A recent visit to Ashford, famously home to American Pharoah and Justify, began in their visitors’ center, allowing a significant glimpse into the farm that began to house Thoroughbreds as the grand vision of Dr. Bill Lockridge, once he converted it from a cattle farm. Even the cattle that lived there, however, had been a top-notch enterprise. According to an article by Maryjean Wall, the cattle raised there were frequent winners at cattle shows.

It was interesting to read her article and realize how much meticulous planning had gone into the farm when Lockridge started the process of renovating it to suit his specifications. All was done to convey an impression of elite status, just like the horses he wanted to inhabit the barn that now is home to American Pharoah and Justify. In fact, Lockridge said if he never found six horses of the caliber he desired to fill that barn, then there would be empty stalls. American Pharoah, of course, has already proven himself as a sire and it remains to be seen how Justify will fare, but if he is half the sire his own sire was he too should have met the standards Lockridge sought.

What I also did not know previously was that the farm is called Ashford because of the castle in Ireland where Lockridge stayed while seeking to acquire the stallion Storm Bird to be the first inhabitant of the barn in Kentucky that was meant to be evocative of a castle. It is very possible if Storm Bird had only sired Storm Cat, his contribution to the Thoroughbred would be assured. A link to one of the future denizens of Ashford was his daughter Line of Thunder through her son Thunder Gulch.

While the visitors’ center contained an impressive array of articles, photos and racing trophies displaying the history linked to Ashford, the equine cemetery showcased its history with equal reverence. Pausing at Thunder Gulch’s gravesite, the tour guide recounted how he was the stallion that was pastured next to new arrivals since he had a calming effect on them while they adjust to life off of the racetrack, and indeed I remember hearing he served that role with American Pharoah too. It is another link between past and present, as well as an anecdote I enjoyed for what it revealed of Thunder Gulch’s nature. I like to know what they were like, beyond the statistics of race records and sire records for as important as those are, they do not tell the whole story of all that a horse was or is.

There is a beautifully landscaped area in front of a stone wall a short distance from the equine cemetery, which provides another link between past and present. The current stallions are posed there for marketing purposes and conformation photos.

I was glad to hear Cigar receive recognition too as we stood at the equine cemetery, and that his name is on a stall at Ashford still as a former resident. While his time there was short-lived due to his infertility, they still recognize that he was one of the greats of the sport who spent some time there, even though the hoped-for stud career did not pan out. That is definitely the strongest impression a visit to Ashford provides, the reverence for the horse which began with styling a barn worthy of equine royalty and continues when they relate how sweet American Pharoah is with the mares and how Maximum Security leaned towards his groom for a show of affection.

When American Pharoah was brought out into the sun, the tour guide said he is ten now. I had lost track of that; visits here to anyone but breeders had understandably been off limits for a lot of the time since the pandemic began. I then thought, at age ten he hopefully has many years left. That is not a thought I normally have about horses as I prefer not to dwell on that but to enjoy the time in their company. But I knew why that thought came to me – it was wonderful to see American Pharoah again, and that mattered most of all, but I also had a fleeting thought about lost time, a bit wistfully. That is certainly what the pandemic and some non-pandemic related health challenges I have faced represented, but the thought didn’t linger. And I knew that was because I was grateful to be around these horses once more. Paul Simon sang life is what you make of it and I believe that and in that moment what I made of it was being there mattered more than any times not being there, for we go forward as best we can. Even if life throws obstacles and curve balls our way, it also gives us lovely May days of flowers and sunshine and the serenity a farm like Ashford bestows.

Source:

Wall, Maryjean. “Texan Builds A Castle Fit For a Horse.” Lexington Herald and Leader, November 14, 1981.

