Grey Badger II

In His heyday, Grey Badger II resembled nothing so much as a silver machine efficiently doing its task. His job was simply demolishing almost every horse matched against him. He was the gauge against which the fastest 220-yard horses of the 1940s were tried.

Grey Badger II was foaled May 5, 1941. His sire was Midnight Jr and his dam was Grey Annie, by The Tough. Since Midnight Jr was out of a Billy The Tough mare, that made Grey Badger II double-bred Billy The Tough, who was aptly named.

"Grey Badger II and his offspring had legs of iron. They were tough enough, as well as fast enough, to hold up well whether they were race horses or roping horses." The grey stallion's legs and speed lasted long enough that, eventually, he was raced against his own foals, such as the very classy Badger's Grey Lady.

From 37 starts in races recognized by the AQHA, Grey Badger II got 15 winners. Eleven of them qualified for the racing Register of Merit.

In show arenas, his offspring built an equally good reputation. He sired 15 performance Register of Merit qualifiers. 18 halter point-earners, and 3 AQHA Champions.

He also sired some very outstanding ranch horses. The Burnett horses still carry a lot of Grey Badger II breeding.

It is believed that Grey Badger II died on the Triangle Ranch owned by Miss Ann Burnett, in 1972.

By the time of his death, his descendants already had begun to prove themselves worthy heirs of his considerable reputation.