Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Ask The Experts

Ask The Experts #12

Zenyatta, early September. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End

Q:

If a mare, for whatever reason, misses a “date” with a stallion, is it difficult to make up? Does one person juggle the breeding schedules for all the stallions and mares?

Barbara Wood

Waco, TX

A: Here at Lanes End we rarely miss a mare’s heat cycle due to the stallion being too busy. We work very hard to communicate with the mare’s boarding farm and do our best to accommodate each mare on the day that is requested. If it does occur we try to give the mare that we missed preferential treatment next time she comes into heat and is “back on the books”.

We have two people here at Lane’s End Farm that juggle the bookings. The stallions are divided between us at the beginning of the year, since we have a large number of them.  We each book half the stallions for the season.  We also have another employee who handles the bookings for the mares that reside at Lane’s End that are bred to stallions on outside farms.

Our Expert

Daniele Hunter

Stallion Booking Secretary, Lane’s End

Daniele has been working at Lane’s End Farm for eight years. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Communications. She has held many positions within the thoroughbred Industry including working for a veterinarian and managing her own thoroughbred breeding operation.

Reader Interactions

640 Comments

  1. / Reply

    FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON’T REMEMBER, HERE IS ZENNY AND THE DAY SHE SPENT GETTING READY TO HAVE HER FIRST DATE WITH BERNIE, IT IS VERY DESCRIPTIVE OF WHAT HAPPENS, HOW THEY EVALUATED HER FOR OVULATION AND READYNESS TO BREED PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY (RUN TROUGH WITH A TEASER, BEFORE THE BIG GUY BERNIE COME IN TO WORK HIS MAGIC).

    ENOJY !!!! So forgot how much Dottie really did to narrate everything for Z and us.

    https://staging.zenyatta.com/diary/diary-post-92-2

    • / Reply

      Because the matings of mares and stallion are based on ovulation and physical receptiveness to the stallion and his advances. There are no hard and fast
      time rules for breeding. All of the farms have to be flexible with mare readiness and stallion’s books. I imagine that they book the mare for a range of days and then stay
      in contact with the farms as to the mares “readiness”.

      Missing the dates of the mares readiness to breed would cost the farms money,
      that is why they have such a sophisticated process, teaser stallion, daily vet visits and examinations around estimated breeding dates, communications with the stallion’s farm
      and then preparation for the date (Darley requires maiden mares be “jumped” by a teaser, in case they become frightened or scared and start to kick. The Big Man comes in after the intial “jump” and the mare has calmed down to “work his magic”.

  3. / Reply

    @QueenOfSuites: Vertigineux look alike? http://t.co/GTFvaTov

    On the left is the Bloodhorse picture and on the right is the fan picture of (supposedly) Vertigineux pregnant to Street Cry. I will look for better pictures on BloodHorse or DRF of mama V, this one is a bit fuzzy.

    • / Reply

      Definately NOT “V”

      Any old fan does not have acess to her.
      She is buried in Coolmore broodmare band
      Where no one has acess to her.

      Coolmore paid $10 million for her.

      Let’s get real with this issue !!!

      No one knows but Coolmore and Darley what
      Is going on with her!!!

        • Good luck, No sure they are going to share that information with anyone until the colt or filly hits the ground running.

        • Pati,

          Anything less than published in writing in a reputable
          TB journal like Bloodhorse, Throughbred Times, Daily Racing forum is not acceptable. A

          This site and the news in it are reputable, factual and the truth and
          those of us who come her believe that.

