The Switch

Yesterday is one of those days where everyone employee on the farm spends the day saying goodbye or getting introduced to next year's cash crop. The weanlings were officially handed off from Anne's control to Sarah's. Anne and her group of guys have carefully cared for this years babies and it probably depends on who you talk to, what their level of excitement is. I know for some of her more trusted guys, it becomes a relief to not have to care for the weanlings and potentially deal with Anne when they miss an injury or disobey one of her orders. She demands a high level of attentiveness to detail and because of it, the weanlings are in excellent condition. Sarah and her "yearling team" have recovered from the prep season and now begin the process of dealing with the new "yearlings". The day is filled with each individual being displayed in front of the group. A mishmash of Spanish and English erupt as Sarah and Anne discuss the history of each foal and any treatments the foal has/is being treated with, while the weanling guys tell the yearling guys about the temperament and which foals are likable and which are not. For instance, Loyal Opposition's Rocknroll Hanover was presented and while Anne was discussing with Sarah about her fence injury last month, the guys were trying to figure out what to call her and who would be prepping her next fall. Her sister was nicknamed La Reina (which means "The Queen" in spanish) so there is ample debate about what her name will be. The guys who prepped sisters and brothers of the weanlings quickly made mental notes and starting comparing colors, sizes, and attitudes. For the guys, it is a fun transition and for Anne and Sarah it becomes and way to say goodbye and hello. For me, I like to sit back and enjoy. We laugh about how much hair the weanlings have and how much time it will take next summer to brush out the coats, the guys laugh while they pick up the feet and scurry away as legs go flying on certain foals and words like "loco" or "odioso" fill the air. Everyone seems to enjoy the switch and with each passing year, we make it a blast. Now its time to get down to business...well...more like 6 weeks from now...until then we will just enjoy the down time.

Wipe The Slate Clean

Its been a week since the end of the marathon sale in Harrisburg and hopefully everyone is recovered. Recovery is definitely a relative word. The overall results were very encouraging for our industry but looking at a list of the highest priced yearlings, I find it disheartening that we were unable to ring the so-called proverbial bell this year. We had many that "slipped through the cracks" and brought significantly less than we had planned and it is a tough pill to swallow to watch a yearling sell for $5,000. An optimist by nature, I find it hard to see the silver-lining when I reflect on this years' yearling sales. As they always say....there is always next year.

Back home and a week removed from the sale, it is easier to move forward and enjoy the down time before the foaling season begins. It's easier to reflect on the sales and realize that while the prices were not as strong as we would have liked, all our yearlings went to competent trainers who will give them the greatest opportunity to succeed. We can only do so much as breeders and now it is in the hands of the owners and trainers who will determine their futures.

With the 2010 broodmare band set and the bookings complete, I can let those who weighed in, know, we have decided to breed Loyal Opposition back to Somebeachsomewhere. The decision came down to The Beach and Well Said. The mare is a worthy candidate for both horses and ultimately neither one would have been a bad choice.

Before, during, and after the sales, I have been asked repeatedly what I think of the Donato Hanover's. We have 5 and I could not be happier. They are clean, good bodied, and very correct. They should continue to mature and be very nice yearlings. From what I hear from others, the sentiment is consistent throughout. He is such a nice horse, it would have been hard to imagine him not putting up good horses. The highly anticipated first crop of Donato will be followed very closely by Deweycheatumnhowe and we will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of 7 little Dewey's this coming spring.

The weanlings have been weaned for some time now and have been shuffled into their groups. Now its time to let them grow and forget about them until next summer. Besides coming to stalls to be trimmed and the occasional injury, we do not see much of the weanlings unless it is in their natural environment; kicking, screaming, and running wild, enjoying the fields, hills, and sun, like little wild horses. Couldn't we all be so lucky.

Who's The Man?

So now that Loyal no longer gets to remain with her pregnant pals, its time to start thinking of who the next suitor should be. Im gathering opinions on who you think she should be bred to and why? 

Loyal Opposition

As some know, we weigh our mares on a monthly basis to: (1) adjust the individualized feed for a particular mare, (2) spot a potential problem that needs to be addressed (ie: teeth, GI, pregnancy. Last week during a routine weighing session, Loyal Opposition dropped 45 pounds in the course of the month, which is a rarity for a mare with an appetite like Loyal's. We had her palpated on Monday only to learn that she was no longer pregnant to Somebeachsomewhere. For so long, we spend all our time worrying about making sure the yearlings are prepped right for the sale and with that season winding down, its time to look forward to the ups and downs of the foaling/breeding season. It seems every year, a mare or two aborts between 60 day checks and the fall checks and unfortunately it happened to Loyal Opposition this year. As our mare band becomes stronger and stronger, we have to get used to the idea of losing a potentially great foal every year. 

