This is a fun time of the year to take a drive through the horse country of Kentucky and see the new babies out playing in the pastures with their moms.  The youngest ones seem to be glued to their mom’s legs, while the older ones are learning the game of tag. 

So back to our mares,  Shane’s Girlfriend was the last one to foal that I shared with you on 3-21.  So now we’re watching Caradini whose due date is 3-20 and Get Back Anne due on 3-22.  We wait and wait and the two girls give no signs of being close to delivering.  Then Dance America who wasn’t due until 3-29 started showing signs that she was ready to have her baby.  For three days in a row she kept us knowing “tonight’s the night”.  Our guests who were staying at the time were all anticipating seeing a new foal but no, no new babies.  So much for reading the signs and just knowing when the mares are going to foal, it’s still a mystery.  We keep detailed information on each mare and each of their foalings so we can see if there is a pattern. I think so far this year Chuck is ready to throw the book out the window, it seems to be reading like a fictional novel. 

By all accounts Caradini and Get Back Anne should have delivered before Dance America but nope, Dance America at 1:35am on April 1^st delivered a filly by Goldencents.  Those who know me know I love April Fools’ Day and playing practical jokes on people (especially Teresa), so when Cris called us just after midnight to say he thought Dance America was going to foal, my first thought was he was pulling an April Fools’ joke, but no it was real and Caradini and Get Back Anne were still just watching us showing little interest in their own foaling.  She wasn’t a big girl weighing 110 pounds but she was very energetic.

We noticed that, Caradini must have been inspired to deliver because she began being restless but that was it, just restless no other signs.  So the next day was Sunday, usually a quiet day for me because my restaurant is closed.  I prepare breakfast for our guests and then try to catch up on all the things I haven’t done all week.

At this time of day, the mares were turned out and the guys going about their daily chores. Chuck was working in the field where he could see the paddock where the expectant mares were grazing and noticed Caradini roll a few times.  He stopped what he was doing and brought her into the barn where we could watch her better.  Since I was doing paperwork at the house I volunteered to watch her on the stall camera.  As soon as she came in she was restless and walking the stall.  After about an hour she started nesting.  I’m always amazed how these animals just know what to do by instinct.  So by now I’m putting on my jacket and calling Chuck to meet me in the barn because I think Caradini might be getting close to foaling.  He said he was only two minutes away.  As I drove up to the barn I passed Kelly & Ernie who were guests at the B&B and had been hoping that they would get to see a foaling during their stay.  They were actually in their car getting ready to leave when I told them I thought we’d be having a baby that afternoon.  They decided not to leave, lunch could wait, and it was a good thing because Caradini wasted no time and delivered a really big colt by Vino Rosso about 20 minutes later.  After the delivery they said I thought they typically delivered at night and not during the day.  I agreed with them, normally they do but you just never know what these girls are going to do.  This bug guy looked to be three weeks old when born.  He’s lucky his mama is very patient with him because he likes to try and get her attention by biting her ear.  She just shakes her head and continues to graze. 

Get Back Anne decided two weeks late was long enough and the next night started walking her stall about 9:00pm.  Chuck had gone to bed hoping to get a few hours of sleep in case he had to get up during the night.  Even though I knew Cris was in the barn watching the mares I was watching Get Back Ann on the camera also.  She was so restless and then started to show signs of nesting, that I thought there’s no since in going to bed because this girl is going to have her baby, and just before 11:00 pm she delivered a beautiful filly by Goldencents (she’s a full sister to Get Back Goldie)

For those of you keeping count, that’s 10 down and five to go…………no wait… make that 2 but I will tell you about the next three in my next blog. And as you can see Bellezza Rosso, who is the last one due, is sporting a wide load look.

RACING NEWS

Miss Lizzy won her maiden special weight at Santa Anita.   We’re hoping Zed wins his race tomorrow at Churchill Downs. Johnny Drama is working well.  Skylarose has been breezing and doing gate work and will be shipping to Keeneland within the month.