This year’s Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby seemed indicative of reaching for dreams, and how sweet it can be when they are realized. In the case of the Kentucky Oaks, it was seeing D. Wayne Lukas add another Oaks victory to his tally at the age of 86, and age doesn’t have to be an obstacle to success. Certainly in his case, as a racing icon, that should never be doubt but it was great to see him reach that pinnacle again. At the post-race press conference, he talked about realizing there was not a playbook for horse trainers to learn the trade, and he made a commitment to teach others along the way, many of whom have gone on to become top-notch trainers in their own right. The owners of Secret Oath, his latest Oaks winner, mentioned that as a service to racing. Lukas also spoke about the rapport he has with those he mentored to this day, and how horse racing can create a lasting bond. He also said he wanted the victory for the owners more than himself, since he’s already had that experience. While horse racing gets a lot of bad press and isn’t perfect, how it can unite and uplift people on the good days is worth noting.

Moving on to the Derby, it turned out Lukas had an impact on its outcome by withdrawing Ethereal Road the day before it ran, citing him not seeming quite as good as he had in his training earlier in the week and wanting to save him for the Preakness if that suited him, instead of use him hard in the Derby. That moved Rich Strike into the race, with less than an hour before another horse could draw in if one scratched. In fact, Rich Strike’s trainer Eric Reed later related that he had already been notified no horses scratched and he wasn’t in the race, since it was so close to the scratch time allowing another horse to draw in. But shortly after that, his exercise rider told him they did get in and he told her she had bad information, because they had removed the security guard from his barn. Then he got a call from steward Barbara Borden who asked him if he wanted to draw in from the also-eligible list, and he had to catch his breath to say yes.

I saw Rich Strike Tuesday of Derby week, during the designated training time for Derby and Oaks contenders. I didn’t realize until later he was also-eligible, and I didn’t know anything about his race record, but I did walk away impressed by his physical appearance.

It was just the beginning of one of the Kentucky Derby’s most improbable sequence of events and results. Summer is Tomorrow took the lead initially, setting fast fractions, and Crown Pride and Messier had a compelling duel among themselves before they fell back. It had been mentioned ahead of this Derby it seemed like an evenly matched field, or at least there were no superstar standouts but a lot of horses that had a chance to make a mark on the race. That appeared to hold true when in deep stretch it looked like a handful of horses began mounting challenges, although two touted as top contenders – Epicenter and Zandon – began a duel that appeared it would go right to the wire. Their battle for the lead was such a source of focus for most watching that few noticed the chestnut colt surge forward on the rail until he grabbed victory nearly at the last possible moment. It was Rich Strike, the horse who nearly didn’t get to run the race, under a masterful ride by Sonny Leon. He and the colt even had to go around a tiring Messier to seek the victory.

While I was watching the gate crew load Rich Strike, I was thinking how lucky they kept training him like he’d start that day. While his race record did not suggest Derby success was in the cards, the very improbability makes it more fantastic. The look on jockey Sonny Leon’s face after the race of amazement mingled with perhaps a touch of disbelief was the visual echo of the incredulity in Tom Durkin’s voice when he called Mine That Bird’s rail-skimming 2009 Derby win “an impossible result.” Yet the look on Leon’s face was not indicative of not having faith in the colt he rode; in the post-race press conference it was clear all the connections believed he belonged in the Derby, even if they weren’t sure being the victor was how it would play out for him. But Leon was riding his first Derby ever – easy to see how that feeling would sweep over him after the win!

Trainer Eric Reed recounted thinking he knew they had a good horse, maybe a Derby horse, and then he and the owner worked backwards from the first Saturday in May to pick spots to hopefully get to the Derby. He quoted bass fisherman Mike Iaconelli, who said, “Never give up.” Things like this can be inspiring to people even outside the circle of those connected to the horse, and that quote from Iaconelli and how it all played out spoke volumes to me, as I’ve been facing physical challenges from an accident that have kept me from work and been tough to persevere through, and this result is such a feel-good story for the connections and for what it says to me to keep going through obstacles and when odds can be stacked against you.

As Reed relayed how he found out Rich Strike drew in, it became more evident why the “don’t give up” quote resonated so deeply. “We knew what we had. I’m not telling you by any means we’d have the Derby winner but if we didn’t think we were going to be in the Derby we wouldn’t have been prepping for this all year. We know we had a horse that was going to be capable of running good. So anybody that’s in this business – lightning can strike.