This week, all the news on the farm (good or bad) centers around Loyal Opposition. On Sunday afternoon, her Rocknroll Hanover filly decided it would be a wise decision to test the strength of the fence. She ended up plowing through the fence, leaving a handful of boards splintered and broken. However, she did not come out of it completely unscathed. Small cuts to her face, chest, front legs and hind right leg were all the battle wounds we could find. Luckily, she was spared from broken bones, deep lacerations, and tendon injuries. A couple of days of stall rest and some wound medicine and she should be back terrorizing the other 9 fillies she is turned out with. The mare came up empty on Monday and on Tuesday, the yearling is finally ready for the sale. I looked at her with a prospective buyer and I could not be happier with the finished product. Now the wait is on...the time has been put in and she is ready. We only need two big spenders to look horns and see what happens. For a first foal, she is exceptional. She stands over a ton of ground and has the body of a colt. She is very intelligent, well-mannered, and possesses many of the physical attributes of her mother. Hopefully they carry over into her next career and she is as brilliant as her mother on the racetrack. 

With less than two weeks to Harrisburg, the final touches are being made and the horses are as good as they will ever be. The goal is for everyone else to agree, or at least 15 others (as we have 15 yearlings to sell).

Lexington In Review

We are back home and trying to wrap our minds around the outcome of the Lexington Select Sale. Down at least 15% from last years numbers was not bad considering that the 2008 sale was mostly untouched from the financial crisis that was beginning. The Thoroughbred sales have not been as fortunate (being down 40% +) and we should be counting our blessings that we lucked out and most of us will come out the other side just slightly scathed. The one positive part of the sale is that the bargaining chips have fallen into the hands of the breeding farms. With the yearling sale prices falling, the mares coming off the track and the broodmares for sale have less show stopping appeal and the breeding farms can command that the values be lowered because there are less big-money spenders. It all comes back to simple economics: supply and demand. Buyers are in the drivers seat and can pick up horses with more value for less money. Gotta love business cycles.

On a more personal note: Our sale could be described as frustrating. If one more person was interested in a horse or two, our sale would have been a huge success. Most of the yearlings were exactly where we projected them to be but none of them "rung the bell". Its the first time since we started selling yearlings that we didn't have a horse that topped the six-figure mark. Disappointed? Slightly. But in the grand scheme of things, it was not all that bad. The bright side of the situation is that we have 15 excellent yearlings to sell in Harrisburg and have been told by a handful of trusted folks, that the Harrisburg consignment is much stronger in both pedigree and looks. Time will tell.

For those who watched the second division of the Tattersalls 3YO colt pace Saturday saw Well Said fail to put his stamp of domination on the pacing division and also cause the interference and subsequent break of another horse in the race (which caused a lengthy review of the stretch drive). I wonder if the roles had been reversed and a 68-1 shot had come out into Well Said while he was trying to squeeze through a hole in the final strides, would the decision have been the same. I think not. 

In conclusion: Keep an eye on Hip #409 at Harrisburg (Rainmaker). His three-quarter sister Casino Nights is one of the better two year pacing fillies (won a division of the Internation Stallion Stakes in 1:52.3) and if Put On A Show is going to get beat in the Breeders Crown, she has one of the best shots. 

Shes A Great Lady (sometimes)

She might have been a great lady on the racetrack and her first foal might have been a great one too, but since our purchase of She's A Great Lady, it has been one headache and disappointment after another. We purchased her in the fall of 2006 and the following April she delivered a beautiful, big, Western Ideal filly. We bred her to Ponder that spring only to be disappointed with an empty uterus at the end of the breeding season. Maybe I should have realized names mean everything but I named her, She's Poison. Oops. First mistake. The following summer during yearling prep, She's Poison colicked and needed two surgeries on the same day. It took over a year from the surgeries before she was healthy enough to leave and begin training and this August she left Kentucky for New Jersey where she is in training with the man who engineered her mother's greatest victories, Joe Holloway. 

