The new year is here and it’s about time for a foaling frenzy! Due to the January 1st birthday, that all Northern Hemisphere Thoroughbreds must share, it is of upmost importance that no newborn be born prior to that day but we see a rapid upswing in foals thereafter. A few foals have already made their arrival. Literally, several hundred per sire are on the way, fathered by the most popular of studs. Most horse farm tours are open to stallion visits but naturally the very pregnant mares and new foals are sheltered and protected. My best chances, for now, of seeing the babies, is at the sales. With the majority of the broodmares currently pregnant there are usually a few who give birth while they are in the sales barns. I am hoping to see some of the newest foals to the Thoroughbreds, we love so much, tomorrow. Read on to see which foals I am in most anticipation of as I am foaling in love.
Tomorrow, is the start of Keeneland’s January Horses of All Ages Sale, in Lexington, KY. It is the 60th anniversary of this sale. In all 1,583 head are catalogued for this auction. As the name implies there will be a variety available. 13 stallions, 264 horses of racing age, 628 yearlings (by 155 sires) and 678 broodmares and/or prospects (in foal by 154 stallions) are in the books. The sale runs 1/8 thru 1/11/18 and starts daily at 10 A.M. EST. With this many horses, I am going to focus on a few of the first crop sires.
It should be of no surprise that this Chromie is very excited about the prospect of seeing a California Chrome baby! It has been tossed about that the due date for Chrome’s first foal was yesterday, 1/6/17. Thus far, there has been no social media confirmation of Chrome’s first crop being born. 2018 is the year that the very first of California Chrome’s progeny will be born. Four mares in foal to Chrome will be auctioned at the sale. Each are consigned (the seller in the auction) by Taylor Made Sales Agency. Chrome lives at their stallion farm. Taylor Made is usually Keeneland’s Top Consignor at every sale. In cases that it is safe enough for the foal, both mare and foal appear in the sales ring. Regardless, if you buy the mare in foal or newly born, it’s a 2 for 1 deal, as the baby comes home with her. Watch for these hips by # and name:
- 128 Make Light
- 134 Margaret Reay
- 198 Sam’s Bliss
- 324 Aura of the Moon
- 712 Academic Break
One foal is already set to strut through the ring with her dam. WinStar announced that Speightster’s first foal ever, a filly, was born 1/4/18. Speightster is a first crop sire with 10 mares in foal or newly foaled in this sale. Speighster was the 2017 most popular first-year stallion in North America. He bred 174 mares. Look for hip 539, Moonshine Bertie, to walk through the ring with Speightster’s new filly. The other hips he covered are 86, 346, 421, 456, 752, 1427, 1463 and 1549.
Set your eyes on these hips with first-time covering sires in this Keeneland sale:
- 2015 Eclipse Award winning Champion Grass Horse, Big Blue Kitten, is the covering sire (expectant father) for one horse in this sale, hip 800.
- 2016 Preakness Stakes winner, Exaggerator, has bred 3 broodmares in this sale, hips 84, 444 and 920.
- 2106 Eclipse Award winning Champion Grass Horse, Flintshire, is represented by hips 33, 521, and 597.
- Multiple graded stakes winner and simply gorgeous, Frosted, is the covering sire for hip 657.
- 2016 Kentucky Derby winner and 2015 Sentient Jet BC Juvenile winner, Nyquist, is represented by just one hip, 707.
- 2015 BC Sprint winner and 2015 Eclipse Award winning Champion Sprinter, Runhappy, is booked as the covering sire for hips 94, 325, 646 and 691.
- 2016 BC Mile winner, Tourist, covered hips 458, 809, 1186 and 1462.
These are just a few of the hips by first crop sires represented in the January Keeneland Sale. Naturally, I am interested in several of the foals to Thoroughbreds that are experienced sires and sires not available in this sale. Second crop sire, American Pharoah, reportedly just had his first 2018 foal born today, he has six foals from his first crop in the Keeneland sale. I wish that Juba had covered some of the mares available at Keeneland. Perhaps, he will have some entered in the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mix sale set for 2/5 and 2/6/18 in Lexington.
I will do what I can to brave the nasty winter weather and try to get some foal photos for the enjoyment of my followers and myself. If you are attending the sales, leave a comment and perhaps we can meet as we warm up over coffee and we watch from the comfort of the sales pavilion.
