Matings 2015

[TapitsGal]

I thought zenyatta wasn't being bred this year

[Personal Ensign]

TG,
That was last years breeding season that she sat out.

[Sheepish]

Well since she's open I'd assume it'll be earlier in the year. I'd put money on War Front, though I'm still praying for a breeding to MDO.

[Life At Zen]

After losing Z14, I can't imagine they would go to any other stallion but War Front.

I'm fairly certain they were actually going to breed her to War Front this year before deciding to leave her open.

[mariasmon]

It was dumb to leave her open this year, unless she had some issue they didn't disclose publicly. If the latter is the case, it was wise not to say anything about it.

[Izvestia]

I think she foaled late, so if they had bred her this year, she would have had another late foal, and then they would've left her open next year. It's good for them to get a break.

[mariasmon]

I think she foaled late, so if they had bred her this year, she would have had another late foal, and then they would've left her open next year. It's good for them to get a break.

From what I've heard, unless there's something wrong with the mare, it's actually not good for them to get a break. It can make it harder to get them back in foal. Why does a healthy mare her age need a break? And why do they care if it's a late foal? They're breeding to race, not sell.

[mariasmon]

Zenyatta --> War Front

Per Jerry Moss.

[BaroqueAgain1]

"And why do they care if it's a late foal? They're breeding to race, not sell."

Because we are talking about a TB who is intended to race. When a foal is born very late in a season, he or she is at a serious disadvantage when it starts racing against colts or fillies that are 3-5 months ahead of it in age and physical development.

[mariasmon]

"And why do they care if it's a late foal? They're breeding to race, not sell."

Because we are talking about a TB who is intended to race. When a foal is born very late in a season, he or she is at a serious disadvantage when it starts racing against colts or fillies that are 3-5 months ahead of it in age and physical development.

This is really funny, considering Zenyatta herself was nearly 4 when she debuted. And it doesn't seem that they have any expectations of her offspring being early types. Coz has been pissing around at the track since June and just this week had his first actual work. I just don't think they are all that worried about that aspect of it. Besides, they were looking at a late April-early May foal, had they bred her back about a month after she foaled in 2014. That's not so bad.

Based on what I've gathered, most owners who breed to race would rather have a late foal than no foal in any given year. Even those who breed on a large scale (sell some, race some) would generally rather have a foal, 9 times out of 10. Eventually, a mare will give herself a year off when she needs it and will hopefully get back into an earlier foaling pattern.

[Izvestia]

Maybe they thought she needed a little pampering. Maybe she didn't bounce back as fast after this year's foal. She looks pretty darn happy and content in all of the pictures, so I don't think she is ailing.

[Retrospectiv]

In regards to Zenyatta not being bred this year, this bit of interview was just posted (Jerry Moss):

Moss also noted that 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta “Is doing very well. We didn’t breed her this year because she had gotten very heavy. She’s lost a lot of that weight, which she needed to do . . . Sometimes that weight can be hard on the legs and she’s such a big girl. We saw her just a week ago and she’s looking great.

“She’s going to be bred to War Front in the spring and Cozmic One (first foal, a 2-year-old colt by Bernardini trained by John Shirreffs) will run here at Santa Anita in a matter of days. Victor (Espinoza) worked him the other day and he’s ready.”

Moss also lamented the passing of Zenyatta’s weanling filly by War Front, who was euthanized following a paddock accident this past fall. “We suffered a great tragedy, but we’ve got Cozmic One and her second foal, Ziconic (by Tapit) is in training in Florida right now and we’re feeling pretty good about the prospects of those two.”

http://www.santaanita.com/stable-notes/ ... VJnqNF4AKA

[lurkey mclurker]

Interesting... I guess with a broodie it's trickier to walk the line between nutrition for the foal & the mare's weight? But yay that she is slimming down.

[mariasmon]

OK, there's a good reason not to breed her. Giving her a year off just to give her a year off is dumb. Giving her a year off for a health concern is not.

[lurkey mclurker]

New pics of her were posted today on the Zenyatta blog from earlier this month... she is definitely fit and sassy.

http://www.zenyatta.com/news/a-zenyatta-christmas

[sweettalk]

OK, there's a good reason not to breed her. Giving her a year off just to give her a year off is dumb. Giving her a year off for a health concern is not.

i figured they were resetting her clock, myself.

[Ziggypop]

New pics of her were posted today on the Zenyatta blog from earlier this month... she is definitely fit and sassy.

http://www.zenyatta.com/news/a-zenyatta-christmas

She was certainly looking "matronly" before the slim down. She looks down right happy to be more fit. She looks great!

[Kay16]

She looks awesome!

[Kay16]

It was dumb to leave her open this year, unless she had some issue they didn't disclose publicly. If the latter is the case, it was wise not to say anything about it.

I think anyone can see in photos before that she was quite heavy and she's a very big mare naturally on top of it. I know you know a horse that is too heavy is more likely to develop issues like laminitis than a horse that isn't.

[Diver52]

Big Mama looks race ready. . .well, almost.