Barefoot Babe

[Jessi P]

What a shame ML. How awful to be on your way to pick up a horse only to be told that you need to be screened and the mare will be racing one more time. I can imagine the mare was feeling good when she was walked yesterday (with the chilly weather they all feel good), maybe jumping around and acting full of herself, and the trainer looked at the horse, then the condition book and decided, perhaps in cooperation with the owner, that she should have "Just one more race." How frustrating for you being on your way to give her a great home only to find out that you got spun. Are they willing to sell you about the mare after she races?

Back to the topic posted originally. Yesterday, we contacted the organization about this mare. We were in Maryland for the Fas-T sale and stated that we would like to get this mare and bring here back to Indiana to breed to our Halo son. We were emailed with a contact number of who was handling her placement.

This morning we were on our way to Laurel Park to pick her up when we were then called and told that we had to 'qualify' before we could get her and that she was running this week. I would hate to be the person on the other end of the line who told Wayne Houston that he first needed to qualify to get a horse.

He is one of the most competent 'qualified' horseman that there are. And if she has chips in her knee and ankle why in the world would you send a crippled horse to the track, that you supposedly wanted to rehome? This who thing is a crock.

Why were we not told yesterday about some kind of qualification? So much for trying to give a mare a good home...

[springboro]

way off topic, but for those who want to read about inbreeding and Winloc's Millie, check out this URL: http://www.werkhorse.com/whoshotwhosnot ... e/7/?cat=1

[springboro]

Someone needs to post Untuttable on the wall of the Color Breeders forum to show them that a horse can be 2 x 4 and successful. A few weeks ago someone actually called the Jockey Club to complain that a different color breeder's horse was too inbred, when it was something like 3 x 3.

Don't twist what I said JeesP. I called the JC for clarification of a current pedigee and one similar to it in 2009.
Both times the JC said both foals were "strongly" inbred, and they highly don't recommend breeding that closely.
Why would the JC lie to me 2 years in a row JessP?

My opinion and several others, are that the foals are inbred.
I wonder what the statistics are for inbred or closely line bred TB's
winning compared to how many are slaughtered each year JessP?
Do you have those figures as well?

Just an observation, but color breeders who are using Racey Remarque should note that his dam, Patchy Lassy, is the product of a 2X2 inbreeding to Give Em the Ax.

Linebreeding to set certain traits has been used successfully for years.

Look at Rasmussen's theories too. Linebreeding to superior mares is another proven technique.

Quarter Horse people surely can see that the Skipster horses were frequently daughters bred back to fathers. Dog breeders often employe similar breeding techniques. I think we tend to anthropomorphize our feelings about incest in these situations.

[mlwinter]

Are they willing to sell you about the mare after she races?

Jessi,
Wayne was so upset he didn't ask and had to be heading back to Indiana. He is not going to make another long trip to Maryland for her. He was furious about them saying she was entered in a race and was supposedly that unsound with chips. I just pray she comes off the track okay and gets a good home.

[bayrabicano]

Sorry about that. The mare looked interesting to me when I noticed her in the pop-up ads. Interestingly, the lister re-homes thoroughbreds and has a lot for sale...

http://www.equinenow.com/farm/leighton_farm,_llc.htm

and FAQ page...

http://www.leightonfarm.com/faqs.htm

I checked Equibase and don't see that Barefoot Babe is scheduled to run anywhere. It looks like the last time she ran (11/17) was at Charles Town, not Laurel Park...but, she did race at Laurel 10/19.

No idea. Anyway, sorry about that.

[Runnerandrider]

I do want to point out that I have worked with Leighton Farms before in getting OTTB's and have never run into any problem. May have been a miscommunication between the owner and the volunteers Kimberly has working on the track. Not trying to defend sending a mare with known chips back to the races, but Kimberly (Leighton's owner) does great work.

[Linda_d]

Quarter Horse people surely can see that the Skipster horses were frequently daughters bred back to fathers. Dog breeders often employe similar breeding techniques. I think we tend to anthropomorphize our feelings about incest in these situations.

