Fantastic pedigree...no produce record...what to do?

[bridlewise]

For the second time in 12 months, this same mare is going through the auction in my "relative" neck of the woods and I am once more going through a longing to buy...but I need a logic check!

Here is the pedigree: http://www.pedigreequery.com/southern+chime3

A full sister to 2 stakes winners and 2 stakes producers as well as being from the family of Relaunch, Rubiano and Glitterman makes her enticing until you see her produce record which is a big ZERO! Not a starter from 3 foals of racing age (by With Approval, Favorite Trick and Stormy Atlantic respectively) and she is not currently in foal due to a late May foaling to a Oklahoma stallion named Thorn Cat. She also has a yearling by Stormy Atlantic. I am assuming all of these horses are residing in Oklahoma as that has been her home state since 2003.

My question to the masses has 3 parts:

Would you buy her?
In the current market, at what price?
Who then would you breed her to (she'd be shipped to KY)? ***I really want to breed her to a Relaunch stallion and see what happens!***

[LB]

Before you go any farther with your plans, is there a way to find out why her foals aren't making it to the track? Stormy Atlantic is turning into a serious sire--which potentially could work either for you or against you in this instance.

There's the possibility that one of her Stormy Atlantics will step up and put something on the page. But there's also the possibility that her previous owner--having seen and not liked what she produced with several good stallions--had good reason to drop her down to Thorn Cat for her most recent mating.

Any more digging around you can do into her produce record and the physical attributes of her foals (including xrays and scopes) would probably be a big plus.

[merse]

Any more digging around you can do into her produce record and the physical attributes of her foals (including xrays and scopes) would probably be a big plus.

LB, out of curiosity, how does one go about researching these items?

[LB]

Any more digging around you can do into her produce record and the physical attributes of her foals (including xrays and scopes) would probably be a big plus.

LB, out of curiosity, how does one go about researching these items?

Well, I guess I'd start by asking the current owner of the mare why he only wanted to own her for less than a year. Then I'd see if the previous owner might be inclined to give me any info. Then I'd look up who owned the progeny and try them.

Depending on what sale the mare has gone through and how large the TB community is in that area, I'd probably dig around and see if I could find someone who's familiar with her or her offspring. For example, I have a friend who's a bloodstock agent who looks at every yearling that sells at F-T July and KeeSep (every one, every year ). So if I needed info about yearlings that had sold through that sale, I'd find out hip #s and call and ask what her notes said. Maybe the consignor could tell me something about vet reports? You'd be amazed what kinds of information turn out to be floating around when you start asking questions.

Granted, it amounts to a bit of work, but this is a tough time to be spending money, so you might as well make it worth your while.

[bridlewise]

I'm on the trail with the former owners...but no response as of yet. Since she has been offered for sale twice in 12 months, I have a terrble feeling that A. the mare is lame or crazy or B. Her offspring are lame or crazy or C. BOTH!

But then again, this mare is in the midst of quarter horse racing country and few breeders have any use for her particular set of goods!

[bridlewise]

I just noted that Chimes Band (the mare's full brother) died after complications from wobbler's syndrome...any thoughts on the heritability in this set of bloodlines?

[jennywho]

Definately try to find out why her horses haven't raced. I have a mare in the same spot. Her first foal hung a leg over the walker and bowed at 2, second got deathly ill at 2 and ended up a severe roarer as a result and the third suffered severe injuries as a result of someone turning him out in barbed wire. Maybe she is unlucky, but it certainly wasn't her fault the first three didn't make it to the races.