mares in foal issue 19.qxd:Jerkins feature.qxd
28/1/11
22:54
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RACING MARES IN FOAL
Having mares covered while they are still in training is a regular practice during the spring in some stables
Redstone Dancer, a daughter of Namid who is from the family of Rainbow Quest, is another who progressed to gain black type, having struggled in stakes company prior to being bred to Refuse to Bend (Ire). Redstone Dancer, trained by Sheena Collins, improved from being placed fifth at
Listed stakes level to winning two Group 3 races – the EBF Brownstown Stakes and the Minstrel Stakes. The resulting Refuse to Bend foal, named Refusetosurrender, is an unraced three-year-old filly in training with leading British trainer Richard Fahey. While we wait to see what Miss Gorica
Grecian Dancer’s performance improved after having been bred to champion European sire Galileo (Ire), winning the Group 3 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes in 2008
and Fourpenny Lane will produce as their first foals it is clear that racing mares while in foal does not seem to affect their chances as broodmares. Cassandra Go showed a huge improved ability on the racecourse while in foal to Green Desert in 2001. having been bred in the spring, Cassandra Go went from being a Group 3 winner to winning two Group 2s, which included the King’s Stand Stakes (now a Group 1), as well as being placed in the July Cup-G1. This daughter of Indian Ridge went on to prove to be equally as successful at stud as not only was her first foal, Neverletme Go, a two-time winner but Cassandra Go later produced Irish 1000 Guineas winner halfway to heaven, who also won two other Group 1s, and Group 3 winner Theann. Instances of racemares improving while holding a pregnancy are not confined to Europe, as one of America’s leading earners, Spain – who won over $3,540,500 for the Thoroughbred Corp. – is another who won a stakes race while pregnant. Although this daughter of Thunder Gulch had won her two Grade 1s, including the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, prior to being covered, she did add the Fleur de Lis handicap-G2 while in foal to Storm Cat. Despite racing while pregnant Spain has also proved to be a good broodmare.
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