The December/January 2008 issue of the International Thoroughbred Digest contains an article about Bear Now and Dany Dion. For those of you who do not get the International Thoroughbred Digest you can read the digital format on line at http://www.thoroughbreddigest.com/ or come in to the CTHS office and pick up a copy. This issue also contains an interesting article regarding the prevention of bone injuries in racehorses and the research being done by Dr. Cruz, a researcher and orthopaedic equine surgeon at the Ontario Veterinary College. According to the statistics quoted in the article, "No Bones About It: The Prevention of Catastrophic Bone Injuries in Racehorses", up to 30% of racehorses who enter training leave within three months, 70% of catastrophic bone failure is due to the cannon bone, and 70% of severe joint diseases occur in the fetlock and knee joints. Over the next two years Dr. Cruz and other members of the research team will be working with Woodbine to evaluate what happens to the bones of two and three year old racehorses, specifically monitoring the cannon bones and joint health. Also in the issue a "Canadian Breeding Update", looking at what is happening across the country with a focus on Alberta. (Posted January 4, 2008)
Over the last six months a number of new stallions have arrived in Alberta in time for the 2007-2008 breeding season. In alphabetical order they are:
Cape Canaveral stands at Highfield Stock Farm in Okotoks. He is a Mr. Prospector horse out of the grade 1 winning Seattle Slew mare, Seaside Attraction. His first foal crop arrived in 2002 and he has sired eight stakes winners. Cape Canaveral will stand for $7,500 for the 2008 breeding season.
Explicit can be found at Winsome Acres in Sylvan Lake. He is by Distant View and has lifetime earnings of over $600,000. He has two crops of racing age. As a five year old he was the winner of the True North Breeders' Cup at Belmont Park. Explicit will stand for $3,000 for the 2008 breeding season.
Fisher Pond has moved from Olson Hill Thoroughbreds in B.C. to Paddockhurst Stables, Inc. in Nisku. As a three year old he was the winner of the Lawrence Realization Handicap at Belmont Park. His first foals are two-year-olds of 2008. Fisher Pond will stand for $2,500 Live Foal for the 2008 breeding season.
Gilded Time is one of two new stallions to be found at Bar None Ranches in DeWinton. He is by Timeless Moment out of Gilded Lily by What a Pleasure. Gilded Time has been a Leading Sire every year at stud. He will be standing for $7,500 with a $500 booking fee for the 2008 season. Book will be limited.
Kissin Kris is sire of Champion and millionaire Kiss a Native. He will be standing at Esquirol Farms in Ryley. Kissin Kris is the sire of more than 30 stakes horses and has a lifetime progeny earnings of $17 million. He is the sire of Kiss A Native. Kissin Kris will stand for $3,000 Live Foal for the 2008 breeding season.
Saint Stephen is the second new stallion to be found at Bar None Ranches in DeWinton. He is by Saint Ballado and is also a full brother to Ashado, two- time Eclipse Award winner. This will be his first year at stud. Saint Stephen will be standing for $3,000 Live Foal with a 10% booking fee.
Seattle Syn is returning to Alberta after being in the U.S. for the past two years. He is now standing at DH4 Ranches Ltd. in Didsbury. Seattle Syn sired Jim's Choice, winner of the 2007 Alberta's Premier Futurity, and Cool Synsation, winner of the 2007 Red Diamond Express. He is standing for a private fee.
The Trader's Echo is the newest addition to Alberta. His new home is at Bar 17 Stable in Huxley. He is by Eastern Echo out of Cathy's Halo by Devil's Bag and is a Grade II stakes placed winner of 5 races. He has two crops of racing age with 11 starters, 6 winners. The Trader's Echo will stand for $3,000 for 2008.
Contact information for all of these stallions and others can be found on the CTHS stallion page. Stallion owners will be more than happy to talk to you about their fabulous Alberta stallions.
(Posted January 7, 2008)
Although four horses sold for over $1 million, Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale ended on Sunday, January 13 with the gross receipts for the event being down 3.3% from last year.
Geoffrey Russell, Director of Sales at Keeneland, is quoted in an on-line article posted at http://www.the-racehorse.com/ saying, "Make no mistake; record sales last year were built on the weakness of the U.S. dollar, which drove foreign spending. If not for that, we would have experienced a major market correction. One only need look at the recent downturn in European sales, which did not have the benefit of the favourable exchange rate. It will happen here too, unless breeders make some hard decisions."
