Breaking News! Jockey Club Releases 2006 Breeding Stats

On September 13, 2007, The Jockey Club released information about the 2006 breeding season. The Jockey Club was formed in 1894 to monitor the registry of thoroughbreds like Violet They report that about 90% of the foal report is complete and that over the next few weeks, the remaining foals will be listed within the year deadline of registry. 3,881 stallions covered 63,629 mares in North America, and 36,317 live foals were reported as of September 6th! Kentucky leads the list with 33.7% of mares bred in 2006 and 40.8% in 2007.

Of the 21,455 mares bred to 372 Kentucky stallions in 2006, 14,801 live foals were reported. The fourteen states and provinces which lead the list are
1) Kentucky
2) Florida
3) California
4) Louisiana +12.9%
5) New York
6) Texas
7) New Mexico +17.3%
8) Maryland
9) Ontario
10) Oklahoma
11) Pennsylvania
12) West Virginia
13) Washington
14) Illinois

Notice that Louisiana increased their reported foals by 12.9% over the past year which makes me very happy -- seems like some recovery after Katrina. And I am happy to see an increase in reported foals from New Mexico because that's where Violet's daddy was shipped in 2004 and I would like to believe that he is contributing to that increase!

Now the top stallions of 2007 by live foals are all in Kentucky and here they are:

1) Giant's Causeway, 168
2) Roman Ruler, 155
3) El Corredor, 153
4) Eurosilver, 147
5) Johannesburg, 144
6) Maria's Mon, 142
7) Stormy Atlantic, 141
8) Songandaprayer, 139
9) Afleet Alex, 138
10) Grand Reward, 135

Giant's Causeway is shown in this photo and he is standing at Ashford Stud!
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/stallion-directory/stallion.aspx?stallion_no=4297000
or
http://www.reines-de-course.com/giant's_causeway.htm

Hill 'n Dale

This story is amazing. In April 2006, Tom invited Carla and myself to go on a "shed run" while we were visiting during Kentucky Rolex. We got up very early in the morning and Tom picked us up at our hotel in Paris, Kentucky with his trailer filled with a thoroughbred mare ready to visit Stormy Atlantic at Hill 'n Dale. When we arrived at this lovely green, quiet, early morning place, we were invited to sit in an elegant viewers' booth to watch the process, the very important date! Hill 'n Dale is a full facility farm in the heart of horse country Kentucky. And the year we visited, they reported was there best ever. They earned 4th overall at the September Yearling sales, and then 3rd overall at the November Breeding Stock sales at Keeneland. A highlight in 2006 was the selling of a $4.6 million yearling colt by Vindication which is a record for a freshman sire. Some fantastic stallions stand stud there, including Grand Reward who is out of Stormy Atlantic and Serena's Song (the 1995 Eclipse Award winner for 3 year-old filly of the year and earner of over $3.2 million track dollars). Besides the fabulous stallions they manage, they have some fantastic broodmare residents, including Better than Honour (Rags to Riches and Jazil's mom), Dance Smartly, and Quendom (mom to Invasor, 2006 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year), among a few. Hill 'n Dale is also the final resting place of Seattle Slew, 1977 Triple Crown winner, and A.P. Indy's sire! In the photo, you see Jazil winning the 2006 Belmont Stakes, and making his mom, Better than Honour, proud, and leading the way for his little sister, Rags! You can read more about this truly lovely, amazing, spectactular facility at their home link:

http://www.hillndalefarms.com/

Serena's Song and My Girls!

My girls are related to Serena's Song, the 1995 Eclipse Award winner for Champion 3-year-old filly of the Year! Her track record was 38: 18-11-3 and she earned $3,283,388 on the track. Among her wins, she took the Mother Goose, Haskell Invitational Handicap, Beldame Stakes, Hollywood Starlet Stakes, Santa Anita Oaks, Gazelle Handicap, Oak Leaf Stakes, Las Virgenes Stakes, Santa Monica Handicap, Santa Maria Handicap, Jim Beam Stakes, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and Landaluce Stakes. Her owners were Robert and Beverly Lewis, trainer Wayne Lukas, and jockey Gary Stevens. She was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame in 2002. She retired from the track to a life as a broodmare at Denali Stud near Paris, Kentucky. So far, she is the dam of 7 foals, 6 to race. She has had 5 winners so far. Her winning children include Grand Reward and Sophisticat sired by Storm Cat, Serena's Tune (a winning filly!) sired by Mr. Prospector, and Harlington sired by Unbridled. She is related to my girls in multiple ways, including Blushing Groom who is the sire's sire of Serena's Song. They also share (among others) Blue Larkspur, Sir Gallahad, Gainsborough, Teddy, Plucky Liege, Mahmoud, Hyperion, Man 'O War, Frillery, Broomstick, Nearco, Bulldog, Discovery, Whisk Broom, Sweep, and John P. Grier. Here's a photo of Serena's Song and one of her babies. You can read more about her and see more photos of her very beautiful children at the following links:

http://horseracing.about.com/library/weekly/aa022600a.htm

or

http://horseracing.about.com/library/pics/blserena1.htm

or

http://www.finalturngallery.com/Storm-Tides-album?page=1

or

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/stallion-directory/stallion.aspx?stallion_no=6091773

or

http://www.hillndalefarms.com/stallions/grand-reward.shtml

or

http://horseracing.about.com/library/weekly/aa090800a.htm

or

http://www.denalistud.com/photoalbum.shtml

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=377