Pedigree Query

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... ings-in-ky


What happened in Ca. for Giacomo?

Havent you heard? California's breeding industry has been in a nosedive for years with no rescue in sight. The Jockey Club estimates that only 1600 foals were dropped in CA this year, the lowest number since I was a kid in the 1960's. And yearling prices are about on par with those 30 years ago. Most good mares have left for Kentucky and other states, and the stallion roster is without question the weakest I've ever seen. The best horses are Unusual Heat (22 years), and a number of KY castoffs (like Giacomo, whose owner found his reception there so underwhelming that he's back in the bluegrass.)

So, declines in quantity and quality of better-class bloodstock are creating a vacuum from which there is little chance of escape.

Self-serving and out-of-touch "leaders" have precipitated California's downfall by, first, denying any problems in the industry; second, taking a nap while straddling the fence on major issues; and third, assigning blame to each other instead of taking responsibility for their dire lack of innovations.

Frankly, that's why I moved to Kentucky. For all its problems, it's far easier to make a good living here in the horse business than in California. It's clear as can be that the CA breeding industry is on it's way to the history books; I predict that within 10 years only five to 10 big breeders (meaning subsidized from family businesses) will monopolize the politics and the market. The little guy has little chance to make it, unless he's just in it for fun. The days of selling horse farms for housing developments is all but over, so the smaller breeders can't console themselves with the fact that they lost money in horses but made it up on the sale of their acreage.

And that, IMO, is why stallions like GIACOMO arent sufficiently patronized. (BTW, another KY transplant HEATSEEKER bred only 51 mares there too). It's a very sad state of affairs.

where was Tiago before?
I am sorry I am thinking he was in New York with Silent Name.
If I am right is new york doing that bad too?

Tiago was in New York. He bred only one mare in 2012 due to sickness or injury. Remember, too, both these horses are owned by Frank Stronach, who is well known for his capricious changes of heart.

OMG I didn't know that he only bred one. wow

Barcaldine wrote:Tiago was in New York. He bred only one mare in 2012 due to sickness or injury. Remember, too, both these horses are owned by Frank Stronach, who is well known for his capricious changes of heart.

are you sure about that? Stronach OWNS both of them? those are moss horses, I'm nto saying you are wrong i'm just saying that would seem odd. You would think that the mosses are the type that would not actually sale a horse to a farm upon retirement.

I figured Stronach had some type of breeding deal to stand the horses i did not know he owned them outright. In fact I assumed it was the mosses that wanted the horses in CA in the first place

bdw0617 wrote:

Barcaldine wrote:Tiago was in New York. He bred only one mare in 2012 due to sickness or injury. Remember, too, both these horses are owned by Frank Stronach, who is well known for his capricious changes of heart.

are you sure about that? Stronach OWNS both of them? those are moss horses, I'm nto saying you are wrong i'm just saying that would seem odd. You would think that the mosses are the type that would not actually sale a horse to a farm upon retirement.

I figured Stronach had some type of breeding deal to stand the horses i did not know he owned them outright. In fact I assumed it was the mosses that wanted the horses in CA in the first place

The Mosses sold them. They are not really in the breeding business, in spite of Zenyatta.

Barcaldine wrote:

Havent you heard? California's breeding industry has been in a nosedive for years with no rescue in sight. The Jockey Club estimates that only 1600 foals were dropped in CA this year, the lowest number since I was a kid in the 1960's. And yearling prices are about on par with those 30 years ago. Most good mares have left for Kentucky and other states, and the stallion roster is without question the weakest I've ever seen. The best horses are Unusual Heat (22 years), and a number of KY castoffs (like Giacomo, whose owner found his reception there so underwhelming that he's back in the bluegrass.)

So, declines in quantity and quality of better-class bloodstock are creating a vacuum from which there is little chance of escape.

Self-serving and out-of-touch "leaders" have precipitated California's downfall by, first, denying any problems in the industry; second, taking a nap while straddling the fence on major issues; and third, assigning blame to each other instead of taking responsibility for their dire lack of innovations.

Frankly, that's why I moved to Kentucky. For all its problems, it's far easier to make a good living here in the horse business than in California. It's clear as can be that the CA breeding industry is on it's way to the history books; I predict that within 10 years only five to 10 big breeders (meaning subsidized from family businesses) will monopolize the politics and the market. The little guy has little chance to make it, unless he's just in it for fun. The days of selling horse farms for housing developments is all but over, so the smaller breeders can't console themselves with the fact that they lost money in horses but made it up on the sale of their acreage.

And that, IMO, is why stallions like GIACOMO arent sufficiently patronized. (BTW, another KY transplant HEATSEEKER bred only 51 mares there too). It's a very sad state of affairs.

I think you are 100% correct unfortunately. The high costs and low purses especially in NorCal are killing the game.

zinn21 wrote:Barcaldine wrote:

Havent you heard? California's breeding industry has been in a nosedive for years with no rescue in sight. The Jockey Club estimates that only 1600 foals were dropped in CA this year, the lowest number since I was a kid in the 1960's. And yearling prices are about on par with those 30 years ago. Most good mares have left for Kentucky and other states, and the stallion roster is without question the weakest I've ever seen. The best horses are Unusual Heat (22 years), and a number of KY castoffs (like Giacomo, whose owner found his reception there so underwhelming that he's back in the bluegrass.)

So, declines in quantity and quality of better-class bloodstock are creating a vacuum from which there is little chance of escape.

Self-serving and out-of-touch "leaders" have precipitated California's downfall by, first, denying any problems in the industry; second, taking a nap while straddling the fence on major issues; and third, assigning blame to each other instead of taking responsibility for their dire lack of innovations.

Frankly, that's why I moved to Kentucky. For all its problems, it's far easier to make a good living here in the horse business than in California. It's clear as can be that the CA breeding industry is on it's way to the history books; I predict that within 10 years only five to 10 big breeders (meaning subsidized from family businesses) will monopolize the politics and the market. The little guy has little chance to make it, unless he's just in it for fun. The days of selling horse farms for housing developments is all but over, so the smaller breeders can't console themselves with the fact that they lost money in horses but made it up on the sale of their acreage.

And that, IMO, is why stallions like GIACOMO arent sufficiently patronized. (BTW, another KY transplant HEATSEEKER bred only 51 mares there too). It's a very sad state of affairs.

I think you are 100% correct unfortunately. The high costs and low purses especially in NorCal are killing the game.

I have asked to myself a few times if the higher rate of geldings on their racing stock over there is a symptom of a so-so perception over its own breeding industry and breeding stock.

Well, What about New York. Why did he move Tiago?
K

And now he is moving Silent Name to Canada, Why are these horses leaving New York?

Stronach has been shuffling his stallions from KY to FL to CA to NY and back for several years now. I don't think it's as much a commentary on the state of NY breeding as it is his penchant for giving his horses opportunities in a variety of regions. Or maybe he's just really fickle.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... ngs-canada

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... ing-season

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... -stallions

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... aded-north

what about Texas, Why not give it a shot there too?
K

He tried it once before, with Running Stag.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... s-in-texas

Too bad about Giacomo, I thought he would be a great fit for California speed plus a nice outcross. In additon his numbers are just getting better.

On the other hand Kentucky did not support him (37 mares in 2011).