Rachel Alexandra

[mariasmon]

Not to mention that they own Rachel's full sister.

[Sheepish]

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

I find that highly unlikely. If the band was dispanded I imagine Rachel would have a soft landing. She's more than common livestock.

[LostADream]

I have a feeling if Barbara got out of the horses and sold off everything, she'd have Rachel in her backyard in California, or with her on a beach somewhere. I'm sure she'll also have provisions outlined in her will for Rachel's lifetime care, with a very prominent "no breeding" stipulation.

[seahawkgal]

The TB breeding industry perplexes me. With all the advances other livestock are taking advantage of, I am still at a loss as to why TB''s haven't caught on. In cattle they report the size of newborn calves per sire and determine which sires are good for cows who need easy birthing. Also they do ET to keep older high quality cows around longer to produce better stock. Heck they do genetic testing on calves to determine whether they will be good producers before they reach their first birthday.
Rachel would be the perfect candidate to promote or push for ET. JMO but I think ET should be allowable for only the finest racemares who cannot be bred medically.

[Life At Zen]

The TB breeding industry perplexes me. With all the advances other livestock are taking advantage of, I am still at a loss as to why TB''s haven't caught on. In cattle they report the size of newborn calves per sire and determine which sires are good for cows who need easy birthing. Also they do ET to keep older high quality cows around longer to produce better stock. Heck they do genetic testing on calves to determine whether they will be good producers before they reach their first birthday.
Rachel would be the perfect candidate to promote or push for ET. JMO but I think ET should be allowable for only the finest racemares who cannot be bred medically.

We bred one of our heifers to an easy calving bull via AI. We ended up with a 120lb bull calf that we barely squeaked out of momma. Within a few days he was the same size as our 3 month old heifer calf. Another one of our heifers was bred to the same bull, and popped out a wee 60lb heifer a few days later. Both moms are by the same sire. Sometimes... you just don't know lol.

[Flanders]

The TB breeding industry perplexes me. With all the advances other livestock are taking advantage of, I am still at a loss as to why TB''s haven't caught on. In cattle they report the size of newborn calves per sire and determine which sires are good for cows who need easy birthing. Also they do ET to keep older high quality cows around longer to produce better stock. Heck they do genetic testing on calves to determine whether they will be good producers before they reach their first birthday.
Rachel would be the perfect candidate to promote or push for ET. JMO but I think ET should be allowable for only the finest racemares who cannot be bred medically.

I would rather Rachel never have another foal than ET be allowed in Thoroughbreds. They can NOT say only the best are allowed to use it, its against Fair Trade Practices and they will end up being sued. All it would lead to is 4+ foals out of a mare a year. Eventually it would lead to clones being registered. The AQHA has already gone down this road, they were sued multiple times and the judges always ruled in favor of the person suing.

[EquineAnne]

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.

I don't think so. I think RA is special to her and wouldn't want to put her in harms way. A Vet probably told her that she may be able to carry and safely foal but there's a high risk % based on her medical history. I wouldn't do it either. God bless her.

[EquineAnne]

I have a feeling if Barbara got out of the horses and sold off everything, she'd have Rachel in her backyard in California, or with her on a beach somewhere. I'm sure she'll also have provisions outlined in her will for Rachel's lifetime care, with a very prominent "no breeding" stipulation.

I agree.

[Ballerina]

I agree, as well.

[Old Bones]

Banke said in an earlier interview a few months ago she just didn't think her nerves could take the risk of another pregnancy for Rachel. Rachel is young, I suppose the possibility may come up again if Banke is given sound medical advice that Rachel Alexandra could handle a pregnancy.

After reading that Keeneland article I heave no fear of Rachel's future ending up anywhere other than right where she is. Banke is in it for the long haul. Kids too apparently.

[GhostZapper91]

Hello, I am new to the forum! Also, I worked at a breeding farm last summer in Versailles on Old Frankfort Pike very close to Three Chimneys and Lane's End. While I was there, I heard quite a lot of talk from trainers, vets, workers, ect. about how Rachel's first foaling was very rough and that the veterinarian very strongly advised them not breed her back the next year. I also heard that after they bred her back and the foaling went so badly, their vet kind of freaked out and quit on them. I don't know how true all of that is, it's just what was being said, so you know, take it with a grain of salt. & If this is old news, then sorry, I'm not as up to date as I used to be.

[BaroqueAgain1]

When the source is reputable, word of mouth from insiders and backstretch workers helps keep us informed.
What you've said makes sense...unfortunately...when I go back and sort of read between the lines of the press releases from the last two years.
Wasn't RA sent to a clinic after her first foaling 'for pain management?' It seems a big step to load a new mother and her brand new foal onto a van, just for 'pain management.'