“I had a guy that was assigned to us and he would give me a lot of information every day, each time a horse would withdraw, and one time we were twenty-fourth and we got up to twenty-second. And then the Lexington Stakes came and we were back to twenty-fourth. We came here on a prayer and I told my dad and I told Rick the worst thing that could happen to us is they call a day or two before the Derby and say, ‘You’re going to get in,’ and not be prepared. We trained against all odds, nobody thought we could get in, we got a defection, we got another one. The morning of the entries at 8:45 I was notified there were no scratches. We were not going to get in. The security guard was told to leave the barn. I texted my dad it didn’t happen, texted some friends, ‘We didn’t get in. Sorry guys.’ I went in to my crew because I knew they were going to be really let down and I said, ‘Guys, we didn’t make it but we were number 21.’ And I said, ‘We’ve got to get ready for the Peter Pan next week. If we run well, we’ll go to the Belmont and show them we belong.’ And I was trying to keep their spirits up. It didn’t matter how I felt. I had to keep my crew going, and they were really sad.

And then about five minutes to 9, my pony girl Fifi calls me on the phone and she goes, ‘Don’t do anything with your horse. Don’t move him.’ I said, ‘What do you mean?’ She calmed down and said, ‘No, you’re getting in.’ I said, ‘No, I’m not. Somebody gave you bad information.’ And she goes, ‘I’m telling you, I just got notification Wayne is scratching and you’re going to get in.’

Then Barbara Borden calls, and she says, ‘This is the stewards. Tomorrow in the twelfth race, the Kentucky Derby, do you want to draw in off the also-eligible?’

And I couldn’t even breathe to answer to say yes. I was like, ‘What just happened?’ I was told no, I lost my security guard and now I’m in.”

The morning after the Derby, Reed told gathered media, “I don’t get these horses, 10 or 12 a year like some. I get one a lifetime, so I’ve got to protect him. I’d like him to be here in a couple years and not just have a few races and something goes wrong.”

Reed said Rich Strike will ship to his private training center in Lexington while they assess if he looks set to contest the Preakness. When asked if he felt an obligation to go to the Preakness, he replied, “My obligation is to Rich Strike first, and if Ritchie’s ready to go and I think it’s the right thing for him, we’re gonna go. I need him around a long time. As long as he’s okay after a week and I know it’s the right thing to do we’ll do it. And I want to go – that’s naturally what we want to do – but I have to do what I’ve done from day one with this horse and that’s manage him to take care of him, cause he’ll take care of the rest if I do.”

A toast to the newest Derby winner!

An expected thunderstorm burst forth shortly before the designated training time for the Derby and Oaks horses the morning of May 3, but fortuitously it ended a few moments before the horses were due on track. The anticipation waiting for the horses to appear before me was tremendous, and wonderful. I watched the horses gather at the gap on the large screen, only recognizing White Abarrio for his light gray coat and distinctive blue and yellow tack, and Ethereal Road because D. Wayne Lukas was beside him on a pony. Trainer John Ortiz adjusted the tack on Barber Road, as he also was alongside his charge on a pony. The adjustment seemed to reveal the point of pride having this Derby contender, his first, represented. Barber Road (his name quite reminiscent of Barbaro’s to me, though no doubt not intentional) stood calmly but with complete focus on the track.

Mo Donegal was the first of the Derby contenders to run by that day, then as always the action was fast and furious, so much that as I tried to get photos of some horses running by, others just making their way near the grandstand photobombed them!

I was glad to see Messier, Taiba, and Classic Causeway. While I don’t have a Derby pick – this year I want to see how it unfolds – those three intrigued me due to their sires, with the last named being interesting due to being one of the last small crop for Giant’s Causeway and carrying the torch for his sire one more time. This also is the only time I will see the Derby horses in the flesh Derby week, so it made it even better to see them and also that it was with a small crowd present.

