born later seems not to matter

[karenkarenn]

Sorry what I mean to say is stayers not sprinters. Like Grass horses.

[JCBloodstock]

And what's really freakish now is 1st,2nd and 3rd in The Derby were all born on May 10th.Figure out those odd's.

[Sysonby]

Are you sure that you understood what they meant by "handicapped"? As you can see, a May birthday obviously doesn't prevent horses from being good runners but you might get penalized in the market for having a May foal and a mare will get penalized for being bred late enough that she will have a May foal.

There's a reason why we all want early foals...from the mare owner perspective it gives her plenty of time to get pregnant for the next year. Also in California the foal could possibly run as a two year old in the early races and the weather is usually mild enough January and February for the foal to hang out in the pasture with no problem.

[docjocoy]

Are you sure that you understood what they meant by "handicapped"? As you can see, a May birthday obviously doesn't prevent horses from being good runners but you might get penalized in the market for having a May foal and a mare will get penalized for being bred late enough that she will have a May foal.

There's a reason why we all want early foals...from the mare owner perspective it gives her plenty of time to get pregnant for the next year. Also in California the foal could possibly run as a two year old in the early races and the weather is usually mild enough January and February for the foal to hang out in the pasture with no problem.

Exactly.

[Dave C]

Watching the 2yo sales in the summer I've also noted that birthday doesn't matter as to when a horse is ready to race. However, when you take a foal to the sales it matters very much. Buyers discount later born foals because they 'believe' they won't be ready at 2. What the buyers believe is more important than what is actually true.

As for having to break them later, if they are ready to be broke they can be broke, regardless of the calendar. Many of the Jan. babies will be broke in Oct. even if though they aren't ready just because the calendar says so. Maturity, not age determines readiness to race, readiness to be broke. JMHO

[karenkarenn]

I think everyone on this board knows that reason. But why I posted this is to find more May babies that were a success.

[zinn21]

Wonder how many Derby winners are May foals??

[karenkarenn]

Thank you Zinn

[Tiz]

I think more May babies have won the KD, then any other month's foals.

[Bunty Lawless]

I have been told that horse born in late April and May are seriously handicapped.

It's hard to see how just a few weeks can create a serious handicap. As you've proven for yourself, the person who told you that was wrong.

Can't tell you how many times I hear breeders say they don't want a late foal.

Interesting bit of trivia: Bold Ruler and Round Table both born on April 6th.

Several great horses born in April: Damascus, Dr. Fager, Exclusive Native, Raise A Native, Ruffian, Sadlers Wells, Barbaro

May greats: Northern Dancer, Spend A Buck

[griff]

I have a foal due in June and his advantage is he will not race until he is a 3 YO..

I thought about leaving the mare open until next year but then realized I could race a more mature horse in 2012 or less mature horse in 2012.

Of course you do not get to the derby that way but my horses are not derby quality anyway.

griff

[spex4me]

I think and I could be wrong, March has the most Derby winners, with February coming second.... I think January is the least... Of course I cannot for the life of me figure out why my trusty google search isn't returning this information.

I say take it one step further ... astrological signs of winners!!! I say this for entertainment value only... though I also thought that at one time there was a service (not joking) that analyzed birth dates of runners.

[spex4me]

Yeah google came through with info from the Downey Profile , of course this is 2006 so add the last 3 winners...

Of those 46 winners, 15 were foaled in March, 13 were foaled in February, and 11 were foaled in April - 39 in all. And more to the point, only one of the remaining seven winners was foaled in January - Grindstone (January 23, 1993). The other six were May foals. Putting this more into perspective, we can see that 32 of those 46 winners ewre foaled in March or later, and that 14 were foaled before March. - but only Grindstone saved January from being shut out. The last Derby winner foaled in May was Thunder Gulch (May 23,1992). Before that, it had been ten years since a May foal won the Kentucky Derby. That was Spend a Buck (May 4, 1992) who actually had his third birthday three days after that year’s Run for the Roses. The month with the longest consecutive string of winners is March. Foals born that month won the Kentucky Derby for eight straight years (1998-1993).

http://www.whas11.com/derbyrace/stories/WHAS11_DERBYPICKS_earlybornfoal.8b63300e.html

[zinn21]

I wonder if you took the Derby winners and month born statistics and transferred to Preakness winners, Belmont winners, Graded stakes winners, stakes winners, winners it would form similar percentages?

[karenkarenn]

Hello
I see this post went far. Thanks for the info. I wish I get notifications to see this.
I too would like to know about the Graded races too.
Its alot of research..
karen