Unfortunately, that's not where the story ends. After an unsuccessful attempt to be bred to Ponder, she was whisked away to New York (home of the half mile tracks --- she is STILL the world record holder for females on a half mile track) and was bred to Art Major. She delivered another beautiful horse at Blue Chip this spring. He came home to Diamond Creek Farm in July and was one of our best weanlings. Not long after his return home, he came in out of the field with a case of choke. It resolved itself before a vet could be summoned and we thought nothing of it but put him on a course of antibiotics just to be sure he didn't inhale anything into his lungs. Three days later, he was admitted to the hospital with a severe case of pneumonia and euthanized ten days later. So I am left with her continuing pregnancy to Bettors Delight (hopefully with much better results than the last couple) and She's Poison, who continues to make progress towards what we hope is a much better race career than what could have been...

For She's A Great Lady, hope springs eternal...next spring when she is due or sooner if She's Poison makes it to the races

Miscellaneous Post

A handful of things to report on:

1) All foals have names except one. The Donato Hanover - Arlanda Hanover weanling is still awaiting name approval. The list of names for the foals is at the link below:

2009 Foals

2) Speaking of the foals...I couldn't be more happy with how they are growing. They look good and are healthy. At this point, I can't wait until the Fall of 2010. Our group of next year's yearlings are the best group we have so far (pedigree and conformation).

At the present time, we have three of five fields weaned and are waiting until our youngest colts and fillies reach the four-month old mark before the other two fields are weaned. September 28th is penciled in as the weaning day for the final two fields. We find the foals do very well when weaned at this age and while I can understand the complexities of weaning hundreds of foals before the yearling sales doesn't work well for large farms, this process is exceptionally efficient for us and we feel it benefits not only the staff but the horses as well. I am interested to see what everyone's opinions on the weaning process are....feel free to share.

3) I think the results of the first week of the Thoroughbred sale at Keeneland have the potential to make consignors worried for our upcoming sale. It would be hard to say that I am going into the sale with no trepidation but our industry does not face the same problems plaguing the Thoroughbred markets. For one, their stud fees are still out of control and need to be reined in. I think Week One proved that point, especially with many breeders calling for a 50% reduction in stud fees. While many of our stud fees are too high as well, the correction in our market is/will be less severe. Both New Jersey and Canada had good sales considering the hesitation many people have in spending the "big bucks". I look forward to the sales and believe in the tried-and-true philosophy that "people will pay good money for good horses."

4) Tomorrow two of last year's yearlings will be racing for $500,000 a piece. First, Casino Nights (Western Ideal x Can Du River) has the two hole in the Three Diamonds Final at Chester while Temple Of Doom (Yankee Glide x Armbro Temple) has the 7 hole at Mohawk for the William Wellwood Final. Good luck to the connections of both horses.

Do not forget that both of those two year olds have siblings selling this fall. Casino Nights has a Rocknroll Hanover brother selling at Harrisburg (Hip #409 --- Rainmaker) while Temple Of Doom has a Muscles Yankee sister selling in Lexington (Hip #88 --- Temple Of Heaven)!

Yearling Videos

For those who are interested, the following link will take you to our yearling videos...ENJOY

Take a second or third look at Hip #29 and Hip #327 in Lexington....

Yearling Videos

Updates

This afternoon Temple Of Doom finished third in the final of the Valley Victory earning a very respectable $54,000. Its always nice to see your yearlings earning money back for their buyers. Congratulations to Robert Rosenheim and Calvin Lasher for their purchases of Temple Of Doom and Sky High respectively. Temple of Doom was purchased for $50,000 at Harrisburg and has recouped all of his original investment and more in the early stages of his bright career ($90,325), while Sky High (Yankee Glide x Shes The Limit) has earned $44,400 for Calvin Lasher after a $15,000 price tag secured her purchase at Harrisburg. Speaking of She's The Limit, I was pouring over the first copy of our yearling videos this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to find that Boundaries (Windsongs Legacy x Shes The Limit) had an exceptional great video and is arguably the best Lexington video this year (for Diamond Creek Farm). 

The Temple...

