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Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind
First of all, Personal Ensign raced through her 4YO season, despite screws in her leg and she was one of the finest broodmares of the last 25 years. Second of all, of course none of these GREAT horses reproduce themselves, and I doubt any realistic breeder even considers that. However, some might say that over racing them lessens their chances of reproducing at a high level.
And, finally, Zarkava's foals will never sell for " oodles of money " and dollars play absolutely zero consideration into whatever decision the Aga Kan makes.
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Yes, I'm aware PE raced through her 4-year-old year, and with screws in her leg. I wasn't discussing her age at retirement; I was saying she was the only great filly in recent memory I could think of who had a good career as a broodmare. You have a much greater knowledge of the past few decades of racing than I, I'm sure you're aware of other great fillies who may have actually topped themselves. I just can't think of any. Likewise, my comment about selling foals was referring to the foals of great fillies in general, not Zarkava in particular.
So why retire and rush to breed the fillies, then? If it's not the chance of duplicating or improving, and it's not about money, what is it then? Because baby horsies are cute? I understand that the Aga Kan doesn't need the money, but if it's not to produce a better foal, and not about the money, then why retire? They like racing them up to a point and then they're tired of them so on to the next new shiny? If that's true, that's lame. Or typical of the male mind, I guess, depending on how you look at it.
The over-racing reduces their chances of reproducing at a high level sounds to me like an excuse. I'd like to see studies proving that. I could see where continuing to medicate could affect later fertility, as it does in other large mammals, but in that case it's not due to physical exertion.