Star Crossed

[ct2346]

I do not normally believe in such hooey but I have recently seen a couple of examples of mares being star crossed and passing it on to their foals. Makes me wonder.

We bought a big Indian Charlie mare two years ago that went through a horrible birth and we ended up losing her on the table. I made the call to go in and cut the foal out...he survived, and prospered under a nurse mare...shipped him to warmer climes, brought him up for a sale, RNA'd him then watched him run into a tree and split his head open. He was put down.

Bought a big Cozzene mare a year and a half ago. She foaled out last year but it was very difficult. She ended up rupturing - we were able to save her, but she is no longer able to be bred. Her colt has grown and this year caught his halter, banged his head around, lost two teeth, fractured his skull, but is on the path to recovery.

Seems that the first mare was more star crossed than the second.

I'm wondering if there is a level of fate that applies to mares and is passed on to their offspring. If so, please advise me of the associated tests and which sales companies allow you to run them right on their grounds.

[Laurierace]

I have no idea what you are referring to. You want the sales company to allow you to run "tests" to determine if the horse is unlucky? Would it involve the psychic friends network? If so they work over the phone so you probably wouldn't have to get permission for that.

[aurora]

Nah, I don't think they are star crossed. They are all looking for a way to kill themselves.

[ireneinwa]

Sympathy goes out to you.....Hope you have better luck in the future...

[jellac]

The only consolation I can offer you is as to the colt that has so far survived fracturing his skull. One of our recent Derby winners, SMARTY JONES, was just such a survivor. He went on to race very successfully and agressively - after fracturing his skull in a starting gate fracas as a youngster and barely making it through months of recovery. At one point it was seriously considered to put him down his survival/recovery to any usefulness seemed so in doubt. Also one the Stonerside homebred succeses was also a horse that seemed doomed as a young foal. He became ill as a weanling I recall and for months drifted between recovering and capitulating for months before finally rallying and overcoming what the infection that ailed him. Althought this necessarily delayed his getting started early as a 2YO, as a 3YO and older horse he went on to win multiple G-1 races.

So, some of these seemingly star crossed horses do seem to be able to 'change their luck' quite a bit.

[Crystal]

wouldn't that be full dislosure at the sale.. high possibility of being accident prone?

[ct2346]

Crystal -

You gave me an idea. I'm calling Jess Jackson.

Thanks.