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s winter mixed sale is showing some mixed results. The initial reports from the first day of the sale, Wednesday, January 16, were showing that the average price was down 31.1% ($23,346 compared to $33.900 in 2007) and the median declined 23.8%. In the Thoroughbred Times.com this morning (Friday, January 18), the reports are saying that the first of the two open sessions concluded Thursday with increases in gross receipts and average and median prices. It will be interesting to see what the final results are when the sale is concluded on Friday. (Posted January 18, 2008)
Re: Thoroughbred Stallion Incentive Program (Draft)
(Posted January 24, 2008)
Below is a proposed program designed to encourage the purchase of high quality Stallions to assist in improving breeding opportunities within the Province. Please read the whole document carefully and respond no later than February 5, 2008. All industry suggestions will be noted.
Contact: Marie McDonnell
E: Mail : mmcdonnell@thehorses.com
Fax : 780-488-5105
Address: 720, 9707 110St.
Edmonton Alberta
T5K 2L9
THOROUGHBRED STALLION INCENTIVE PROGRAM
DRAFT 3
Need for Task Force
In late September 2006, 40 individuals representing all organizations and sections of Alberta's horse racing and breeding industry met to discuss and brainstorm on the past, present, and future of our industry.
Success for the breeding industry was defined as improved quality of both breeding and racing stock. Specifically this should be manifested by an enhanced reputation of Alberta bred horses outside of the province. The Alberta bred horse should be very competitive at the race track and at sales.
Recognizing the challenges imposed by "live breeding" it was deemed critical to develop Stallion based incentive programs for the Province.
The Board of HRA has taken suggestions arising out of this industry review most seriously. In order to keep each area moving forward at an optimal rate, specific task forces and committees have been set up. In this case, individuals who participated in the September 2006 Industry Strategic Planning Session were consulted and a working committee was formed ("Thoroughbred Stallion Task Force"). The Thoroughbred Stallion Task Force was asked to develop recommendations and an action plan to be submitted on a timely basis to the HRA Breed Improvement Committee for their consideration.
Goal of Task Force
To improve the stallion industry in our Province.
Rationale of Proposed Program
The program is designed to contribute to the overriding goals of the Breed Improvement Program which are to improve the quality of the Alberta bred race horse and their success at the sales and the race track.
While Alberta stallion owners in the past have made great efforts to bring successful competitive stallions to the Province, the results of offspring at the sales and race track have been disappointing. Notwithstanding, that a significant part of the equation is the quality of mares, the results need to improve. In 2003, Alberta breds were earning approximately 64% of the purse money. By 2006, Alberta breds won only 48% of the available purses. This number is further reduced if we calculate the money won by Alberta foaled horses by Alberta sires.
In an effort to counteract this, many breeders have purchased mares in foal to Kentucky Stallions, or have bred their mares to Kentucky stallions. This presents the challenge of subsequently either breeding back to the competitive local stallions, or once more engaging in the costly experience of sending mares to Kentucky Stallions. Live breeding restrictions by the Jockey Club eliminate the alternative of semen transport.
In 2006 and again in 2007 over 110 mares left the province to be bred elsewhere. Unfortunately the cost of shipping a mare, potentially with a foal at her side, to Kentucky for instance, is significant. The risk to the mare and foal of injury, illness, or disease is a major concern. The need to keep the mare in Kentucky at least 30 - 60 days after a successful breeding is expensive. The Kentucky veterinary fees are prohibitive. The risk of bringing back a barren mare, or the mare subsequently aborting, is wasteful. Lastly the return trip from the USA is an additional financial burden.
All these expenses dilute the percentage of the investment that truly goes toward paying the Stud fee. In fact the cost of breeding to a $10,000 stallion is likely to double to $20,000 in financial outlay.
A further disturbing fact is the economic impact that is lost to this Province. The stud fee, transportation, board, veterinary costs, feed and farrier expenses all accrue to the State of domicile of the Stallion. The employment generated is also lost. It is desirable to keep this economic activity in Alberta.
The Alberta situation is even more critical when one considers the potential rate of return on an Alberta sired yearlings at the sale.
