Ruling Lad

{{Short description|New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}

{{Refimprove|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox racehorse

| horsename = Ruling Lad

| image =

| caption =

| sire = Ruling

| grandsire = Bold Ruler

| dam = Lochiel's Fancy

| damsire = Le Filou

| sex = Colt

| foaled = 1976

| country = New Zealand

| colour = Bay

| owner = E N Baker

| trainer = Brian Deacon

| record = 22:3-0-1

| earnings = $68,935

| race = New Zealand Derby (1980)

|awards=

|honours =

|updated= February 26, 2008

}}

Ruling Lad is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the New Zealand Derby in 1979.{{Cite web |title=New Zealand Derby Winners |url=https://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/racecharts/NewZealand/NZDerby.html |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=www.tbheritage.com}}

He produced an extraordinary performance to win the Derby for rider Garry Phillips,{{Cite web |title=Racing highlights 1979 - 1980 |url=https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-collection/search/26309/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=www.ngataonga.org.nz |language=en-NZ}} but never showed that ability in the rest of his career. In the 15 starts he had after his Derby win, he never finished closer than seventh.