Ruler on Ice (foaled April 2, 2008) is a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 2011 Belmont Stakes. He was bred and foaled in Kentucky by Brandywine Farm in partnership with Liberation Farm on. He is a chestnut gelding sired by Hill 'n' Dale Farms' Roman Ruler out of the Saratoga Six-bred mare, Champagne Glow. The colt was consigned as lot 988 at the 2009 Keeneland September yearling auction, where he was purchased by George and Lori Hall for $100,000. He won one minor race after the Belmont and was retired from racing in July 2014.
Racing career Ruler on Ice raced thirteen times on ten different tracks, and of his three wins, two were over sloppy tracks. His trainer for all of his starts was Kelly J. Breen, who was based out of Monmouth Park.
2010: two-year-old season Racing as a two-year-old, Ruler on Ice made his first start in a maiden race at Monmouth Park on September 19, 2010. He finished fifth in a field of seven and was ridden by jockey Joe Bravo. In his next start, a six-furlong maiden race at Delaware Park on October 4, 2010, he won by a head over four other horses and collected $22,800.
2011: three-year-old season Racing as a three-year-old, Ruler on Ice was second in an optional claiming race and won an allowance race on February 22, 2011. On May 7, he was a fast-closing second in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico, beaten by Concealed Identity. On March 27, 2011, he finished third in the Grade III Sunland Derby to Twice the Appeal and Astrology.
Triple Crown races Ruler on Ice went into the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the US Triple Crown, on June 11, 2011, without running in the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes. He was a 24–1 longshot to the favorites, Animal Kingdom and Irish colt Master of Hounds, and was wearing blinkers for the first time. The colt won the 2011 Belmont Stakes in the slop, beating Animal Kingdom (winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby) and Shackleford (winner of the 2011 Preakness Stakes), who finished sixth and fifth, respectively. With this victory, Ruler on Ice became one of the few geldings to ever win the Belmont.
Remainder of the season On July 31, 2011, Ruler on Ice finished third in the Haskell Invitational to Coil and Shackleford by two and a half lengths. He ran with his stablemate, Pants On Fire, in a duo dubbed "Fire and Ice" by the press. Pants On Fire finished out of the money in fifth place. On August 27, 2011, Ruler on Ice came in fourth in the 2011 Travers Stakes. On September 24, 2011, he finished second to To Honor and Serve in the 2011 Pennsylvania Derby. He was third in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic behind Game on Dude and the 2010 Belmont Stakes winner, Drosselmeyer.
2012: four-year-old season Ruler on Ice finished eighth out of eleven horses in the Donn Handicap run at Gulfstream Park on February 11. Five months later on July 25 at Saratoga, he finished seventh in an allowance race and was second to Win Willy in a similar race at Delaware Park in August. Entered in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, his only graded race of the year, he challenged the front runners until a half-mile into the race when his gait became more choppy and jockey Alan Garcia eased him out of the race.
2013: five-year-old season On January 30, Ruler on Ice won an optional claiming race at Aqueduct Racetrack, his first victory since the Belmont. He was fifth out of seven starters in the Grade 3 Excelsior Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack in March. He then finished fourth in an allowance race at Parx Casino and Racing in April.
Ruler on Ice was retired from racing in July 2014 and lived at the farm of his owners in Versailles, Kentucky until December 2022, when he was pensioned to Old Friends equine retirement facility.
Pedigree Ruler on Ice's sire, Roman Ruler (2002 – 2017), was the winner of the 2004 Norfolk Stakes and Best Pal Stakes and won the Haskell Invitational Handicap as a three-year-old, accumulating $1,220,800 in his racing career. Roman Ruler was sired by 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus out of the unraced mare Silvery Swan by Silver Deputy. Silvery Swan also produced 2000 Cigar Mile Handicap and multiple Del Mar Mile Handicap winner El Corredor. Roman Ruler was the leading second-crop sire by cumulative earnings in 2010 and sired Champagne Stakes winner Homeboykris in his first season at stud.