      • / Reply

        Sign, you are so absolutely right about Coolmore Now Darley is more liniant. But right right you are and I emphasize that. That was an understatement about Coolmore not letting you see the mare’s.
        I have visited Coolmore in Lexington. It might have just been the Groom that allowed me to see Giant’s Causeway that day. ( Maybe if I had a nicer groom. Don’t Know………..But they are very very strick. I emphasize that.again. I just go to stay just a few minute visiting Giant’s Causeway. They did not want you trying to pet him. No Candy. They told me he got to stay out just about I think he said 2 hours a day in the afternoon. Maybe 3 but it was very few hours. I really felt sorry for him
        Now let me say this. I can understand if they don’t want you to pet him or give him candy. I know that is there rules and I abide by it. But some of the other farms are so nice. Darley is wonderful. So is Lan’s end.
        The day I visited Coolmore they were very strick. Causeway was the only horse i could visit. If you could even call it that. But, I did get to see him. They said they didn’t have the perssonel to do it.
        So I can first hand tell you how strick Coolmore is.Asking to see one of there mare’s would just be out of the question I am sure. Unless you were a breeder.

        • Coolmore might be nicer on there open house days. I don’t know. The day I went it was only me and my brother. They’re very nice at the office there. But we just got bad luck with the groom we got to show us him. He was not interested in showing him at all.

        • Thanks Peggy N for sharing first hand experience.

          We need to keep in mind that they are doing us a favor when we visit. They get no money as we do not have breeding stock to utilize there services.
          They are all very high end farms and make loads and load of $$$$

          Bernie has a book of about 130 mares per season at $150,000 per mare.
          He brings in $19 million per breeding season/year and you can bet every mare he breeds is ripe for his reception, ovulation wise and physically desiring him. So there are “misses”.

        • Sorry “no misses” for Bernie or any of the high end stallions or the stallions at the high end Breeding farms.

        • I was going to add one more little think about Giant’s Causeway. When we were there that day. We just gotto see him in his stall. He was eating as it was around lunch time. He had his grain bin in the corner at the back. If i’m remembering right it was like an auto thing his grain was coming in. Well, anyway he had his back to us. He was enjoying his food. I kept telling him hey boy, come here. He didn’t come over to see us but everytime I called him he would kick his foot up at us. Everytime I called him. My brother (David) said well at least he’s telling you hey with his foot and was acknowledging me. That was just too cute. I think he definately knows who he is…………………………..

        • Too Cute Peggy N about Giants Causeway.

          He may like privacy when he eats, some humans do to.
          Is her personable anyway ???
          or were they in a hurry to get him fed as you came around lunch time?

          Horses like to be fed on schedule and they don’t like it when everyone
          else is getting fed and they are not. So that may have been the issue.

          Giants Causeway is absolutely gorgeous !!!

        • Max and Sign, Yes i was so hoping he would come over to visit. But it was all about his food and he was sure enjoying it. I had brought mints but they wouldn;t let him have any. I know some don’t like for them to have the mints and that’s ok.
          He is absolutely Gorgeous. He did look around at us a little bit. But, that food had his upmost attention.

        • Dear Peggy N,
          It was always frustrating to come to the barn
          At feeding time. Not only was their no attention from
          The horses, but you had to wait for 30 minutes before
          You could saddle up. Eating time is quite unique
          At the barn. Lots of banging and noise by the horses as
          Feed bucket goes down the barn and they are only focused
          On one thing food. If you are riding during feeding time
          The horse you are on knows the others are getting fed
          And he is being left out and most of the time he or she
          Is not happy. When the herd eats, all eat in a specific pecking
          Order.

          Horses are sooo much fun. Why did you not wait until
          He was done or ask to see him after he ate??? Might have worked
          Better. Oh well, sounds like they were in a hurry and acting
          Bothered!!!

        • Sign you know we came at the time they told us too. There was no one back there and I actually parked in the wrong place. The girl at the desk actually told me how to get back there to where he was. But there was just no one around. This guy finally did come up and showed us which barn it was. He showed us to Giant’s Causeways Stall. That was pretty much it. He just told us a little bit about him and that was all. This has been a few years back. We went over to this visitors office but there was no one in there. Saw some pictures and I picked up some brochures.
          The guy that was talking to us about him was just letting us see him and that was about it. I was happy to get to see him.
          This was in October and I don’t suppose he was coveirng Mares as breeding season would have been over. So I guess this was just a little more of a layed back time for them. I guess this guy was just busy with something else.

