born in 1951, lightning bar was bred to be a racehorse. injuries and illnesses kept him from racing past the age of two. he was bred by art pollard, who owned him his entire life. he was fathered by three bars, a thoroughbred stallion later inducted into the aqha hall of fame. lightning bar's mother was della p, a daughter of the thoroughbred stallion doc horn. his maternal grandmother, was a mare who was never given a name and was sired by old d. j. art pollard bought della p from "dink" parker for $1,750 ($ as of ) in the late 1940s. della p was bred in louisiana, which was a leading state breeding short distance racehorses during the years 1900–1940. della p was brought to arizona by parker.