TALKING ABOUT A MONOPOLY!

[Shammy Davis]

In 2003, the JC reported that 26% of all TB foals registered in the US were from KY. During that breeding season 20K mares were bred to 386 stallions in KY. This calculates to a average books size of 51.5 mares. The 2005 KY books are only getting bigger. In 2005 KY stood 86 of the 126 stallions in the US breeding over 100 mares. The four stallions bred to over 200 mares all stood in KY.* Wow!!!!! No wonder why I noticed only 2 VA stallions advertised in the special 2005 December stallion edition of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred. With MD and PA beefing up their stallion ranks, DE and NJ now in the chase, and with NE practically out of business, who else on the East Coast can compete with those figures? One thing for sure, I don't think in the long run this is good for the industry. *Source: Equine Disease Quarterly, January 2006.

[madelyn]

Ummm. Shammy, the Thoroughbred industry has long been one of the top three industries in the state of Kentucky, and you are just now noticing?

Here's an interesting exercise for you.. take a map. Take pins, one for each Thoroughbred racetrack in America, fashioned with tags representing the daily purses and stick them in the map where the tracks are located. Take a calendar and plot the racing days of all the tracks within a four hour trailer ride of Lexington... then do the same for the other places in the east you think should be Thoroughbred breeding centers. Now calculate the total purses available times racing days and see if you can come up with a viable, sustainable economic argument as to why Kentucky should get out of the breeding business and someone else should take up the flag. Now raise all of the economic partners you need and come buy out the industry. Oh and you might have to do some major land redevelopment to get thousands of acres with a limestone base to dedicate to growing strong horses instead of houses and factories, not to mention where are you going to get the limestone....but that would be like playing Monopoly...

Were you trying to be funny with that bit about the "long run of the industry"?

[Shammy Davis]

I guess I'm not surprised. I didn't really know the figures were that high. I just hadn't thought about it recently. The newsletter article I read was about mare foaling efficiency and production. I guess I'm more disappointed that VA's industry, with the exception of few like Edward Evans, is in decline. Gambling in NJ, NY, WV,and PA definitely helps their industries. DE is working on a productive incentive program. MD is holding off on slots, but I figure it won't be long. Major producers in Va are using KY stallions and its unlikely the VA legislature is going to look at gambling in the next 20 years. Basically, Jeffrey Jacobs, owner of Colonial Downs, is holding his own with 43 days of racing and 10 satellite betting parlors. With electronic betting through phonebet, TVG, etc. he is able to supplement the handle. There are really no attractive stallions standing in VA so money is leaving the state. I guess, I can place the blame on my VA forefathers. Central KY in colonial times was part of VA.

[wilf]

We can dissect this business til dawn but I still love the indisputable fact that two of the great horses in thoroughbred history grew up in Virginia. They both became household names in every country that holds racing.........Secretariat and Mill Reef.

[JCBloodstock]

We can dissect this business til dawn but I still love the indisputable fact that two of the great horses in thoroughbred history grew up in Virginia. They both became household names in every country that holds racing.........Secretariat and Mill Reef.

LOL-And another one by the name of Northern Dancer never stood in Kentucky-go figure

[Shammy Davis]

Wilf: You made my day!

[Pete]

Hi All,

Danzig and Storm Cat were bred in Pennsylvania

Pete

[Shammy Davis]

Pete: That's an excellent thought. I recently read that Spendthrift (?) is devesting itself of some stallions. PRIZE went to WV. With GO FOR GIN going to PA (or MD, can't remember) the percentages maybe slowly moving up, but then MALIBU MOON went from MD to KY. All even again. And VA can't catch a break. Last year, BLACK TIE AFFAIR went to WV. PS. Welcome back, I've missed your thoughtful posts.

[Pete]

Hi Shammy,

Thanks for the kind words - hope you and your family had a great holiday season.

Go For Gin to MD (Murmurr Farm).

The reason you stand a new stallion regionally is to hit the jackpot that's clearly defined as a one way ticket to KY

Going the other way is often useful to the region but usually an indication of not meeting expectations.

Regards,

Pete

[Shammy Davis]

Pete: I agree. Best wishes for your New Year.

[wilf]

Kentucky is a juggernaut, the water smells of sulphur and the winters are brutal. Oh and by the way the medication allowed on raceday is a disgrace to a state advocating the purity of the breed and blowing the trumpets as the world leader of the sport. We have many promises to keep in this great sport and increasingly I find that California< Tiznow>, Maryland <Cigar>, Pennsylvania <Danzig> Florida < Skip Away> and New York ~< Funny Cide> are getting the job done with less fanfare but no less sense of pride and purpose.

[JimbleBrimble]

Here's an interesting exercise for you.. take a map. Take pins, one for each Thoroughbred racetrack in America, fashioned with tags representing the daily purses and stick them in the map where the tracks are located. Take a calendar and plot the racing days of all the tracks within a four hour trailer ride of Lexington... then do the same for the other places in the east you think should be Thoroughbred breeding centers.

Well, the "center" part of that loses something given that more than one-third of your circle with Lexington at the center, would have only Kentucky Downs on the list.

Kentucky may be the result of moderate climate and land that is somewhat expendable to population masses and other human needs.

By the way, even if you bring back the Birmingham Turf Club, you still won't have anything significant within a four-hour van ride for more than one-third of your circle. (that's 400 miles away)

[Shammy Davis]

I've been to KY many times and it is a beautiful state. If what Wilf says is right, I not drinking the water anymore though. I was watching TVG last SAT and Gary Stevens has been added to their anchor desk. Talking about POINT GIVEN, Gary indicated that he and Bob Baffert knew in advance that PG would have trouble with Louisville track. The reason was that CD soups up the track before the derby to make it lightning fast. I've got a problem with that, if it is true. I don't see any reason for that. Tell me ain't so, Madelyn.

[Mahubah]

Don't know about Kentucky, but just southwards in my native Tennessee, there was plenty of sulphur water that would about knock you over on the taste -- it's indescribable, with the classic rotten-egg smell. Won't hurt you any (lots of iron to it, matter of fact), but I remember at camp we used to mix it up with Kool-Aid lemonade because that was about the only flavor strong enough to disguise the taste. Whewee!

[roving boy]

Central Kentucky has some sulphur water, but the majority if its springs are not sulphurous. The limestone present acts as a constant filter and its layered composition is responsible for the vast number of springs.

By the way, one farm that I ran had a sulphur spring (the other two springs on the farm were not). The old horseman we leased the farm from swore by the sulphur water for hosing any kind of abrasion or wound. He also claimed it produced better bone. I can not speak on the better bone claim, but it certainly seemed to work wonders on the wounds.