Ohs Wild, Sinn Fein, Vittoro. Vittoro is not only a million-dollar sire, but he sired Johnny Vittoro who is another million dollar sire. Chicks Deck is the sire of Mystic Eye, also a million-dollar sire.
It would be Rocket Bar that would carry the banner continuing the dominance of the Three Bars sire line into today’s breeding industry. Rocket Bar was bred by Charles
H. Reed of Midlothian, Virginia. Rocket
Bar was raced by Dr. Harold Donavan of Raton, New Mexico. Rocket Bar was bred
to be a racehorse and he set out to show he had world-class speed. He would win his first start going 4-furlongs in 48 seconds with an unbelievable winning margin of 45-lengths.
A bright future on the track for Rocket Bar came to an end in his second race when he fell at the start, injuring his left knee. He would still win the race by daylight. He was labeled the “Wonder Horse” after this race. But, the knee injury would plague him the rest of his career and throughout his life in general.
Despite the injury, Rocket Bar would continue to race until he was seven years old. He ran 35 races with 16 wins and earnings of $22,904. He won the 1956 and 1957 Phoenix Gold Cup and set a New Track Record in 1956 by covering 5-furlongs in 57.8 seconds.
2-time World Champion Dash For Cash, by Rocket Wrangler, is a million-dollar sire as well as the #2 leading sire of AQHA Racing Champions with 18. He has sired 11 sons who themselves have become million dollar sires.
World Champion First Down Dash, by Dash For Cash, is the #1 leading sire of AQHA Racing Champions with 37.
SPEEDHORSE, April 2016 39
SPEEDLINES