Im not yet a father myself but I consider all the yearlings we sell as my babies. You see proud parents attending school functions and athletic events and I always thought the emotional outbursts were a bit too much but after attending the races or watching them on TV, I find myself rooting a little too much sometimes for some of mine. The process of choosing breedings, breeding the mares, foaling the mares, and raising their offspring is very involved and as a farm, have everything to do with their lives from the beginning until they go through the sales ring. There will always be those who disappoint and those who surprise. Temple Of Doom was one of those surprises. Anybody who came to look at our yearlings last year would never say that Temple Of Doom was a looker. A gawky teenager-type, he was lazy from the time he woke up in the morning until he went to sleep. In the equi-cizer, he would go as slow as possible without getting shocked by the electric gate. It took him two or three times as many attempts before he mastered the way he stood for guests (and at times, it looked as though he never practiced). However, it looks as though he had saved his energy for the racetrack. He has reached the finals of the NJSS, Peter Haughton, and now the Valley Victory. Without a win on his card, the future looks bright for Temple Of Doom. He drew the 5 hole for the final this Sunday and coming off his best race of his career in the elimination, I am very excited for his chances to pick up a good check or even upset the apple cart. On an even better note, he has a Muscles Yankee sister (Temple Of Heaven) to sell in Lexington and all indications are she is a much better individual in all aspects; looks, conformation, and attitude. We shot our videos on Monday August 31st and it was very exciting to see what a nice gait Temple Of Heaven had and how quickly she completed the task. A couple of trips up and back the paddock and she was quickly whisked away and back to the comfort and security of her stall. Come see all our yearlings but don't forget to ask for Hip #88. She loves the attention...

Week Five And Six

I was waiting a little longer to publish this post in hopes of being able to brag about this yearling's sister (Royal Clout) and her accomplishments. Unfortunately in her last start, she made a break. So this post has to be published without the big headline of "SIRE STAKES WINNER". Sacred Saint (Chocolatier x Sister Sammy) is a black filly with a very unassuming personality. She has flown under the radar her entire life. Small and petite but yet very correct she has been without problems ever since her return from Blue Chip Farms last fall. Since the beginning of prep she has begun to blossom albeit slower than some of the others. Many yearlings take to the prep schedule immediately and begin to pack on the muscle within a few days. Others take their time and with the amount of time we give each one to come into themselves, the individuality of our prep program has worked wonders for this filly. I have seen no other Chocolatier foals except for a weanling filly we foaled this spring but others must be licking their chops in anticipation because, if our filly is any indication of what Chocolatier will produce then the yearling buyers will be in heaven. 

Sister Sammy has been very good to us since we purchased her privately in the winter of 2006. We purchased her and an Andover Hall weanling from Eric Cherry for a very healthy price and although the foal she was carrying died a day after foaling, we were rewarded handsomely with a $150,000 price tag for an Andover Hall colt named Unshakeable. Although he didn't live up to his potential as a two and three year old, he is successfully competing in the Vernon Downs Opens. Her second foal for us was the aforementioned Royal Clout (a full sister to Unshakeable). Purchased last fall, she is beginning to live up to the billing (minus a miscue in her last start --- she has been in the top 3 in her first 3 starts). Sister Sammy is a large heavy-bodied Yankee Glide mare and when crossed to Andover Hall, gave us robust masculine looking foals (regardless of sex). Very sturdy and heavy boned, the first two yearlings were very light on their feet and covered the ground with an effortless efficiency. However, the goal was to dress the mare down a little bit and try to find a more refined look. Chocolatier provided that opportunity and we were rewarded when Sacred Saint was born. Unlike the other foals the mare has produced, Sacred Saint is almost entirely black (the other foals have been a reddish bay) and looks unmistakeably like a filly. Thankfully, the only resemblance she has to her brother and sister is the effortless nature she covers the ground. Look for her when you browse the yearling videos this fall and if you do come out to the farm, don't hesitate to see her move in the paddock. She makes it look effortless.

Week Three And Four

A few minor delays but I am finally back to my weekly updates. Here is a compression of the last two weeks. From my last post, the Harrisburg yearlings arrived in stalls a week ago today and are looking quite a bit different than the Lexington yearlings. After a short four weeks, our Lexington yearlings are beginning to blossom and look more like sale horses and less like their Harrisburg counterparts. 

Its easy to think that each yearling has the potential to "wow" an unsuspecting public but the truth is each yearling has flaws and attributes that are less desirable than others. Its not very often that a yearling stands out not only on the catalog page but on the floor as well. Although its early, the barn is aflutter with the potential of Loyal Opposition's first yearling. There was a disagreement between the two best yearling handlers as to who would prep her but Israel won out and now has the opportunity (as her name suggests --- Royal Opportunity) for firsts and lasts. This is the first foal of one of the great race mares and from the final crop of one of the great pacing sires of the last twenty years, Western Hanover. A perfect combination of her sire and dam, she is an outstanding individual. On name alone there will be plenty of people just wanting to take a look at her and thankfully she is a smart and sensible and should handle the constant attention like the professional she has shown. It will be exciting when she enters the ring at Harrisburg...