Before the Derby and Oaks designated training period ended, Barber Road loaded into the starting gate for schooling. That is the first time I’ve seen gate schooling during Derby week.

As the analysts mentioned during their running commentary that morning, now all is maintenance and keeping the horses happy until the big day. The stage is set, indeed, with luxury merchandise tents and fencing in place outside the track, and the contenders on site. Wishing a safe trip to all!

As April wound down, it was lovely to experience time with horses at Old Friends and Kenny McPeek’s Magdalena Farm, as well as take in a few more races at Keeneland.

It is always wonderful to see Silver Charm enjoying time among his lush paddock – in fact the grass must have been quite tempting as he didn’t leave it immediately to come over to the fence for carrots. Now the oldest living Derby winner, his looks belie his age.

Nearby, Swain stood in a pasture. A fairly new arrival to Old Friends, I had not seen him in about a decade when he gazed out of a window from his stall. In fact, he was focused so intently on the scene that I recall joking with my companion he must see something we couldn’t, like his own personal circus, and that is why I still think of the phrase “Swain’s Circus” when I see him. Of course, he was also a top-notch racehorse and I have heard that one definition of the “look of eagles” is when a horse seems to look right through people around them and off into the distance, presenting a noble demeanor. Either way, he left an impression on me that day long ago and while the tour group I was with did not walk down to see him, I took the opportunity while they explored the equine cemetery. I was glad to get the chance to see Swain again, and while a slight dip in his back (to be expected) revealed years that have passed since he was foaled, he looked great too for his age. I don’t know his demeanor and therefore didn’t try to interact – plus he seemed content to stand in peace – but his face looked sweet.

When we arrived at Old Friends, I had noted Medina Spirit’s gravestone, newly arrived. It was poignant to see, and someone had placed a wreath of roses at its base.

Then it was on to Magdalena to see a few mares and foals.

Keeneland wrapped the spring meet two days after I went on that farm tour, and I snapped a photo of its serene beauty.

I visited Gainsborough today on a new Horse Country tour, offering a chance to see the farm’s mares and foals. In fact, it was the first ever tour for Horse Country to see the mares and foals there. I arrived a little early and chatted with the tour guides, never expecting Dan Pride to stop by and offer me an Essential Quality hat as a gift for being the first visitor of this tour. That was so kind and unexpected. He even asked if I didn’t mind he’d worn it once. I certainly didn’t – I have an array of horse hats only to display, not wear. Also, Essential Quality won the first Belmont I ever attended and I even thought that Dan Pride had once worn the hat and offered it made it an even neater bit of racing memorabilia for my collection.

Then the other tour guests arrived, and we saw the barns that had housed stallions before they moved to Darley at Jonabell, including one barn that had never housed a horse since they did move over to that farm after it was built. The former breeding shed had lifesize fiberglass horses depicting Elusive Quality and Quiet American, since it was in that location that Real Quiet and Smarty Jones were conceived.

Across from the breeding shed was the barn Elusive Quality and Quiet American resided in while the property had stallions.

The tour guide told us that they expect about 62 foals this year, and approximately half of the mares go to Darley stallions and half go to outside stallions. They have an adviser who matches the mares to stallions on pedigree as well as conformation, hoping for that ideal foal. After that, we went to meet some new arrivals and their dams.

Delightful Quality and her colt, a full sibling to Essential Quality, shared a paddock with another mare and foal. Her colt did not seem like he would be gray like his Belmont winning sibling.

He was not shy about company, but a filly in another pasture took the prize for being most gregarious. Her dam is fine, but had colicked after she gave birth and had to have surgery, so her filly is with a nurse mare.

One of the broodmare barn staff mentioned that foals with nurse mares get so much attention they always expect it, and this filly certainly did! She actually did seem to be showing off when she raced around the paddock, and also tried to stretch her neck as far through the fence as she could to be scratched and patted.

