OFF THE RECORD #47

Nurturing the Matriarchs:
Leading Studs on Caring for Older Mares

As the 2024 breeding season hits its stride, stud farms across the country are faced with important decisions—particularly regarding their older broodmares. For many of these seasoned mares, retirement is inevitable, while a select few, still in good health and condition, may have the chance for one final cover before their well-earned rest.

The fertility of broodmares peaks when they’re between the ages of six and 10. Studies shown that both pregnancy and foaling rates decline significantly after the age of 12. Mares of 20 years old or older can still give birth to foals, but the fertility decreases every year. An aged mare that has recently had a foal has a greater chance to become pregnant again than a +mare of similar age that has remained barren despite being bred over multiple oestrous cycles.

Interestingly Horse Chestnut, one of the best thoroughbreds ever to race in South Africa, was born from the Colonel Pickering mare, London Wall, when she was 17 years old. She’d only produced a number of moderate fillies up to the age of 13 and was placed on a mare sale by Mauritzfontein’s erstwhile Stud manager, Gavin Schafer. She couldn’t reach her lowly reserve of R20,000 and Schafer brought her back to the Kimberley farm, hoping that she’d have a colt. The rest is now well documented history.

Above:  Dr Marianne Thomson's Jubbly Bubbly with her colt by The United States

Dr Marianne Thomson of Ambience Stud reported that her 22-year-old mare, Jubbly Bubbly, last week foaled down with a lovely colt by The United States. Jubbly Bubbly (Rakeen), who was born and raised at Ambience, had two winners in the last 10 days – Devil A Saint (Durbanville) and Poets Warrior (Turffontein). Her best so far was stakes winner Cockney Pride (2017), and she’s been a wonderful asset to her breeder.

Mares of an advanced age should be in a good body condition, or on a rising plane of nutrition. They should also be sound, as any chronic lameness may get worse when the foetus becomes heavy. Thomson said: “We love and cherish the old mares. Mine don’t sleep outside in winter and they get blankets at night. All our horses have food in front of them, 24-7. I let the mares tell me when they are ready for retirement. Jubbly is in great shape, still. She had a urine pooling operation a few years ago, and she’s been as healthy as ever since then.”

Klawervlei’s John Koster agreed that a cosy stable for winter, good food and lots of love keep the older mares in the best possible shape. Koster, too, lets his eye decide when the ‘old girls’ are ready to retire. He said: “There is a balance to be found between the calls of nature and the demands of humans. They show you.”

Above: Klawervlei's Thin Red Line

Koster noted that the stud’s well-performed 19-year-old mare, Thin Red Line (Redoute’s Choice), is due for her last covering this year and she’ll be going to Captain Al’s new star on the block, One World. “Thin Red Line has done very well with Captain Al and his sire line. Her best so far was Grade 1 Cape Derby and Daily News winner Linebacker (Captain Of All) in 2017 and she went back to that stallion twice, for two more colts. We gave her off last year, and we’re hoping she’ll have another smashing runner born from her mating with One World.”

John Everett of Narrow Creek Stud said that his own mare, Kentucky Lass (1991), had a lot to do with getting him up and going in the challenging business of breeding. Kentucky Lass was the first resident of Narrow Creek when he left the former Odessa Stud. She produced the Grade 1 winner, African Appeal. “I retired her at 19 and she had more than three years of peace and quiet in the paddock after that. I drove by her one morning and saw that she’d reached the end. I knew her so well, her body showed me that she was tired, and we had her euthanised.”

Above: Narrow Creek Stud's Magical Miss

Narrow Creek’s oldest active mare is Magical Miss (22) whose best runners were the seven-time winning sprinter Magico (Du Pont), second in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint and Magical Wonderland (What A Winter), second in the SA Fillies Sprint. “Magical Miss has just had a Rafeef colt and we’re giving her one more cover by Ridgemont’s young gun, Thunderstruck.”

Above: Clifton Stud's Valdivino

At Clifton Stud in Mooirivier, KZN, Peter and Jenny Blyth have enjoyed many years of caring for the now 22-year-old Valdivino (Al Mufti), who is in foal for the 13th time in her career courtesy of new stallion, Eden Roc. Her 2014 colt Chefano (formerly Vaquero, by Silvano), was exported to Hong Kong in 2018, where he won the equivalent of approximately R15-million!