        • Dear Peggy N,
          Glad you got to see GC, wish it was a
          More positive experience. Sounds like what
          You originally said. Too laid back or not really
          Interested in having visitors. As they asked you
          To come close to feeding time and they were
          really not around.

          It is really good to hear all the stories of the farms and
          Which ones are very friendly and which ones that
          Might not be. Thanks for sharing, you are sooo lucky
          To be able to visit

        • Great stories Peggy,thanks for sharing w/ us.
          Always love hearing about the GREATS!! You can never hear enough about them! I could go see them and listen about them all day,every day.

          Sign…..meet you in KY!!!! Let’s go!

    • / Reply

      Neither one is “V”, someone is using photo shop to spread rumors.
      Go back to facebook.

        • Sign, I know! Being an older girl, I get fooled by photoshop all the time!! Who knew you could do so many strange things with photoshop? I would love the news to be true, but I agree there has been no announcement, I looked everywhere!

      • / Reply

        Isn’t that crazy? I wonder who was holding the Vertigineux imposter? Lol

        I’m going to go look up those shirts on my phone, my Google search engine, has an option to search pictures. I’m going to go see what farm has those color shirts.

    • / Reply

      Max, Thank you so much for the article. Love reading everything I can on him. they saidSnow Fairy would be his biggest rival. That is really going to be a good race.
      I just wonder if he could beat Snow Fairy. What do you think?

    • / Reply

      Would really love to see him and Snow Fairy at the BC.

      Can we be soooo lucky??? Hope so.

    • / Reply

      Sue,

      Not sure they have shared her name. She is Z’s new friend that has the same approximately foaling date.

    • / Reply

      Sign. Sorry but Teddy Grimthorpe has already announced that Frankel will race once more at British Champions Day. He is definitely not going to the Arc.

      • / Reply

        Max,

        When was that announcement ???

        Everyone keeps changing their minds, guess that is what racing is
        about !!!

        • Sign. They announced it on August 31. At the same time, Grimthorpe said that Frankel would not go to the BC. His last race is October 20 at Ascot. He’s doing a public gallop before that on September 29.

  9. / Reply

    Will say this from my experience with visiting the farms. The one I remember the least was Coolmore. Darley was where we met Bernie. He walked right up to us. We have more experience with Three Chimneys, which is wonderful, and we also enjoyed Winstar. Their office is glass-enclosed, and you walk right into the barn from there. We met Tiznow (awesome) and Bluegrass Cat, and FuPeg was there too.
    And of course Old Friends is a must-visit.

  10. / Reply

    Vicki B Near Hollywood Park — We missed your link to Kinscem. Would you mind reposting it.

    We visited the Horseracing Park in Budapest during one of our trips to Hungary and photgraphed the Kinscem bronze. We always love to ask Hungarians about her — everyone knows of and loves to talk about her. They are delighted that we know of her. I don’t think you can retain Hungarian citizenship if you are unaware of this celebrated national treasure.

  11. / Reply

    Big upset in Gallant Bloom,
    Turbulent Decent 3rd
    musical romance 4th

    Winner
    Dust and Dimonds !!!!

  12. / Reply

    Gallant Bob Staked

    Well spelled late running sprinter Wins
    Against Trinneberg and Currency Swap !!!!

  17. / Reply

    My Miss Aurelia wins. Nice job big lady; stil undefeated! What a battle, one for the ages!

    • / Reply

      Pati – don’t think you really need to worry about your outfit when many of us are trying to decide which pair of supportive shoes will look the least “dorky” :-)

    • / Reply

      Apparently My Miss is named for a member of the owner’s family. This woman attends the races and so far has been a lucky charm for the horse. Congrats on another victory.

    • / Reply

      I know, but I want to look nice for the Zenyatta after party.