The mares affectionately called “the Golden Girls” have their own field, all being retired from having foals, with a few mares more due to join them after having their foals this year. This field includes Away (Eight Belles’ dam), Bedazzle (who one visitor said apparently is the oldest living dam of a Derby winner), and Hatoof, who is 33.

Walking through the foaling barn, we met a filly who was less than 12 hours old. The chart outside her stall noted that her dam, a half sister to Street Sense, foaled standing up.

After the Gainsborough visit, I stopped by Keeneland. Preparations were under way for the upcoming meet, some of the trees are in bloom, and the Breeders’ Cup statue stood sentinel again.

While this day was chilly, these are definite signs spring is trying to take hold!

The 2022 Keeneland January sale began a day later than originally scheduled, necessitated by up to 9 inches of snow dumped on the area late the week before, to ensure the safety of horses and people traveling to the sale.

I have a long-standing habit of attending sales, seeing progeny of horses I enjoyed watching race and in some cases the horses themselves I watched race. This time, I specifically attended for a horse I never saw race (though she is by American Pharoah, whose progeny I have enjoyed following both because he’s from a favorite sire line of mine and to see how they perform for the first Triple Crown winner in my lifetime). While her race career ended up being undistinguished after two races, American Heiress still does and will continue to hold a special place in my heart. For through MyRacehorse, she is the first horse I ever got a chance to have a small ownership stake in and a lot of what drove that I was smitten with her from photos online and couldn’t get the chance to buy in out of my mind. I bought a microshare and then met her late in her yearling year. She is incredibly sweet and my connection to her grew.

Along the route to her racing, from frequent My Racehorse updates, I learned a lot about preliminary horse training that I had never known before.

I saw her once more at two, when she had begun initial training on the track. It didn’t work out to attend any of her races, so my next chance to interact with her was at this sale.

I went on the preview day of January 10, the day that would have been when she originally sold. She was quite popular with potential buyers, out of her stall to be viewed frequently the short time I was there. Right after I arrived and she was on the way back to her stall, she stopped before she reached it and looked at me, and her show person commented on how she was looking. I couldn’t resist then asking to pat her, and he kindly paused to let me. He probably realized how American Heiress (or Luna, as I think of her) does love attention, and it certainly seemed she was seeking that. Another person working for Taylor Made, her consignor, attested to Luna still having that incredibly sweet nature and wanting to love on everybody and I was so happy to oblige and have that moment one-on-one.

It was a beautiful moment of connection that I hoped to have before she changed hands and lived a more private life as a broodmare.

I came back the next day to see her sell. It felt like seeing her get a chance to shine on stage, maybe because I never got to see her race. I thought it would be emotional because of the connection I feel with her, but it was not.

The sense of it being like a chance to see her shine, which I wanted for her, caught me by surprise, but perhaps it shouldn’t for that’s all I wanted for her. She did bring the first six figure price of the sale (though not that many horses had sold by the time she did), going to Springhouse Farm for $180,000. They are local to Lexington, so perhaps I will see some of her progeny race in this vicinity one day, which I told the My Racehorse racing manager was my hope now regarding her, prior to the sale. He was on-site to take video of her in the walking ring for the My Racehorse website, as an investor update.

So that felt like it neatly closed the book on my investment in her, though I know she will be special to me all her life. And I am curious to hear who the first stallion she goes to will be, but I am actually glad it was not overly emotional to watch her go, for that would have meant difficulty accepting what was to be. And I have found myself lately in a better place about doing that, and this became one more example of that.

I rarely fly into my local airport in Lexington, so I loved seeing the nods to horse racing in the form of stallion advertisements within and the horse statues outside, as well as the unbeatable view of Keeneland and Calumet from the sky, which I craned to see. I couldn’t remember if I had ever known Calumet has a training track, never visible from the road, so I enjoyed that aspect of discovery from the overhead view.

It struck me upon exiting the area of the airport reserved for flight passengers how it was like a symbolic exit from one year to the next, as the days of 2021 were nearly gone. Even with a few years recently that have been challenging, it was also a reminder there’s always reason to hope. And these stallion ads did represent hope for the future, of what their foals may be.