Yearling prices in the past 2 years by local stallions have been disappointing. Alberta bred yearlings by American sires have averaged over $20,000, while Alberta bred yearlings by local sires have averaged less than $6,000. With the success of the Mare purchase program there is a definite need for local availability of proven Stallions.
It is envisioned that the proposed program will be open to Alberta owned (Alberta majority ownership if a syndicate) quality stallions standing in Alberta for a minimum of three seasons. There will be ongoing monitoring of costs.
The program will be administered through the Breed Improvement Committee Whose funding comes through a Horse Racing Alberta allottment of industry money.
Horsemen should be cognizant that much of this money is generated at the race tracks independent of the core horse industry's activities of breeding, raising, training and racing horses. The funds are generated through the industry's percentage of slot revenue from the Racing Entertainment Center at our tracks, according to the Racing Industry Renewal Initiative. As per the working Committee's report the purpose of this industry money is to regulate, grow, market and foster the industry in all its aspects. It is submitted by this Task Force that this initiative fits within that mandate. It represents industry funds working to the benefit of its members.
With appropriate and thorough input from industry members, setting personal agendas aside, and made with an eye to growth and progress of the breeding industry, a successful program should evolve.
Ultimate success will be determined by the willingness of individuals to purchase suitable stallions, willingness of local breeders to pay the stud fees and support the stallion with sufficient mares, and improved husbandry to ensure a maximal number of live, healthy foals. (Alberta currently only produces 55% live foals to mares bred.)
Outline of Suggested Program Criteria
- At the time of purchase the stallions stud fee must have advertised outside of the Province at $7,500 or more, over the previous 2 year period. This includes the season the stallion is purchased.
- The stallion must have produced a Graded Stakes winner in North America within the past 5 years.
- The Stallion must stand in the Province of Alberta.
- A signed stallion contract for each mare, booked and covered, must be registered with the C.T.H.S.
- The minimum advertised stud fee during participation in the program must be $7,500.
- The rebate to the owners of mares bred to this stallion will be a maximum of $2,500 per registered live foal.
- Mares belonging to Stallion owner or syndicate members will not be eligible.
- Any Stallion acceptable to the program is eligible for 3 consecutive breeding seasons.
- The mare must be bred and foaled out in Alberta.
- Money is payable to breeders (owner of mare) upon proof of submission of a live foal report with the Jockey Club and a proof of stallion service certificate registered with CTHS .
- The Program will be open to all qualified Stallions.
- The Program will take effect on approval of the program by the appropriate committees as outlined.
- The Program will be reviewed after each breeding Season.
Process
- On completion of a draft document, satisfactory to the Stallion Task Force, it will be circulated for comments by the Boards of the CTHS and HBPA. These Board members should feel free to solicit input from other industry members.
- These recommendations will be analyzed, discussed by the Task force and, if appropriate, incorporated by the Task Force into a further "Draft".
- This Draft will be posted on industry web sites in order to receive industry input.
- The Draft will be delivered to the CTHS and HBPA Boards for further Comments.
- The Final draft will be presented to the Breed Improvement Committee for their determination if the program ought to be implemented as presented, or revised.
- If approved, the Committee will present to the Board of HRA for final endorsement of the use of industry funds for implementation.
- The Task Force will be dissolved and the program will be administered by the CTHS.
Success of the program will be the "prices" attained at the Yearling Sales by mare owners and the quality and success of runners in open races in Alberta.
Rennie Gellner,Gordon Wilson,Mike Secker,Les Burwash,Mat Monaco,Brian Bygrave,Jim McFadyen,David Reid
The January 19th issue of The Blood-Horse has an interesting article by Deirdre B. Biles entitled, "Above...and Beyond", regarding the January Keeneland sales results. As reported, although the median price of $17,000 was apparently an all-time high for the sale, the Keeneland Director of Sales, Geoffrey Russell , cautions the industry to look beyond all of that and instead look at the overall health of the marketplace. He goes on to say that he doesn't think it is strong and that breeders are producing too many horses that lack commercial appeal. The article then quotes calculations that were done by The Blood-Horse that shows that at the sale only 16% of the yearlings sold were profitable for the breeders and only 48% of the pregnant mares sold for amounts that were more than the stud fees. Overall, 1,493 horses were sold for an average of $47,184 with four of them being sold for over a million. (Posted January 29, 2008