The King Ranch established their foundation QH stock by close inbreeding (sire to daughters/paternal half brothers and sisters, etc) and then line-breeding to the QH stallion Old Sorrel. They did that successfully for about 50 years before they "outcrossed" to another sire line, Mr San Peppy, a stallion whose damsire came from old King Ranch foundation breeding (ie, Old Sorrel line), so that even when they "outcrossed", they kept the line-breeding aspect.

[francesca]

Must have definitely been misunderstanding. Kimberly Clark has great reputation and does a very good job.

[mlwinter]

No, it wasn't Kimberly. I have no issues with her or what she is trying to do. She just sent us the contact information for the person who was handling the placement.

I just feel bad for the mare, we were trying to get her a good home and off the track. She was entered today at Laurel Park. I wish her luck and a safe trip.

[springboro]

No, it wasn't Kimberly. I have no issues with her or what she is trying to do. She just sent us the contact information for the person who was handling the placement.

I just feel bad for the mare, we were trying to get her a good home and off the track. She was entered today at Laurel Park. I wish her luck and a safe trip.

are we still talking about Barefoot Babe? I don't see her listed in any of the entries at Laurel today.

[LB]

She's entered on 12/11 at Laurel, in race 9, for a $4,500 tag.

[foothillsequine]

This situation sucks. I can't believe a conscientious owner would do this to their horse! That said, it's owners like this that give all of us a bad name . (yes, I know it's a blanket statement), but breeders have enough difficulty without these types of things added to our difficulties. If I had the extra cash I would claim her and give her to mlwinter. Unfortunately I can't. I wish her a safe trip, and a good home...

[mlwinter]

This situation sucks. I can't believe a conscientious owner would do this to their horse! That said, it's owners like this that give all of us a bad name . (yes, I know it's a blanket statement), but breeders have enough difficulty without these types of things added to our difficulties. If I had the extra cash I would claim her and give her to mlwinter. Unfortunately I can't. I wish her a safe trip, and a good home...

Thank you for your comment. I agree, things like this give racing a bad name. We all know horses get sent to the track in unsound condition all the time. But to knowingly announce her unsoundness to sympathetically play on peoples emotions to find her a new home and then not honor that is what gives rehoming a bad taste.

Good horses are a dime a dozen right now in any breed, but especially Thoroughbreds. We retrain and rehome our racehorses, so I understand the time and money it takes to do this.

Now the issue for us is the cost of shipping from Laurel to Indiana when we were already right there. But, I want to her owner and trainer to know she would still have a home here, if they would like to send her.

[Sylvie Hebert]

This is done all the time"ONE LAST RACE"and right after the race,if the horse is still standing they call you to get rid of him...Or wait it races tonight,if it is still alive after you can have it...
Or worst,it is listed on Canter but when you go to the barn or call,well.. we will try him "ONE LAST RACE"...
Or...you send a deposit on the horse and arrange to pay board,and pick it up in a week.Then you check the form to see YOUR horse running in the meantime,entered after the deal...
And,trust me,it is raced with shoes from 2-3 months ago and who cares about after the race,it is already gone in their mind and wallet,just throw it in the stall...
So i get there and it is on 3 legs,sore all over,and in distress.We had one die on the road,most don't eat for days,and are so scared and sore.They sure won't tell if the horse is a cribber or stallwalker or needs any meds...
Sound for a tracker only means it is not dead yet and the blind as a bat track vet will let it go to post...so most horses are unsound and sometimes VERY SORE,more like lame... injected knees,wind broke,foot fracture,chips in ankles,stiffles...
How do you want us to be able to sell/place/give it?They don't care,they just want it gone,off their feed bill,off their responsibility,preferably across the border so nobody ever see them at auction or know they want them dead......so crippled and they ran just before being picked up. "ONE LAST RACE" to make sure they got everything out of that poor skin,to make sure the well is dry,that he does not stand a chance...."ONE LAST CHANCE"

Yes i am mad,
ashamed,
and so sad.

[IcouldbeU]

Sylvie
From reading your recent posts. You sound really burned out and ready for a change. Maybe you need to get away from the track awhile, go on vacation or start a legitimate rescue. They are sorely needed these days.
I do think it is a real shame that ML had a home for this mare and the owners had to get the last race out of her first.