[Life At Zen]

When the source is reputable, word of mouth from insiders and backstretch workers helps keep us informed.
What you've said makes sense...unfortunately...when I go back and sort of read between the lines of the press releases from the last two years.
Wasn't RA sent to a clinic after her first foaling 'for pain management?' It seems a big step to load a new mother and her brand new foal onto a van, just for 'pain management.'

I wonder if she was not letting the colt nurse because of the pain. That would spur a decision to move them to the clinic. Or if she was rejecting him. I don't know what the policy is with broodmare farms and when they remove the foal onto a nurse mare.

In dogs, the pain from contractions (and nursing stimulates contractions) can sometimes make a first time dam reject her puppies because she is associating them with the pain.

[carole]

When the source is reputable, word of mouth from insiders and backstretch workers helps keep us informed.
What you've said makes sense...unfortunately...when I go back and sort of read between the lines of the press releases from the last two years.
Wasn't RA sent to a clinic after her first foaling 'for pain management?' It seems a big step to load a new mother and her brand new foal onto a van, just for 'pain management.'

I wonder if she was not letting the colt nurse because of the pain. That would spur a decision to move them to the clinic. Or if she was rejecting him. I don't know what the policy is with broodmare farms and when they remove the foal onto a nurse mare.

In dogs, the pain from contractions (and nursing stimulates contractions) can sometimes make a first time dam reject her puppies because she is associating them with the pain.

According to her people Rachel was a 'wonderful mom' so I doubt she rejected the colt because of the pain.

[Life At Zen]

When the source is reputable, word of mouth from insiders and backstretch workers helps keep us informed.
What you've said makes sense...unfortunately...when I go back and sort of read between the lines of the press releases from the last two years.
Wasn't RA sent to a clinic after her first foaling 'for pain management?' It seems a big step to load a new mother and her brand new foal onto a van, just for 'pain management.'

I wonder if she was not letting the colt nurse because of the pain. That would spur a decision to move them to the clinic. Or if she was rejecting him. I don't know what the policy is with broodmare farms and when they remove the foal onto a nurse mare.

In dogs, the pain from contractions (and nursing stimulates contractions) can sometimes make a first time dam reject her puppies because she is associating them with the pain.

According to her people Rachel was a 'wonderful mom' so I doubt she rejected the colt because of the pain.

Yes, she was wonderful after that clinic visit. Doesn't mean something was off prior to that. It was clear she took to her colt just fine afterwards as there were plenty of pictures and videos of the two in a paddock together. Here's the thing.... we'll never know for sure.

[carole]

I wonder if she was not letting the colt nurse because of the pain. That would spur a decision to move them to the clinic. Or if she was rejecting him. I don't know what the policy is with broodmare farms and when they remove the foal onto a nurse mare.

In dogs, the pain from contractions (and nursing stimulates contractions) can sometimes make a first time dam reject her puppies because she is associating them with the pain.

According to her people Rachel was a 'wonderful mom' so I doubt she rejected the colt because of the pain.

Yes, she was wonderful after that clinic visit. Doesn't mean something was off prior to that. It was clear she took to her colt just fine afterwards as there were plenty of pictures and videos of the two in a paddock together. Here's the thing.... we'll never know for sure.

No I mean straight after birth they said the delivery was smooth and that Rachel was a fantastic mom and took well to the colt. But as you say we will never know for sure unless they decide to tell us.

[GhostZapper91]

Personally, based on the fact that she spent time at the clinic after her first foaling, how badly her second foaling went, and all of the talk about vet drama I heard while in the area, I am inclined to believe that her first foaling was not very smooth.

[EquineAnne]

Hopefully, if the chatter was true, BB will never take that gamble again. Not after nearly losing her life.

[djnorth]

It sounds like BB isn't planning to breed RA again. As everyone is saying, if the chatter is true (and often there's at least a grain of that present) it may be that BB got conflicting opinions from a few vets. Unfortunately not too much is cut-and-dried when it comes to horses or most other living things.

[Ballerina]

It sounds like BB isn't planning to breed RA again. As everyone is saying, if the chatter is true (and often there's at least a grain of that present) it may be that BB got conflicting opinions from a few vets. Unfortunately not too much is cut-and-dried when it comes to horses or most other living things.

It's true. On a previous page of this thread, I posted an interview that keeneland.com had with BB, and she said she was not breeding her again.