“Valdivino is very smart mare, just amazing. Recently she produced another black-type winner in Madison Valley (Mambo In Seattle), who won the Grade 3 Gold Vase and was unlucky in the Gold Cup,” said Peter Blythe.

Dr Bennie van der Merwe of Moutonshoek said all his ‘golden girls’ are kept in the same paddock for extra care and attention. The stud’s grand dame, Rose Of Tralee (Rich Man’s Gold) is joining the retirees this season. Her prized foal was Forrie’s Waltz (Grey’s Inn) who won the 2106 Group 2 Al Rashidiya at Meydan.

Above: Avontuur Stud's River Jetez

Avontuur Stud’s well-travelled 21-year-old River Jetez (Jet Master) was most accomplished as a racehorse. She raced all over the world at the highest level and won South Africa’s 2010 Grade 1 J&B Met and the Group 2 Balanchine at Meydan in Dubai, finished second in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free and the Group 1 Singapore Cup. She earned a fifth stake in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket en route to a third in the Group 1 Arlington Million in the United States.

As a broodmare, River Jetez produced Grade 1 2020 Computaform Sprint winner Rivarine (Var). She has now been retired to a life of luxury at the Somerset-West farm, said Avontuur Estate’s General Manager, Pippa Mickleburgh.

At Sandown Stud, James Armitage retires all his broodmares at 20 years of age and Brave Bid (Qui Danzig) is next in line. She is the dam of Grade 3 Final Fling Stakes winner, Brave Move (Horse Chestnut) and a few promising runners still on the tracks, including Surge Of Power (Potala Palace). “Brave Bid is a daughter of Bold Bidder, one of our original Zimbabwean mares sired by Goldkeeper, there aren’t many left. Brave Bid is in foal for a final time, to Malmoos (Silvano),” said Armitage.

Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud sends retiring mares to their farm in Graaff-Reinet. Stud Manager Kevin Sommerville commented: “We don’t really have a policy specific to age, we look very carefully at the health of our mares before making decisions. We let them tell us, and we’re always on the cautionary side. Once they’ve had two blank years, they are normally sent to the enjoy their retirement in Graaff Reinet. We have about 16 mares out there, at the moment.”

Above: Drakenstein Stud Farm's Gulf Breeze

Drakenstein’s oldest active mares are 19-year-olds Gulf Breeze (Dubai Destination), the dam of Grade 3 Victress Stakes winner, Fresnaye (Western Winter) and Irish Torrent (Giant’s Causeway), whose son White River won 10 races and was a champion in Mauritius. Both are visiting Jet Da rk this season. Spiced Gold (18) had a Jet Dark foal this season, and is nearing the end of her career. Her 2012 colt, Chimichuri Run, won the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint and was the first Grade 1-winning son of Trippi to go to stud.

Sommerville added: “The oldest mare we’ve ever had producing a stakes horse was Mountains Of Mist, who delivered dual Grade 1 Majorca Stakes winner Inara when she was 19. Hosta (French Deputy) was 19 when she produced Golden Hostess (Gold Standard), who is due for a run in the US soon. Hosta sadly passed away recently. We’ve also lost Grail Maiden (Galileo, dam of this season’s classic contender Legend Of Arthur), Aquatint (Paintre Celebre, dam of champions sprinter Kasimir) and Arabian Pearl (Al Mufti, dam of of KZN Derby winner, Future Pearl).”

One more well-known mare to retire this year was Varsfontein Stud’s Sabina Park (Sportsworld), a top race mare who signalled the entry into racing of enthusiastic owner Michael De Broglio, who dedicated a website to her in 2004. Sabina Park’s first covering goes back to 2008 and produced Gr1 Summer Cup winner Master Sabina, sired by Jet Master. Her last two foals, by Gimmethegreenlight and Master Of My Fate respectively, were sold at a Mixed Sale last year.

Carl de Vos of Varsfontein noted: “Sabina Park was retired and Michael moved her to Sivalè Stables.She’s having a royal retirement there, being groomed and blanketed every day. Some of our retired mares stay on the farm for as long as possible, like Marie Galante. She was by Mexico II out of our foundation mare, Indira, and was born in 1988 when the combined age of her parents was 47 years. She eventually died at 28 years of age.”

Sources:
Journal of Animnal Feeds and Sciences (www.jafs.com.pl)
Horse and Hound (www.horseandhound.co.uk)