Pedigree Query

See other thread regarding Tribulations.

Within an hour or so from the news about Spanish Guitar's stillborn filly in New York , I got another call . This is one from Kentucky, where my mare Hop to It was due to foal yesterday . She delivered a big brown colt by Petionville about 2pm EST, and both are doing well so far . The farm manager was on the way to the breeding shed with another mare, so he was just announcing the birth on the way out the driveway. Hop's baby hadn't even gotten up yet, and his wife was caring for my brood. He'll update me later when he returns .

Same thing happened last year--out of my four pregnant mares, one foal died and another was born on the same day (May 20 last year). How strange!

Well, it doesn't make losing one any easier, but at least there's also something positive going on to take some of your thoughts away from the other situation.

You know, this seems to have been a difficult year for a lot of people. I keep hearing more and more stories from people having a rough time this year. I know this has been hands down the hardest year for us since we got into the business.

Let's just hope that those of us who have experienced losses this year have "paid our dues" for a while and have nothing but good things to look forward to in the future.

Hope you're right, Kevin . On the other hand, if I fail the tests God gives me , I'll just get to keep trying to pass next time!

I don't yet have pictures, but I had no problem coming up with a name for the new charge. He is a son of Petionville, which is a city on the island of Haiti. This little fellow is now officially named ISLAND FLAIR. I hear he is a big plump ornery boy, was running about his paddock at day one. Hop to It is fine.

Today I received an e-mail with pictures of the new youngster and he is a beauty like his mama. (Of course I'm objective as an observer.) I've already showed the pictures thru e-mails to lots of people, and to the mechanics that serviced my car, to the students and teachers and administrators at my school.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e347/ ... 5-1-06.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e347/ ... ewborn.jpg