On a side note: the comments posted in the last two blog entries and raised great points. The one common theme running throughout is the individual nature of this sport. There is no right way to prep yearlings just as there is no wrong way, its ends up being what works best for the horse. Some horses thrive on less while others thirst for more. Trying to tap each horse's potential is the ultimate goal and whether it takes 6 weeks or 12 weeks to get the job is up to the individual. Its a great debate either way. I encourage all opinions because whether you agree or disagree with the way we do things here at Diamond Creek, we are always open to new and innovative ideas while, at the same time, protecting our core beliefs. We try to find a balance that suits our yearlings and in our opinion, we accomplish our goals every year.

Week Two

The yearlings' first official show began right on time this afternoon and the results were better than expected. Every Monday we take a look at each of the 18 yearlings; as if a prospective buyer is there viewing the yearlings. During this time Sarah takes notes and critiques the handlers performance and tries to match the handler with the right horse. Each of the yearling handlers have a different rapport with the yearlings and finding the strengths and weaknesses of each horse and handler allows us to match them appropriately so there are limited blowups and freakouts during a show. 

Today was the first time I had seen the yearlings in a week and was pleasantly surprised with the change. Other than a handful of lackluster coats, the yearlings, as a whole, are physically superior to the yearlings we prepped a year ago. We are two weeks into prep and the yearlings are more advanced physically than we expected and are very excited about their potential. With the new feed program implemented 8 months ago and with a revised workout and prep schedule, I couldn't be more pleased. With each passing year, our regimen is tweaked and we strive to radically alter any of the previous years' negatives while being open to new and innovative ideas. 

This week, the yearling with the greatest change was Exchange Rate (Andover Hall x For The Luva Moni). He is a beautiful colt who is very proud and is physically maturing at the right time. Always a growthy colt who looked like he wanted to be a nice looking horse but was always missing one of the major elements. However, the prep schedule is agreeing with him and he is blossoming into a very handsome individual. The fourth foal from the $400,000 winning Balanced Image mare, For The Luva Moni will need all the help he can get. Unfortunately, the mare has not been helped by her first three foals nor has she had a fair opportunity to prove her worth as a broodmare. The first colt never raced until midway through his three year old season, the second foal (first filly) was bred a 2 and the third foal was exported to Europe. Not exactly the best lead-in for a wannabe highest priced yearling but if this colt is judged solely by looks, he will put many of the comparable yearlings to shame. 

If he continues to make positive improvements, Exchange Rate will definitely be a standout not only in our consignment but in the Lexington Sale as well.

Week One

We have successfully completed Week One of prep for the Lexington Sale yearlings without any major incidents. All yearlings took to the equi-gym without tearing it down. Most yearlings took to the exercise right away and Sarah's (yearling manager) no nonsense approach to the difficult ones promote an aura of confidence throughout the barn that the yearlings pick up on. By the end of the week, all yearlings have become accustomed to working in tack and have gotten used to wearing bridles, side reins, and surcingles. 

The physical standouts have already stamped themselves and now its about smoothing the edges and polishing the gem. There are those that require lots of spit and polish while there are others who need to be put in bubble-wrap because we can only screw them up. 

Last fall when Megavite returned from Blue Chip with a Credit Winner colt, it was hard to believe we would be talking about how great a physical presence he would be nearly a year later. Sarah took an immediate liking to the colt we named Credit Crunch. Last fall, when we were deciding which sale the yearlings would go to, I told Sarah I wanted to sell the best Credit Winner we had at Lexington and without so much as a hesitation she said, the Megavite colt. I laughed and scoffed at her and debated whether she was right. Not only was she right but she was so much right that he is as good a yearling as we have to sell at either sale. He stands over a ton of ground and has much more substance than most Credit Winners. He is a dandy. 

This is the first of my Friday updates on the progress of the sale yearlings. Between each weekly update, I will probably sprinkle in details of the yearlings and foals as they grow. 

