Zenyatta to get "tapped" by Tapit

Zen Pit

[Danzig]

they can call the foal tap dancer. that'll be grand.

[my miss storm cat]

I like that name a lot.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Danzig

they can call the foal tap dancer. that'll be grand.

You'll love this. That name is reserved, and for all we know, the Mosses have it. It'd have to have been done in the last year. You could be incredibly prescient.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

You'll love this. That name is reserved, and for all we know, the Mosses have it. It'd have to have been done in the last year. You could be incredibly prescient.

lol
seriously? wow. i feel so ashamed that i had a similar thought to the mosses. but i could just see it, because zenyatta was ginger rogers with four feet.

[citycat]

I thought they would go to Distorted Humor.

p.s. tap dancer is really clever though

[trackrat59]

Tap Dancer is very good. And, you're all seriously funny. But does ANYONE have a clue why they might have gone to Tapit?

[Indian Charlie]

Perhaps because he's perceived to be one of the hottest stallions around?

That and they seem to like AP Indy blood with this mares family.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by trackrat59

Tap Dancer is very good. And, you're all seriously funny. But does ANYONE have a clue why they might have gone to Tapit?

i agree with indian charlie. except for perhaps bernardini, tapit is the hottest thing going. and i'd have to think that unlike bernardini, tapit probably didn't get the top notch cream of the crop mares his first couple years at stud. he wasn't the biggest star for that year, but has had amazing successes thus far. with him doing so well, he's getting them now for sure.

[Clip-Clop]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Zen Pit

I was thinking Tantra

[parsixfarms]

On paper, I like the AP Indy line over Street Cry (and AP Indy - Balance colt sold for big bucks), but I wonder if they match physically. I recall speaking to someone at Gainesway a few years ago, when we considered sending a mare to Tapit (when he was standing for $10K), and the one thing that I recall from the conversation is that he would be best with an average-sized, more refined mare. I don't think Zenyatta fits that description.

[Danzig]

a tapit colt just went for a million at the F-T 2 yo's in training sale.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

On paper, I like the AP Indy line over Street Cry (and AP Indy - Balance colt sold for big bucks), but I wonder if they match physically. I recall speaking to someone at Gainesway a few years ago, when we considered sending a mare to Tapit (when he was standing for $10K), and the one thing that I recall from the conversation is that he would be best with an average-sized, more refined mare. I don't think Zenyatta fits that description.

I seem to recall a study that said breeders matching mares and stallions of similar size, whatever that is, tended to find success over people that had average sized mares going to large stallions with the idea that the taller the suitor, the better (I think the idea was to get a bigger yearling for sale, but not sure). Does anybody remember that?

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

I seem to recall a study that said breeders matching mares and stallions of similar size, whatever that is, tended to find success over people that had average sized mares going to large stallions with the idea that the taller the suitor, the better (I think the idea was to get a bigger yearling for sale, but not sure). Does anybody remember that?

Breeding really big to really small doesn't give you "average" - it will give you big or small, or more frequently a weird awkward physical combination of both.

Physical matches in phenotype tend to carry genetics that reinforce and give you predictable offspring that look like their parents, rather than come out weirdly as surprise recessives in the offspring.

Mares tend to control the physical size of foal at birth, but a stallion that throws big birthweight babies can contribute to dystocia, and as mares birth so very quickly, any trouble in the birthing process can spell death and disaster (it's hard to get a mare and foal through a c-section alive, unless they are in the hospital when the problem happens)

Growthy, big babies - be it genetic or due to excessive feeding - tend to sell well at sales as they are physically impressive, but fast-growers also tend to have more growth-associated issues radiographically at sale (OCD's, crooked, etc.)

So attempts at getting physically big babies for sales success can be fraught with complication.

Pick good genetics, and just help them reach their genetic potential.

In the choice of Zenyatta and Tapit, I'd not worry about a big mare with a smaller stallion, as I would the other way around. More refinement, keeping the size down in the foal, predicability in what he throws looks-wise (he's good), trying to prevent big and clumsy offspring would be a good thing, regarding those physicals, I'd guess (rather than breeding her to a big, rangy stallion)