Early foal question.

[redhorse5]

Ok, here I am in Lexington, KY surrounded by fabulous TB farms. Right down the road at a fancy farm I spied a brand new TB foal yesterday. I admit I don't know squat about TB's but what happens when a new little guy hits the ground three weeks before Jan 1? Does he turn 1 in 3 weeks? Is this considered an ooops mistake on the part of mom or the breeder? If it turns out to be the next Secretariat how does that affect it's racing career?

[Laurierace]

Generally you hide them inside the barn until Jan 1 when they magically make their entrance. Otherwise, yes he will be one year old in a few weeks. That is an absolute disaster for a potential race horse. Depending upon his pedigree they may stick it out anyway or he may be a riding horse.

[redhorse5]

Does that mean that he can race alongside of regular two year olds as a three year old? Do they allow that?

[Laurierace]

No he would have to run against three year olds as a chronological two year old. Most likely he wouldn't run until late in his three year old/early in his four year old year when he is chronologically 2 or 3. Or he will never run at all if he isn't a blue blood.

[redhorse5]

Thanks for your reply. Just wondered. Well at least it's not sequestered in the barn.

[LaurieB]

I'm just wondering...are you sure the foal is a Thoroughbred? Usually, as Laurierace said, those "mistakes" are hidden away for a few weeks and appear with early January birthdates. Otherwise, the foal has virtually no chance of being able to race as for the first couple of years, he'd be too far behind those he'd have to compete against.

The JC has been cracking down on that particular problem; they now send out teams and spot check farms for early foals. But short of being caught, it's unusual for a TB farm to voluntarily "out" a foal, which thereby reduces its value to almost nothing.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

There is the possibility, unlikely, that the foal was bred on southern hemisphere time, i.e to a stallion that doesn't shuttle. That's probably uncommon in Kentucky, but does happen with some high profile stallions in Japan and Europe. For example, Sunday Silence was bred to a number of Australian mares on southern hemisphere time. He was considered too valuable to shuttle, so they sent the mares to him and he covered them in the fall.

[keepthelegend]

its probably not a Thoroughbred, especially if at a fancy farm. Is it the one on Paris Pike?

[Equilibrium]

I know a couple of foals which are born in Ireland for SH racing. Also, remember, last year in Australia was the big Flu outbreak. I know of a few stallions that stood in the "off" season to open mares specifically for the SH.

Terri

[Laurierace]

I was just thinking that it could also be a test mating for a new stallion. I know many times they don't let them carry those foals to term if he does get the mare in foal but sometimes they do. Secretariat's test foal was out of an appy mare.

[Ravencrest_Camp]

It may be too early for this, but I know a TB breeder who breeds a Quarterhorse mare every year. He uses her as a nurse mare in case one of his foals is orphaned.

[summerhorse]

Some breeds like TWHs breed for fall foals (although this one would be actually a late foal even for that!). More likely he's a SH foal or a test foal from a new stallion last year.

[Beaver Breeze]

There is the possibility, unlikely, that the foal was bred on southern hemisphere time, i.e to a stallion that doesn't shuttle. That's probably uncommon in Kentucky, but does happen with some high profile stallions in Japan and Europe. For example, Sunday Silence was bred to a number of Australian mares on southern hemisphere time. He was considered too valuable to shuttle, so they sent the mares to him and he covered them in the fall.


I wouldn't say it's "common" in KY, but it does happen quite a bit. Adena Springs, for instance, stayed open all year so they could breed mares on Southern Hemisphere time. They are certainly not the only farm to do so.