Rachel Alexandra

[carole]

Short update on Rachel and her babies
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... -alexandra

[CoronadosQuest]

I really want more photos of Taco. He looks lovely in that one training pic!

[Sheepish]

I'd love to see more about both Taco and the filly.

[Sheepish]

Pic of Rachel's girl up on Facebook today

[CoronadosQuest]

She looks so much like mama! What a beautiful little girl she has become! I wish we could see updated pics of Taco too.

[carole]

Pic of Rachel's girl up on Facebook today

Wow I thought that was Rachel until I read the caption and realised Rachel has a darker coat, but wow this filly looks beautiful!

I too would love to see updates on Taco!

[GreenasGrass]

Oh she grew up nicely. I too would love more updates on Taco. And chilli too for that matter.

[BaroqueAgain1]

Isn't Chili this filly? Rachel has had only two foals, I think.

[GreenasGrass]

Isn't Chili this filly? Rachel has had only two foals, I think.

Chilli is Union Jackson. Hot Dixie Chick's first colt. He was quite the looker as a foal.

[Ballerina]

Wonderful interview article with Barbara Banke from Keeneland.com. It's very much a given, according to what Banke says, that Rachel will not b bred again.

http://www.keeneland.com/sites/default/ ... aBanke.pdf

[BaroqueAgain1]

I wonder if that means that her reproductive tract never completely healed after her last foaling. That's a shame, since I think she could have been a blue hen mare. If ever there were an argument to allow embryo transfer in Thoroughbreds, Rachel is it.

[Starine]

Well that's disappointing.

[Sheepish]

With Stonestreet owning both her full sister and her daughter, at least her bloodline still has potential. And if Jess's Dream does descent work at the track maybe he'll have a future as a stallion. It's a bummer, but it's nice that they're taking care of her needs first and foremost.

[Life At Zen]

Twenty years ago she would've been bred again. I have a feeling this is due to the nature of social network these days and how connected fans are. They don't want to risk something going wrong again, and being burned at the stake for it.

[sweettalk]

i'm not so sure they would breed her again 20 years ago, especially given the medical limitations they had then vs now. complications are easier to fix today than 20 yrs ago and they still aren't going to breed her, that tells me there's a lot more serious stuff going on than they're telling us, social media or not. facebook isn't going to be the deciding factor in if a mare with blood this valuable is bred or not.

[BaroqueAgain1]

Twenty years ago the diagnostic tools veterinarians had might not have been as sophisticated as they are now.
If there is any doubt that her body is healthy enough to carry a foal to term, and safely deliver it, I'm glad Barbara has decided to 'retire' Rachel to a life of leisure. Maybe she'll be a good nanny for weanlings.

[Life At Zen]

Life of leisure? Broodmares live the life of leisure.

I still stand by the opinion that they are deciding this based on her huge popularity and the criticism they would face should something go wrong if they did breed her.

It's a smart move and I don't condemn them for it.

[ThreeMustangs]

I wonder if Ms. Banke would reconsider this decision if Jess's Dream and the filly turn out to be outstanding runners. I'm guessing not.

[Northport]

I wonder if Ms. Banke would reconsider this decision if Jess's Dream and the filly turn out to be outstanding runners. I'm guessing not.

Probably not, since they could each respectively carry on Rachel's genes

[MTO]

You never know if the broodmare band is sold in a few years and new owners decide to breed her.