Who would you breed Zenyatta to?

[Derby2004]

come on guys, it will be ap indy. storm cat and kingmambo are done, breeding to dynaformer will produce an 18 hand monster that will likely injure Z during delivery. This is the queen and she will be bred to the best. So there are only a few logical choices, mainly AP Indy, Distorted Humor and Giants Causeway. Get Devil His Due out of your head, that will NEVER happen. If it were me, id go distorted humor all the way. Nice speed injection and a stud that really out produces anything consistently. But Im sure Mr Farish is pushing AP to the Mosses.

[zinn21]

The Moss's with an exciting future decision. I would love to see her go to Candy Ride then ship to California and foal, then breed back to Unusual Heat. I can dream can't I??

[springboro]

has anyone said Langfur? Champion sprinter with an affinity for Mr. P mares... adds speed with no inbreeding.

And Hard Spun is another rising option...

[springboro]

and, for the sake of breeding discussion, I like her with the the great miler Exit to Nowhere... a very close relative to Machivellian. Yup, some serious inbreeding 2X4 there.

[springboro]

and MEDAGLIA D'ORO is another great choice, but ultimately, it has to be AP INDY. He's getting up there in age and won't be around much longer. What's his fertility like?

[Tappiano]

I just want to point out that the Moss's have never seemed to care about how commercial a pedigree was on a horse they wanted to buy so why does everyone assume she would only go to stallions who are? I'm not saying she won't go to AP Indy, but they don't care about getting a foal that won't get to the race until it's almost 4.... so that does not rule out something that tends to throw larger foals anyway.

The trend over at some of the big farms was to send older mare's to the incoming stallions to help "make" them, who's to say in Zenyatta's case they would not do it in reverse?

Just hypothetical stuff, that's all.

[Matchemforever]

Oiyee….can’t help but try my hand at this.

Purim-
Although he’s questionable at 17 hands, with him you get Dynaformer so you bring back in HTR and Ribot plus the dam carries a cross of HRT but through Bold Reason instead. Purim’s dam carries some Argentine breeding just like Vertigineux and although it’s not close, Atlas brings in Hyperion as Forli does in Vertigineux, both through Aristophanes.

Stephen Got Even-
I like him better physically than his sire, A.P. Indy for Zenyatta. He brings in a cross of Turn-To, HTR’s sire on his dam’s side, through Best Turn

Giants Causeway-
Not on my radar early because I was trying to keep both Northern Dancer and Prospector out. Definitely not another Prospector line with a mare this big. I’m not sure about type but what’s a bit interesting is that this would put Roberto top and bottom in the foal and of course doubles up on the mare, Bramalea. Natalma is also repeated via Northern Dancer and through Raise the Standard in Zen’s pedigree.

Hat Trick-
I like this horse because I think he’d improve on Zen’s top line and he’s a miler- so shouldn’t shorten up the progeny too much. Brings HTR back in, this time through Halo, Ribot through Arts and Letters. (Zen has him through Tom Rolfe) Hyperion connection in the dam line through Alibhai and there’s more Hyperion if you get back. I’m guessing this guy gets no respect because he’s a Sunday Silence and has some “old” lines. I don’t know what he’s produced here but I also don’t know if he’s had the best opportunity.

A.P. Indy-
I don’t like his type with Z. He has a brilliant pedigree, to my mind, to be the sire he is. Lot’s of La Troienne there. Might be a good outcross sire for Z, but for getting a good horse to breed on….dunno.

I’m thinking more for a horse to breed on, rather than just to race. Purim first and if Giant’s Causeway is not too off type, he’s interesting because of the repeats in spite of Northern Dancer

[horse]

Re: Cinderella Stallion
Now that this speculative discussion on breeding has become theater and border line teary-eyed beyond reason, let's throw BLAME into the mix. Simply because he was the only horse to have finished ahead of her, proving his outright superiority. Oh, that's another story, (sorry to have drifted off topic).
Werk Nick produced an "A" rating of +190 (based on the Arch - Mr. Prospector cross). (Not good enough you say!)
What would that match do for Claiborne if the resulting foal became a champion?
_________________
Just some more speculation, my 2 cents worth.

[zinn21]

Springboro wrote:

And Hard Spun is another rising option...

Great idea. I can't wait to see the Hard Spun's run. There was something about him as a racehorse that I think separated him from most. And that was a tremendous amount of racing energy.

[Bast]

I would not risk a mare like Zenyatta to a pregnancy carrying any but a foal sired by a proven stallion. Most stallions are failures as sires.

[Prairie]

Distorted Humor or his son, Endorsement.

[erins isle]

Maybe in future Sea the Stars!

That would be something to see Zenyatta coming to Europe!!

I also may dream may I?

[Toccet02]

Now I remember reading all this genetic stuff about fast twitch muscles--what about breeding her to a stallion with agility if not speed--a subtle distinction perhaps, but might that infuse her stamina and will to win with an ability to hustle a little? Break from the gate a little less like a camel? (no disrespect, I love her)

[Toccet02]

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/truenicks/Ian/Zenyatta_BAR_2.pdf

seems the experts have devoted a 60-+ page pdf to this very question . . .

[Tappiano]

I liked all the colors on the Desert Party x Zenyatta best