A few days later, I paid a visit to Silver Springs and Spendthrift, looking in on a few horses I’ve invested in through MyRacehorse and a few they own that I haven’t, like Vow. It was good to round out the year with horse time, always restorative to me. A few barn cats tagged along, enlivening the tour further with their presences.

Then it was on to Spendthrift, primarily to see Authentic, who I believe each of the three of us on the tour had invested in. Before going to the stallion barns, we paused outside of the breeding shed, noting that 2020 stakes winners conceived at Spendthrift had recently had their names added, including Authentic.

Recent rains had left mud irresistible to each of the stallions, just being brought up from their paddocks upon our group’s arrival to have a meal in their stalls. Mud did not distract from his eye-catching appearance. He presented himself well. I approached after a few moments, tentatively reaching out a hand to have a personal interaction. A lot had changed for me since I saw him previously in May, and I had forgotten he had a kind nature. Still best to approach a stallion without assuming, but he sniffed my hand without causing me concern he’d nip.

Our guide, the MyRacehorse concierge, related once more how this U-shaped barn was built for insurance purposes, to fulfill requirements to house a horse of Nashua’s value, and was sometimes called “the Nashua Motel.” While Authentic does not reside in that barn, it makes a glorious backdrop for him during the time he stood there for our visit. His barn is magnificent too, with its elegant craftsmanship seen in the fine wood and the lights that hang within. It frames trees that offer a pleasing symmetry near the breeding shed, catching my eye even without their leaves. Given how unseasonably warm that day was, it wasn’t too far-fetched to almost expect leaves to be budding! It did make the visit more pleasant than one may expect for late December.

All was quiet, as expected in the interim between breeding seasons, and yet the stalls that would receive mares paying a visit to be bred were already filled with shavings. On the cusp of a new year, and the universal birthday of all this hemisphere’s Thoroughbreds, the expectation of what would be and the rhythm of life on the farm continued.

When I went to Churchill Downs with a friend a few days before the Derby this year, the aim was to see as many of the Derby contenders as possible during morning training since I wouldn’t be attending the track’s signature race. And it truly was Medina Spirit that left the biggest impression on me that day, because of the opossum that ran across the track as the colt galloped down the stretch. It was a comical moment, one for the pantheon of memories of rarely seen events at racecourses. And for those who believe in omens, maybe that marsupial was a good luck charm as Medina Spirit went on to victory in the Derby. I thought how funny that the horse who was joined on the track by an unexpected animal was victorious. And I loved hearing the elation of his breeder in articles–a dream come true surrounding the colt she had always believed in, giving him a value beyond his first auction price of $1,000.

What also stood out to me that morning I saw him train (if he saw the opossum at all) was how he took it in stride, revealing a mentality that should be able to handle the pandemonium of a Derby day. It did seem to provide a glimpse into who he was, as an individual.

The controversy that went on to surround Medina Spirit, leaving the status of Derby winner on his record still in doubt, has been well-documented and I think on a day when the horse unexpectedly died of a reported heart attack after a workout is not necessary to rehash. I believe his life should be celebrated, and what he meant to people. That includes his breeder, and her colt deserves acclaim. 

What impressed me about Medina Spirit after his Derby was indeed his spirit. He is the epitome of heart, and the world needs individuals like that. It is inspiring. All he knew was he wanted to go out there and try each time. 

I know the questions surrounding Medina Spirit are likely to stay attached to his name, even when a legal conclusion is reached regarding his status as a Derby winner. And perhaps this will lead to real reforms, to benefit future racehorses, and be part of his legacy.

But today I remember him for that spirit. Who he was as an individual matters more to me than the rest.

Rest in peace, Medina Spirit.