His dam, Champagne Glow (1988 – 2019), was second in the 1990 Frizette Stakes and won the Schuylkill Stakes. Ruler on Ice was her thirteenth foal. She also produced the fillies Lost on Champagne and Champagne d'Oro (winner of the 2010 Grade I Acorn Stakes and Grade I Test Stakes), who both finished third in the Cinderella Stakes. Champagne Glow was sired by Saratoga Six, who was undefeated as a two-year-old and was the 1984 Del Mar Futurity winner. He also sired the Grade I winner Toga Toga Toga and Saratoga Gambler before dying in a 2006 barn fire at the JEH Stallion Station in Hondo, New Mexico, that also claimed the life of 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick. Champagne Glow's dam, Champagne Ginny, was a winner of eight races and won the Boiling Springs Handicap. She produced five foals, four of which were winners. Champagne Glow was euthanized in October 2019 at 31-years-old.
Racing statistics DateAgeDistanceRaceGradeTrackSurfaceOddsTimeFieldFinishMarginJockeyTrainerOwnerCitationSept 19, 20102 furlongs()Maiden Special WeightMaidenMonmouth ParkDirt1.60N/A75NoneJoe BravoKelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallOct 04, 201026 furlongs()Maiden Special WeightMaidenDelaware ParkDirt2.301:12.1951HeadJoe BravoKelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallFeb 04, 201138.3 furlongs(1 mile and 70 yards or 1,673 m)Allowance Optional ClaimingNoneAqueduct RacetrackDirt2.501:43.0252 lengthJose Valdivia, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallFeb 22, 20113 furlongs( mile or 1,710 m)AllowanceNoneParx RacingDirt0.801:45.2871 lengthJose Valdivia, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallMar 27, 201139 furlongs( mile or 1,810 m)Sunland Derby3Sunland ParkDirt6.501:50.91113 lengthsJose Valdivia, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallMay 07, 20113 furlongs( mile or 1,710 m)Federico Tesio StakesNonePimlico Race CourseDirt1.501:45.67722 lengthsJose Valdivia, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallJune 11, 2011312 furlongs ( mile or 2,414 m)Belmont Stakes1Belmont ParkDirt24.752:30.88121 lengthJose Valdivia, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallJuly 31, 201139 furlongs()Haskell Invitational1Monmouth ParkDirt6.901:48.2083 lengthsJose Valdivia, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallAugust 27, 2011310 furlongs()Travers Stakes1Saratoga Race CourseDirt7.30None104N/AJose Valdivia, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallSept 24, 201139 furlongs()Pennsylvania Derby2Parx RacingDirt4.801:47.3492 lengthsGarrett GomezKelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallNov 5, 2011310 furlongs()Breeders' Cup Classic1Churchill DownsDirt17.202:04.271233 LengthsGarrett GomezKelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallFeb 11, 201249 furlongs()Donn Handicap1Gulfstream ParkDirt9.90N/A118N/ARosie NapravnikKelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallJuly 25, 201249 furlongs()Allowance Optional ClaimingNoneSaratogaDirt2.50N/A77N/AJavier CastellanoKelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallAug 25, 201248 furlongs() and 70 yardsAllowance Optional ClaimingNoneDelaware ParkDirt2.001:40.45622 lengthsAlex CintronKelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallSept 29, 2012410 furlongs()Jockey Club Gold Cup1BelmontDirt35.00N/A10Did not finishN/AAlan GarciaKelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallJan 30, 201358 furlongs()Allowance Optional ClaimingNoneAqueductDirt1.251:36.9741 lengthsIrad Ortiz, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallMar 23, 201359 furlongs()Excelsior Handicap3AqueductDirt2.60N/A75N/AIrad Ortiz, Jr.Kelly BreenGeorge and Lori HallApr 16, 201358 furlongs()AllowanceNoneParxDirt2.10N/A64N/AStewart ElliottKelly BreenGeorge and Lori Hall
External links Ruler on Ice, partial stats and pedigree
References