Pet Bully was born in 1948 and was the son of Petrose (sire) and Camelina (dam). Pet bully had 47 starts resulting in 4 places and 6 shows for career winnings of $365,702. He was among the first and best stakes winners to come from the Rice’s paddocks. Although leg trouble prevented him from being raced often, until he was four, he brought the Rices an unforgettable thrill when he won them their first $100,000 in the Washington Park Handicap in 1954. He was Mrs. Rice’s favorite thoroughbred. She was very interested in the early training of this colt, because she observed Lester Wander using different training techniques because the colt had developed a reputation as a bit of a bully in the stable. As the colt developed into a promising racing prospect she referred to the horse as her “pet bully” and submitted the name to the Jockey Club. A horse treated for many infirmities, he seemed to win entirely on courage. Pet Bully was ridden by Bill Hartack who developed into one of the top riders in the sport and would go on to a Hall of Fame career.
Pet Bully raced at age two but broke a bone in his foot which led to him missing his entire three-year-old season. At four, he returned to the track, winning eight of sixteen starts, most notably the Washington’s Birthday Handicap at Santa Anita Park in California. Racing in California in 1953, Bill Shoemaker won three major races aboard the five-year-old. They captured the Hollywood Premiere Handicap, Inglewood Handicap and the Lakes and flowers Handicap. As a six-year-old, with Bill Hartack aboard as the rider, Pet Bully won top handicap races in Chicago and New York, including the inaugural running of the then one mile Woodward Stakes, and set a new Bowie Race Track record for 5 1/2 furlongs of 1:03.4.
