Buying A Successful Broodmare

Well, they've only lost two races between them!

Seriously, I'd be concerned about their soundness, I wonder why they weren't raced more.

However, they both trace to decent mares not too far back in their pedigrees.

Miles's third dam is a full sister to High Top and Camden Town, and Art Series' second dam was black type placed. Miles's dam is heavily line-bred to Nearco. She appears to have had two foals of racing age so far, how/what have they done?

Does Phoenix Reach's conformation complement the faults in your mares and vice-versa?
 
Venusian, I think you know I am no expert. I have taken guidance from others who were very interested in the mares background - perhaps more than what the mares had done personally. The mares we originally shortlisted went for too much money. These are the two that we ended up with and I am happy with them both.

I know it is a gamble, I know that Miles has been covered by some unfashionable stallions, and I know she needs a very urgent visit to the farrier. She is a lovely looker, and very docile.

I know very little about Art Series, but she is a lovely looker, a little feisty, a little light boned and she is a big, long girl.

I will definitely do more research next week. I am not expecting a miracle out of either mare, but it's a place to start without a massive initial outlay.
 
Please excuse the really rubbish photos. We literally purchased Art Series (1st photo) and loaded her soon after so I only got a very quick picture of her in the box with looking not overly pleased - so no clues in her confirmation there. We didn't want to scare Miles (2nd photo) with the flash and it was raining.

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I will get some more photos in the next week or so.
 
I envy you, Kathy, for a small outlay you've guaranteed yourself several years, and maybe more, of anticipation and fun.

Please don't take any of my observations too seriously, they won't stop your foals from winning!
 
Venusian, I am only too quick to admit to people when I know nothing about a particular subject - this is definitely one such time. This last week has been jumping into the deep end BUT I wouldn't have even considered it if I hadn't had a few people offering their expertise and guidance.

Thanks for your input, and please feel free to ask any questions about them, and if I don't know, I will try and find out. I'll continue to bore everyone on this thread with their progress.

(You can almost hear the group sigh from the back) <_<

Trudi, we have already started thinking up a few possible names B)
 
Nice news on BALMACARA, Kathy - sounds like a new career is beckoning for her. Good luck with the two new girlies - are you co-owning with the lovely Debbie, or are they both all yours to love and keep?
 
Miles is a share, Krizon and Art Series is sort of mine, although OH wants to help share with the expenses.

I have already been brainwashed that this is a business not a hobby so I am NOT to get too attached to any of them.... yeah, right! B)
 
Good luck to Kathy with her purchases.

Looks like it's off to Fairyhouse for me, as we were underbidders on a couple of mares but were in agreement that the prices were crazy for moderate mares. I just wonder how may of those paying £20k - £80k for mares with late covers, unproven sires and who had a marginal 'page' (catalogue page/pedigree details) are going to get out of them......

Am also thinking (with the exchange rate so much on the slide) of going to Keeneland next month. Just think, I can go to the source of the equine equivalent to greyhound racing and start to fill a niche market for decent AW performers!!

Incidentally, BH's conqueror last week, NANDO'S DREAM, was offered on Thursday and the bidding went past 92,000 guineas and didn't reach the reserve!! It wasn't an outstanding page by any means and it goes to show what even 2 AW wins can mean to the price of a filly!
 
Originally posted by Songsheet@Dec 2 2006, 06:56 AM
Incidentally, BH's conqueror last week, NANDO'S DREAM, was offered on Thursday and the bidding went past 92,000 guineas and didn't reach the reserve!! It wasn't an outstanding page by any means and it goes to show what even 2 AW wins can mean to the price of a filly!
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Blooming heck!! :blink:

Songsheet, what a fantastic experience if you do decide to go to Keeneland and/or Fairyhouse.

Please keep us posted. We could certainly do with some real breeding insight on this forum, and it seems to be a popular subject at the moment. Well, for me it is anyway.
 
Looking at the page for MILES, one of the mares "we" bought is quite closely related to her. We liked the fact that there is plenty of activity still in the family, with quite a few young mares under the 2nd dam who could improve the page further in the future. Jeanmaire, for instance, was bought in for 45,000gns on Monday, and Barboukh, Papaha and Lovely Lyca are all still alive and producing foals to commercial stallions. Miles herself hasn't exactly been mated to the most illustrious stallions so far, and it would be interesting to find out what became of her first two foals, both of which are of racing age. Hopefully her liaison with Phoenix will do the trick for her!
 
Thanks for that info, Vixen. Really interesting.

I will do some research this weekend. I am actually in the middle of setting up my new company that is actually purchasing these mares for breeding purposes. I would love further details of your mare if you didn't mind letting me know, especially as she is related to Miles. Best of luck with her. Have you decided which stallion you are sending your mare too yet?
 
Off to see the girls tomorrow equipped with some turn out rugs as they are borrowing some at the moment. They are in quarantine at the moment - just in case.

Hopefully, I will remember to take my camera. :confused:
 
Excellent article, Ven!

I'm sure I've made a few of those mistakes for sure! One thing that doesn't apply here is th booking fee, though.

'Nicking', Jon, is the practice of examining pedigrees and coming to the conclusion that certain pedigree crosses work better than others - such as MR PROSPECTOR crossed witH NORTHERN DANCER line mares or SADLERS WELLS with DARSHAAN or SHIRLEY HEIGHTS mares...

To a certain extent we've done it with BARRANTES - using COMPTON PLACE on a DISTANT RELATIVE mare, because there have been some decent winners with that combo (BOOGIE STREET for a start). That is a simple one to work out, of course, because both COMPO and DR are/were Whitsbury stallions and they obviously supported Compo with mares by their own stallion, DR and others who support Whitsbury as a stud would send their DR mares to Whitsbury stallions.

Paul and I sent RUNS IN THE FAMILY (also by DR) to Compo in 04 - she'll hopefuly have the 05 filly to run for her next season, so we'll find out if there's any truth in it!

I absolutely agree about doing your research from the catalog - that's why you need someone you trust to go to the sales with who is an ,insider, and can tell you more about each mare. Conformation is essential too - they need good wheels to stand training, as we all know!

Incidentally, I received a very nice PM from Fudge the other day, giving me a better insight into TRADE FAIR - it's just as important to know as much as you can about the stallion as it is the mare!
 
However, it would be sensible to bear in mind that if everyone followed those rules, most of us would be unable to afford the mares that actually qualify for all of them....
 
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