P.S. As some know, we weigh our foals and yearlings on a regular basis and chart their growth patterns. Last year at this time we did not have any foals over 560lbs. As of today, we have 7 foals over 560lbs and a Ponder filly out of Sweet Repeat weighing in at 620lbs. Look out for her next fall, she is a beast (in a very flattering way).

Mares For Sale

As each year passes, it becomes harder and harder to say goodbye to the mares. Many times, its easy to let your emotionally attachments hold you back from making the correct financial decisions with regards to selling specific mares. At some point my favorite mares will be up for discussion to sell and putting aside personal feelings for the best outcome for the farm is something I will have to do. Fortunately, this year, the decisions of who to cull was an easier process than I originally thought. Taking into factors such as quality of the foal compared to the average foal born here on the farm, how easy the mare is to get in foal, how much her yearlings bring, how her offspring perform at the track, and our mitigating issues, the following is a list of the mares to cull. Some will be sold privately and some will be offered at the public mixed sales this fall and winter. 

Afterglow Hall (in foal to Credit Winner)

Shes The Limit (in foal to Credit Winner)

Yankee Maxi (in foal to Conway Hall)

Tyber Song (barren)

Kentucky Sunshine (in foal to Ponder)

Mystical (in foal to Ponder)

Always A Yankee (in foal to Art Major)

To Sell Or Not To Sell

The breeding season has come to end and the reflection period is over. Before the yearling season gets under way, there is always a lull that is filled with countless conversations about which mares to sell and which mares to keep. Our goal is usually to cull around 10% of the herd and upgrade our stock at the fall/winter mixed sales or through private purchases. If I were to propose that we would like to sell 6 mares this year, I am interested in others opinions as to which mares we should sell and why. Do not feel bad in suggesting any mare, I am always curious about objective opinions especially if you can back them up with relevant facts. So lets see what everyone comes up with. Happy hunting...

Maybe Its In The Water

Last Saturday was the second win in a row for Western Edge. The almost ill-fated gelding is in the midst of a career resurgence based solely on time, luck, and my father's belief in second (or third) chances. 

Western Edge was purchased at Harrisburg 2006 for $80,000 under the name Allamerican Indeed. Originally purchased because of the two-year old success of his full-sister Western Montana (three wins and four seconds in nine starts, $175K+, raced timed in 1:51.4), Western Edge was a small, diminutive, and aggressive colt that possessed talent from day one. After his two qualifiers, we had big hopes of a top quality stakes colt. His first start was even more impressive as he broke stride twice and was three wide for the final three-eighths of the mile at the Meadows before drawing off in the stretch under no urging. However, this sport can tear you down as quickly as it can raise you up. Three starts and three breaks later, Western Edge was returned to the farm due to collapsing nostrils and a vet statement claiming no diagnosis, no treatment, and no idea. A promising colt with a debilitating injury (for racing purposes) was turned out much to my chagrin. Something had to have happened to cause this issue and we were going to find out. 

Two MRI exams, three full neurological exams, an EPM test, nasal scoping, a nuclear scan, and a set of full body X-rays determined Western Edge in tip-top shape and no glaring issues that would have caused his collapsing nostrils. The only proof was a treadmill test that caused his nostrils to collapse in 20 seconds. Anything faster than a walk and the horse could barely stand up and threatened to pass out. Everyone agreed that turnout would be the best option while we weighed potential solutions. However, turnout seemed to not agree with the high strung colt. He savaged his hind legs and would spin in circles trying to bite himself until he fell over. He arrived back from the track at an even 950 pounds but within 2 months, he barely tipped the scales at 900. We had immature yearlings nearing 1000 pounds while Edge melted away. The decision to geld him was our best option and it was performed in February 2008. The problem did not abate and seemed worst as winter dragged into spring. We became desperate and the decision to euthanize him was nearing the top of the list. I debated back and forth until someone threw out the idea of getting him a pasture mate. A gelding was adopted and the two became fast friends. The savage attacking and hyperactive behavior quit almost immediately and he began to quickly pack on the pounds. Within 4 months he had gained 150 pounds and looked spectacular. However, the collapsing nostrils were not improving. 

Summer was turning into fall and the yearlings were first and foremost of everyone's minds. Western Edge had been given access to a paddock and besides his twice-a-day feeding regimen, he was at the bottom of everyone's list of importance. Again, the decision to euthanize him began to creep into conversations I was having with my father. His problem had not improved in nearly a year and there was no point in keeping a horse that was dangerous to himself and had no use other than a pasture ornament. My father kept telling me to wait a little while and so we waited. One day while in conversation about Edge's dire future, my father had found a potential solution. A device inserted into Edge's nose to hold the nostril flaps open during exercise seemed to be the only thing that hadn't been tried. 