Breeding the Racehorse, by Federico Tesio

As one who has long had an interest in pedigree research, I was glad to discover my local library had a copy of this book, so I could peruse some thoughts a renowned individual had about top racehorses. While the preface said that the book would not provide any insights into some type of formula for producing top-notch racehorses (which, with certain nicks aside, may not be truly possible and is reflected in the adage “Breed the best to the best and hope for the best”), it was still interesting to read Tesio’s observations. He had attempted to investigate Thoroughbred production from a scientific standpoint. Therefore, he considered this book more about heredity’s effects and that the Thoroughbred was a perfect resource for that study, given how meticulously records about the breed have been kept.

The conclusion of his I found most interesting and had not yet considered was that the Thoroughbred can have a variety of colors and even physical appearances (within limits – no draft-horse types!) as far as build and height goes because they are hybrid animals, specifically bred by man, whereas animals who have always lived in the wild will not have such a variety of appearances. His example was brown bears will always be brown and polar bears will always be white. 

Tesio also examined how coat color is inherited, assessing which coat color is likely to be dominant and what colors are likely to be seen in horses of two different coat colors. As part of my degree curriculum, I took a course in equine coat color genetics and Tesio’s findings about what the progeny of horses of two different coat colors are likely to produce was in line with what I learned there. He also noted that Thoroughbreds with gray coats are less common than bays and chestnuts since the three foundation sires of the breed were bay and chestnut. He described a gray coat as “not itself a coat, but a pathological discoloration of the only two basic coats which are the bay and chestnut. It is a strange disease of the pigmentation.”

After that, Tesio often referred to a gray horse as one having a disease that resulted in its coat color. I don’t recall in my coat color genetics course what I learned about the likelihood a horse would be gray, as it’s been years since I was in that course, but I found Tesio’s reference to a gray horse’s color being a disease or a horse inheriting the disease of gray coloration an unusual way to describe it. What I have found with a little more research is that gray is definitely a result of the horse gradually losing pigment; but to call it a disease at times I found confusing as it doesn’t seem to fit the definition of a disease. He found that Brownlow Turk and the Alcock Arabian appear to be responsible for the gray color in Thoroughbreds. I have heard that the Alcock Arabian, born in 1722, did introduce that color to the breed.

Regarding markings, Tesio said they are also found in a multitude of combinations since the Thoroughbred is a hybrid largely shaped by people’s choices in breeding. He pointed to penguins as an example of how animals not bred for specific characteristics by humans don’t have this variety – that bird is always black with a white front that is centered. 

Tesio went on to discuss nicks he found success with or noted others found success with but also wrote that “generally this is first discovered by chance, then other breeders follow up the initial success until that particular cross becomes the fashion.” Therefore, while he noted he did find success with crosses following that pattern of nicks, his introductory sentence about that quoted above suggests that luck may have a greater role than formula. What he concluded truly led to success in the Thoroughbred as a racehorse was breeders giving more merit to horses that won instead of appearance, retaining only accomplished individuals for breeding. 

One other study Tesio wrote about that I found intriguing was about the possibility of success being able to be carried in a male line through generations, seen through the lens of the Epsom Derby. He believed energy (represented by winning this top race) had a limit at which it could be passed on, and that limit seemed to be three generations. While the Epsom Derby has a history tracing back to 1780, it still made me wonder (even with less possibility for three generations to have won), if our country’s own Kentucky Derby would show this theory to be true. But then, there are also so many vagaries of breeding (not the least of which is whims of breeders, which Tesio alluded to when writing of nicks), that maybe some horses never even had a chance to have three generations vie for Derby success, even if it’s not a reflection of them not being capable of three horses from different generations of the same male line being able to win the Derby. And really, it does seem extraordinary if any male line was able to have a winner of the race and sire a winner of it who sired the winner himself, statistically speaking. So maybe that is a real anomaly instead of an example of what energy transmission is possible. Worth a debate!

While some of Tesio’s book was a touch archaic, as may be expected given the time elapsed since it was written, overall I found his insights worth pondering and that they did add to my knowledge of horse heredity. I am glad my library carried this book; I had always wanted to read it someday but thought I’d have to seek out my own copy.