I like hearing that!!

It seems as though some breeders/owners are taking heed with regard to stamina again, both in turf and dirt. I hope this continues into the future, we need that 'ole school thinking again, where we won't have as many breakdowns and horses will be racing past their 3 year old season. 

You'll love this, I know I did. 

Fields of Dreams: Lane's End finding a winner

So who is more important, the stallion or the mare?

"It always seems to come back to the mare," Farish said. "You have to think that we wouldn't have an A.P. Indy ... if it weren't for Weekend Surprise and Lassie Dear. That whole family is what produced that great stallion. You have to say it goes back to the mare."

Finally, there was a quiet spot to talk mares: in the Lane's End cemetery.

Havre de Grace's sire, Saint Liam, rests on the right with other famous Lane's End stallions. On the left is Lassie Dear, her daughters on either side, with Prospectors Delite and her mother and grandmother.

"There are all the girls," Farish said, gesturing toward a crescent of gray headstones, the cornerstones of Lane's End Farm. "It's amazing what they produced. ... They all had probably five stakes winners apiece, which was really an important part of the beginning of the farm."

http://www.kentucky.com/2012/11/25/2420515/fields-of-dreams-at-vaunted-lanes.html#storylink=misearch

Where would this world be without the MOMs???? Girl Power!!!!!!!!!!

Good point!!!!

Bullet Train, Frankel's brother coming to KY to stand at stud.  I feel bad for this horse.  I think he could have been in the winners circle many more times had he not been delegated to be a rabbit for Frankel.  I think he will be a nice addition to the stallions here in the US :

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/74912/frankels-brother-bullet-train-to-wintergreen

Oh, was it here that we were discussing Overdriven?  Repole is such a knucklehead... this horse does NOT have the qualities to be standing at stud.  Should have been gelded...  I don't know what makes this VERY UNSOUND horse worthy of being a stallion???  He hasn't beat ANYTHING worthwhile and is not sound.  Repole wants him to add to the gene pool WHY???

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/74920/overdriven-retired-to-stand-at-ocala-stud

I want sound horses to stand at stud, but sometimes unsound stallions can be marvelous stallions. For example, Tapit was not especially sound, and Malibu Moon only raced twice. Danzig raced three times. What a loss for the breed if he hadn't become a stallion. So sometimes you have to let the market decide.

On that note, Tale of the Cat has produced some lovely sound horses, so maybe Overdriven, who wasn't sound, will impart the magic of his sire in mares. You just never know. 

The market is saturated with stallions though - and lots of stallions that should be geldings.  There are 12 other sons of Tale of the Cat standing in the US and Tale of the Cat himself still stands.  Ranging from $500 to $20,000 stud fees. 

Danzig ran 3 times but also won 3 times.
Malibu Moon is not the typical example - he had great breeding and got good mares from the get go (Overdriven will not get the kinds of mares Malibu Moon got his first few years at stud)
Tapit at least ran 6 times including 2 X at 2.  He won the Wood Memorial and when he went to stud, he was 1 of only 7 sons of Pulpit at stud worldwide.  He technically retired sound.

That said, maybe Overdriven will surprise me... but I doubt it.  He was injured as a 2 yr old and sat out, came back for 1 race and was injured again only to be retired.  Not the epitome of soundness (meaning, is there unsoundness on the dam's side?  She ran 11 times but stopped mid year as a 3 yr old)  Yes, sh*t happens and horses get injured - but the fact that he ran twice, was injured, ran once, was injured again does not scream "sound" to me.

Hooh Why will retire soon and breeding plans have been announced.  Two more races....

Gulfstream Park notes: Hooh Why makes one of her last stops

http://www.drf.com/news/gulfstream-park-notes-hooh-why-makes-one-her-last-stops