The Racehorse Experiment

The intention was to find an older horse to rehab and race, however, as a result of placing an ad on Craigslist, we were contacted regarding a yearling filly by Eavesdropper. Since the breeding was so good - Eavesdropper is a half brother to both A.P. Indy (Horse of the Year in 1992, winner of the Belmont Stakes, earnings of over $2.9 million and a high ranking sire), and Summer Squall (2nd in the Kentucky Derby, winner of the Preakness with earnings of over $1.8 million), and Sea Art (her dam) was a stakes winner of over $84,000 as a 2 year old - the filly deserved a look.

The filly went through the Keeneland sale in January (2009) but the bidding only went to $3,000 and since her reserve was not met, she wasn't sold at that time. Due to the horse market being depressed and personal reasons, she was offered to us at a much lower figure. With a price tag of only $1000, buying her seemed worth the risk. Her conformation is good and so is her movement.

The photo on the left was taken her first day on the farm - October 21. She has good length of hip, her hocks are well down, and she has a long sloping shoulder laid well back. She's a balanced individual and feminine.

The photo on the left was taken her first day on the farm - October 21. She has good length of hip, her hocks are well down, and she has a long sloping shoulder laid well back. She's a balanced individual and feminine.

Her temperament (which may be affected by having a heavy wormload) is calm, confident, and kind. So far she has been a pleasure to work with. She loaded up without issue. Stood quietly in the trailer, rode for almost 2 hours on a warm day without breaking a sweat, and was relaxed on arrival and in no hurry to rush off the trailer.

She was easy to worm and behaved well while having her feet trimmed.

She is a somewhat late foal, being born on April 24, 2008. And she appears to be a more slowly maturing horse than many yearlings. Although I do attribute that to her not having been fed for fast growth. At least it appears no effort was made to do so.

D. Wayne Lukas, the nation's leading trainer for the last seven years, and the leading domestic buyer of yearlings, said he believed that some yearlings are given steroids and that buyers must beware.

'It is, in some cases, a problem,' said Mr. Lukas, who purchased 15 yearlings for $6.72 million at last year's Keeneland Select Sales. 'I've been fortunate personally because I've been in sales rings since I was 11 years old and I've made a career of buying yearlings. I'm sharper at this than most people. But there are a lot of people at the sales who aren't going to see things that I can. I want a yearling who looks like a yearling, not like a big 3-year-old.'"

Note that there is a now 45-day pre-sale ban on steroids by sales companies such as Keeneland. That would seem to indicate that many yearlings are given steroids and then taken off them just prior to the 45-day ban period.

The filly has no name yet - we're working on it.

Update October 29, 2009

The Jockey Club has approved and accepted the name "Just Like Zola", so it is official! For those who don't know, Zola Budd was a champion runner in track and field who trained and raced barefoot. Thanks to Marilyn Cusick-Jones for the suggestion of using Zola.

Update November 2009

At this early stage, training consists of daily grooming and handling. Leading, feeding her minerals mixed with grain, brushing her, and cleaning her feet all help to teach her manners, and get her used to people. Although she is calm and quiet, she is somewhat indifferent to people - as she was to the other horses in the herd. We want a horse who is engaged with both horses and people. In short, a mentally and emotionally healthy individual.

Along with normal handling, Zola is getting exposed to many new and different things on the farm. She is tied to my horse trailer for her daily grooming, and as the trailer is partially covered with a tarp, she's quickly gotten used to it flapping. There are both ducks and chickens nearby and they pose another good opportunity for becoming accustomed to strange sights and sounds as they make various noises, beat their wings and occasionally fly short distances without warning.

Zola's training is not going to be the traditional racehorse training. It's my belief that a horse who can adjust well to strange environments and situations is preferable to one always on edge and dancing around ready to bolt. Calm confidence seems a better attitude for true performance, whereby the horse's energy can be fully focused on the job at hand. And racing is a job and will be presented to Zola as such.

Unlike the vast majority of racehorses, Zola will have freedom and a normal "horse" life with her friends in the herd. She will have "work" and she will have play. Her life will have balance and be satisfying. I feel great sadness at the plight of most racehorses - their only reward for a job well done is to be put back in what amounts to solitary confinement. In fact, there is no reward, there is only serving man at man's convenience.