Great sires have always gotten the lion’s share of attention when it comes to Thoroughbred breeding. This is not without reason. Proverbially, the bull is half the herd, and the stallion occupies a parallel role in horse breeding; many a renowned farm has ridden to the heights on the progeny of a single exceptional sire. Economically, a top stallion is also a huge moneymaker that can generate income from stud fees and the sale or racing of its progeny over a period of two decades or more.
As important as a good stallion is, the great breeders who have sustained excellence over many years have cherished something even more precious: their foundation mares and their families. The same limitation that tends to keep mares out of the limelight—the fact that a mare can produce but one foal a year—is also the reason why the daughters of old families maintained by operations such as Claiborne, the Phipps family, Juddmonte Farms, and Darley do not often come on the market; there are not very many of them. It is far easier to buy the services of a good stallion than to purchase a mare that comes from a deep, rich family. The alternative method for the breeder looking for long-term success is to build up one or more families in-house, a process that can literally take a lifetime.
Over the history of the Thoroughbred, some mares have come to have an outsized influence on the breed in spite of the tiny number of foals that even the most prolific broodmare produces compared to the number sired by a top stallion. While there have been some attempts to identify these mares, most notably by the late Ellen Parker with her Reines-de-Course, the identification of a matron as a “superior female” or “foundation mare” or “matriarch” is of necessity affected by the criteria selected by the pedigree expert identifying a mare as such—criteria that are often not made explicit. Many countries have “Broodmare of the Year” titles, but these are by definition based on a mare’s production during her lifetime, too soon to reflect her long-term importance.
In the tradition (or perhaps hubris) of other long-time pedigree students, I am introducing the category of “Genetic Gems” to honor those mares that I believe have had exceptional influence on the Thoroughbred, either through breeding careers in the Americas or through offspring imported to the Western Hemisphere. Since my focus is on the long term, my criteria are as follow:
“Genetic Gems” will be designated as such in the header of their horse profiles, just below their family numbers. Some of my selections will be quite obvious, being well known to even the relatively casual student of pedigrees; others may be less familiar, especially when it comes to South American families (I still have much to learn there). I am hoping that in due time, I can provide some sketches of my selections’ families to outline how they have have achieved importance. Like much else that is on my plate, this is a long-term project, but one that I am hoping will be both useful and enjoyable as it goes along.
As important as a good stallion is, the great breeders who have sustained excellence over many years have cherished something even more precious: their foundation mares and their families. The same limitation that tends to keep mares out of the limelight—the fact that a mare can produce but one foal a year—is also the reason why the daughters of old families maintained by operations such as Claiborne, the Phipps family, Juddmonte Farms, and Darley do not often come on the market; there are not very many of them. It is far easier to buy the services of a good stallion than to purchase a mare that comes from a deep, rich family. The alternative method for the breeder looking for long-term success is to build up one or more families in-house, a process that can literally take a lifetime.
Over the history of the Thoroughbred, some mares have come to have an outsized influence on the breed in spite of the tiny number of foals that even the most prolific broodmare produces compared to the number sired by a top stallion. While there have been some attempts to identify these mares, most notably by the late Ellen Parker with her Reines-de-Course, the identification of a matron as a “superior female” or “foundation mare” or “matriarch” is of necessity affected by the criteria selected by the pedigree expert identifying a mare as such—criteria that are often not made explicit. Many countries have “Broodmare of the Year” titles, but these are by definition based on a mare’s production during her lifetime, too soon to reflect her long-term importance.
In the tradition (or perhaps hubris) of other long-time pedigree students, I am introducing the category of “Genetic Gems” to honor those mares that I believe have had exceptional influence on the Thoroughbred, either through breeding careers in the Americas or through offspring imported to the Western Hemisphere. Since my focus is on the long term, my criteria are as follow:
- The mare must have at least fifth-generation descendants, with sixth-generation descendants coming on the scene. This means that my selections will have been foaled at least 50 years ago and probably more.
- The mare must have been an above-average producer of racing stock, or have an exceptional record as the dam of successful stallions and/or good broodmare daughters, with preference given to a combination of the above. If the mare is remembered today on the basis of only one or two foals, she certainly deserves respect for that but will not qualify as a “Genetic Gem.”
- The mare’s family must have one or more branches that are continuing to produce top racehorses, successful sires, and/or exceptional broodmares. There have been a number of fine broodmares that enjoyed considerable success over their own lifetimes but whose families have petered out as sources of good horses. I am looking for sustained success. Obviously, some mares are far enough back in time that daughters, granddaughters, or great-granddaughters have established major families of their own, and these mares may receive identification as “Genetic Gems” in their own right.
“Genetic Gems” will be designated as such in the header of their horse profiles, just below their family numbers. Some of my selections will be quite obvious, being well known to even the relatively casual student of pedigrees; others may be less familiar, especially when it comes to South American families (I still have much to learn there). I am hoping that in due time, I can provide some sketches of my selections’ families to outline how they have have achieved importance. Like much else that is on my plate, this is a long-term project, but one that I am hoping will be both useful and enjoyable as it goes along.
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