      I think that Miss Aurelia being there is a wonderful omen for My Miss Aurelia. The filly always finds more and keeps going. One tough lady is just like another tough, classy lady. This BCLC, if all the talented fillies make it this year, will be one of the best in recent memory. It’s going to be an awesome two days of racing!

      • / Reply

        Pati. You’re right. My Miss really fought hard for that win. She’s a big, beautiful filly. She looked so proud at the end of the race. The fillies and mares are excelling this year.

  19. / Reply

    Way to go Miss Aurelia!!!.
    Great question Barbara and thanks for the answer Danielle. It must take a very organized mind to keep those schedules working smoothly.
    I’m happy and proud to say that Victoria was selected to exercise the horses at her college. She tried out yesterday afternoon and was successful so she will continue to ride.

  20. / Reply

    Both My Miss Aurelia and Questing were soooo superb in the Cotillion.

    Hope they battle it out in the Breeders Cup !!!!!

    Great rivalry beginning. Wish Questing did not give MMA 7 lbs, really made the difference.

    Oh well, that is racing !!!!

  25. / Reply

    Yeah !!!!
    Macho Macho Placed, Penn Derby

    In the money again, almost changed bet to place.

    Hope all took the tip !!!!

    • / Reply

      Sign,
      I didn’t see the race but heard who took 1st and 2nd but who came in 3rd? Alpha had to give 10 lbs so I’m sure that didn’t help. I had the exacta with Alpha and Stephanoatsee,(my Indy kid) but it was his first race back after injury. I certainly didn’t add to my “Let’s buy HDG and Plum Pretty so they don’t go to Japan” pot, shucks I’ve only got $59.00 bucks. How did you do? Hugs

      • / Reply

        Dear Sue Fredrick:

        I had the same Exacta that you did. Golden Ticket ran third and Stephanoatsee rand fourth. The comment for Alpha in the Equibase Result Chart for the race is: rated, led, weakened. I guess he just wasn’t into it today. Hope it’s nothing more than that. I haven’t been right yet in my choices. Maybe next week. Hugs, JB

        • Judy B.,
          I guess we’re betting with our hearts, hey. Although they both are talented horses and I heard Alpha had a 5hr ride and was very upset in the gate. Why would you van your horse the same day you are running?
          That doesn’t make sense to me I’d rather have them get there early and have time to chill especially if they are temperamental.

          Can’t wait to hear about your Papa Charlie rescue after it happens. I hope all goes well. Hugs

        • Dear Sue Fredricks:

          I know. Seems it would be better to ship at least a few days before the race so the horse can get acclimated to the track.

          Thank you for your thoughts on Papa Charlie. ‘mI starting to get anxious to get to him and have him safe in a rescue. Things are still not confirmed as yet; hopefully this week. Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        Third was Golden Ticket.
        Got the show money for MM, which is less than
        What you got.

        Glad you won !!!

  27. / Reply

    Surprise result at the Pennsylvania, I thought Alpha would take it, but I guess “that’s racing”.
    Good news about Paynter’s progress, may it continue..
    Thanks for all the good wishes about Vic, she’s one happy camper.

    • / Reply

      Kiran was worried, Alpha shipped a 5 hour drive today and appears he was upset
      in the gate and Ramon could not get him to settle. Just probably not a good shipper,
      plus he got squeezed and had a troubled trip.

      Alpha is just not that consistent although when he is good, he is really good.

    • / Reply

      HRTV showed it live, but I think it is a contract thing. TVG can only show certain tracks and HRTV can show certain tracks. I read that TVG is working a deal with Santa Anita to show their races on the TVG channel. But, they will probably show a replay on TVG when they get the video from HRTV.

    • / Reply

      I bet MM……but I seriously considered HM……he has a double dose of Nashua in his pedigree like our Zenny….shoulda…

      • / Reply

        Just a guess, Carol had better pedigree info.
        Glad you are not 0.0.

        Try to get tips from HRTV commentators as they
        Handicap all of the horses races and know if they
        Are improving and in line for a win.

        Wish I had more knowledge, handicapping can
        Be very complicated.

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