Once the nose clips arrived, Western Edge and his buddy, Buddy came to the barn and began to walk in the Equi-Gym to begin building back his stamina. He walked everyday for 30 days before we tentatively dialed up the Equi-Gym and increased his walk to a trot. Five minutes at the trot turned into 10 minutes turned into full workouts with a bridle, side reigns and a surcingle. By December, we couldn't give Edge a workout that made him blow at all. Erv Miller was summoned and took on the training responsibilities (with the nose clips) of Western Edge. By the middle of January, Erv informed me that he no longer needed the nose clips yet he didn't know how good the colt was going to be. Slowly but surely, the little gelding kept improving a made his first qualifying attempt 18 months after his last race. First in both of his qualifier, Edge showed similar flair for the dramatic when he closed from the back (26.4 in the second qualifier) to win. Now squarely back to his task of being a racehorse, Western Edge has found a new home at the Meadowlands and has notched three wins in his last four starts including a career best 1:51.1 mile last Saturday. Definitely not the world-beater we once hoped he would be, Edge is finding his stride and I think his best is yet to come. All the thanks goes out to the people who encouraged me to have the patience to see this through and allow Edge to have a chance.

For those who care, Edge's savior Buddy is a blossoming road horse and will begin his show career later this summer under the tutelage of superstar saddlebred trainer, Melissa Moore.

Updated Names

Below is a list of the 2009 foals. We are still waiting on a handful of names. Hopefully everyone is satisfied with the names we chose. 

After Burner (Kadabra x Afterglow Hall)

Millenium Wheel (Bettors Delight x London Eye)

Archangel (Credit Winner x Michelles Angel)

Sunset City (Western Ideal x Kentucky Sunshine)

Day Dream (Muscles Yankee x Dream N Lindy)

Hornets Nest (Camluck x Armbro Nest)

Black Sky (Ponder x Skyfire)

Live Wire (Rocknroll Hanover x Western Montana)

Act Of Magic (Western Ideal x Mystical)

Zodiac Sign (Ponder x Sign In The Sand)

Mortal Zin (Rocknroll Hanover x Zintillating)

Big Easy (Rocknroll Hanover x Mississippi River)

Debutante (Andover Hall x Gracious Marla)

Streamliner (Muscles Yankee x Rapid Rail)

Battle Ready (Cantab Hall x Right On Renee)

Polite Delight (Bettors Delight x Yes Maam)

Sweet Vendetta (Ponder x Sweet Repeat)

American Gangster (Andover Hall x Four Starz Lindy)

Precious Metal (Conway Hall x Gold Mine Ambrosio)

Major Crush (Art Major x Speed Date)

Upper East Side (Art Major x Shes A Great Lady)

Donatello (Donato Hanover x Ladymatic)

Cold Hard Facts (Art Major x Schoolofcardknocks)

Polar Opposition (Rocknroll Hanover x Loyal Opposition)

Universal Success (Andover Hall x Continentalvictory)

Culp Fiction (Chocolatier x Clever Catch)

Say What (Andover Hall x Noifsaboutit)

Cohen Crazy (Western Ideal x Cohenikova)

Long Slow Kisses (Ponder x Hundred Kisses)

After Midnight (Donato Hanover x Day Five)

Donato's Girl (Donato Hanover x Filly At Bigs)

Uncommon Night (Donato Hanover x Uncommon Scents)

Trojan Horse (Muscles Yankee x Shops For Dresses)

Hi Ho Silva (Cantab Hall x A Starlet Born)

Arctic Circle (Art Major x Cool World)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Camluck x Armbro Ticket)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Andover Hall x Ferrari Of)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Yankee Glide x Shes The Limit)

Heavenly Match (Credit Winner x Youvemetyourmatch

Legendary Myth (Western Ideal x Dragon So)

Strawberry Wine (Kadabra x Berry Nice Muscles)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Donato Hanover x Arlanda Hanover)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Angus Hall x O U Guys)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Art Major x Isabella Blue Chip)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Rocknroll Hanover x Summer Mystery)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Rocknroll Hanover x Always A Yankee)

AWAITING APPROVAL (Andover Hall x Dream Valley OM)

End Of The Breeding Season

Its been almost a month since my last post and its time to wrap up the breeding season. Today is the final day of the breeding season for us and its time to look back and give an in-depth critique of our success and failures.

