George Washington infertile

[brockguy]

you mightnt like the Germans, but they know how to keep their breed sound...

from the racingpost

WHILE IT is not unheard of for a stallion to enter stud having raced only at two, there is not thought to be another case in which a sound racehorse has been retired before racing at three to stand at stud.

Racing Post bloodstock expert Tony Morris said: “Obviously, Coolmore have a responsibility to breeders, but I think it’s very sad that breeding is being put above racing, and I think most people in racing will take a dim view.

“To my mind, a horse isn’t proven unless he’s run for two seasons, and in Germany a horse cannot stand at studunless he has run for at least two seasons. Retiring Holy Roman Emperor now has deprived the horse of the opportunity to prove himself, and racegoers of a lot of fun.”
German stallion owners have long had to comply with stringent rules withregards to which horses can stand at stud.

Rules written well over a century ago state, among other things, that a potential stallion must have raced for at least two seasons, must have a rating of at least 110, and should have no hereditary conformational flaws.

Rudiger Alles of the German International Bloodstock Agency believes these rules should be adhered to.

“Retired thoroughbreds should improve the breed, and while the German authorities and breeders think these rules are a good thing, they will be kept to,” he says.

“It makes sense that a horse should have had to race for at least two seasons, as a lot of good two-year-olds lose their form at three.”