Violet's Birthday!

This morning I woke up and made headbobbers -- molasses, oats, carrots and apples from the Farmers Market, baked into a wonderful yummy horse treat! Then I went to the stable and groomed both my girls, lunged them, gossiped about the day. And Violet did her jumping today. She had three jumps including one made of straw bales. She was so disconcerted by the straw bales! But she was a brave, trying, bold girl. She loves a challenge and to learn and to please! I was so proud of her. And she was proud of herself. You should have heard her snort with relief and joy when she was done with her jumping. She stood their with happiness while she received her hugs and kisses. You would have thought she had just finished a double clean round at the stadium jumping day at Rolex! She's going to be a wonderful quiet lovely hunter!

And we also sang Violet happy birthday because tomorrow is her big day! She was born on International Women's Day! She is going to be 5 years old! She was born on March 8, 2003 to her parents Groomstick and Wining Effort by Two's a Plenty. I am so proud to own this wonderful, strong, athletic, sweet, smart thoroughbred. So glad to have her as part of my family. I pray that I am able to keep her and care for her all the days of her life. Namaste and love to Velvet Tenderness.

Wining Effort and My Girls!

Violet's dam was a 1997 racehorse named Wining Effort who had a dosage index of 5 and career earnings of $10,672! Her own parents are Two's A Plenty and Right Effort by Rajab. Her dad earned $282,183 and Rajab earned $75,600, and his own dad, Jaipur earned over $618,000! So, Violet is well-connected to racehorses on her mama's side.

In fact, if you look at her pedigree, you'd be super impressed. Wining Effort has Dark Star, the only horse to beat the 1953 Kentucky Derby winner, Native Dancer. And she has One Count, the Belmont Stakes winning kid and grandkid of Count Fleet and Reigh Count. And she has War Admiral, and the double whammy Count Fleet, War Admiral kid cross to create Three Fingers!. And she's got a dash of Jaipur, the horse who beat Ridan in one of the most amazing match races ever. And Wining Effort has a splash of Stymie, lucky girl!

So, my sweet, dancing, flirty, girly, smart Violet is rich in dam history!

Dark Star Upsets Native Dancer!!

Here are two interesting photos. One is of Native Dancer, a two-time Horse of the Year. The other is the cover of the 1954 Turf and Digest with a photo of Violet's relative, Dark Star, after he defeated The Grey Ghost in the Derby! Get this: Native Dancer 22 races, 21 wins. The only horse to ever beat him was Violet's Dark Star who beat him to win the Kentucky Derby!!! That's some chops! Dark Star was a 25-1 longshot! And Native Dancer won the Saratoga Special, Preakness, Wood Memorial, Belmont, Arlington Classic, Gotham, Withers, Travers, and Metropolitan, among a few. And so, yes, Violet's Dark Star denied that super champion a chance of being a Triple Crown winner! Native Dancer won two jewels in theTriple Crown, but came in second for the first and most important jewel! Dark Star is a great-great grandparent of Violet's, appearing on the sire side of her mom, Wining Effort. The video link shows this truly amazing race between these two champions!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rBBvKILL1IM