Beginning the breeding season with 64 mares, a realistic, projected number of in-foal mares was 52-55, which would have given us a pregnancy rate of 81%-86%. Although, slightly lower than our ultimate goal of 90%, the number was realistic due to the increased number of mares to be bred. Never having bred more than 50 mares in a season, the increase of about 25% initially made us rethink our projections and scale them back accordingly. As I sit here today, I have 49 pregnant mares and 5 barren mares. Two of the five barren mares were pregnant and lost them during the first 60 days.

Continentalvictory foaled March 25th, was allowed to go through her foal heat cycle, and was bred on the subsequent cycle. She was pronounced in foal at 14 days, a heartbeat check confirmed her pregnancy at 28 days, another heartbeat check at 45 days confirmed proper growth of the fetus but at 62 days (when we sex the fetuses), there was no heartbeat and an abnormal growth pattern had occurred, resulting in the death of the fetus. Here was a potential foal whose sire (Donato Hanover) and dam had both won the Hambletonian. If there was a foal more destined for greatness, I would like to hear about it. 

Michelles Angel, who foaled a beautiful Credit Winner colt on February 4th, had all season to get in foal and four attempts later, we were left scratching our head. All diagnostic tests had yielded no results and we attributed the negative pregnancy tests to a potential problem with the stallion and mare match. We switched stallions to Yankee Glide and were very excited when she turned up in foal at 14 days. Our elation was short-lived because during the 28 day heartbeat check, the embryo was in self-destruct mode and was in the process of being expelled from the mare. Another potential champion down the tubes. 

If I was going to sum up this years breeding season in two words it would be: HARD LUCK. From day one, it seemed like the stars were aligned against Diamond Creek Farm. All other breedings seasons preceding this one had their ups and downs but the trials and tribulations this year seemed exacerbated and the downs seemed to outweigh the ups. This is the first breeding season that I am glad to be through with. It all started with our first eleven mares coming up empty and it has ended with 7 different mares losing their pregnancies after getting in foal to begin with. Tyber Song, For The Luva Moni, Arlanda Hanover, Armbro Ticket, and Dream N Lindy join Michelles Angel and Continentalvictory as causalties of the breeding season. Five of the seven mares had enough time to get rebred and four of the five are back in foal and progressing along nicely. 

Being a perfectionist, its hard to look critically at our pregnancy success rate and not be disappointed when even one mare comes up barren but a very wise man recently told me that a perfectionist will always fail while a successful man will succeed even in the face of failure because he looks at the one failure as a way to get better. I better start calling myself a success rather than a perfectionist. 

Even though I can fume over the fact Michelles Angel and Continentalvictory are not in foal, I can check off the successes more readily. We have 6 of 6 mares in foal to Somebeachsomewhere (including Loyal Opposition and a full sister to Rocknroll Hanover), 7 of 7 mares in foal to Deweycheatumnhowe and 6 of 6 in foal to Andover Hall. Its not all bad. The successes clearly outweigh the failures, especially after the information is broken down and pieced out. 

With ten more mares to check for pregnancy, our goal of 52-55 is definitely within reach and if all the luck goes our way, we have a chance to beat it. I will update this post as the pregnancies occur. 

Trying to be critical, in a completely constructive way, I am pouring over our data and notice that our cycles per pregnancy increased significantly over the past two breeding seasons. What I am saying is, the amount of covers it took to get a mare pregnant increased from under 2 to almost 2.5. There were plenty of mares that took 3 or more covers to get pregnant and one mare finally got pregnant on her sixth cover. Although some would say, whatever it takes to get them pregnant is okay but I view it as mismanagement on my part. I understand not all mares will get in foal on the first cover but each cycle tells a story about the mare and the more information we have, the easier it is to decipher the meaning and do a better job of deciding whether to breed or not to breed. There it is, the philosophical meaning of the breeding season wrapped up into six simple words: TO BREED OR NOT TO BREED.

Back In Action

After a vacation from blogging, its time to bring everyone interested up-to-date on the happenings of the last month. The foals are growing like weeds and the farm's focus has begun to shift from the mares & foals to the yearlings. One final posting of the breeding season then most of the future information will be about both foals and yearlings, with the ultimate focus centered around our preparation of 33 yearlings for the fall sales.