This is the year for babies to come two at a time. We’ve had two babies in one night before, but we’re not a huge foaling operation so it doesn’t happen all that often for us. This year, we’ve now had that happen THREE times! That might not sound like a lot until you realize that represents six babies out of the nine born so far in 2018.

Hot Attraction and her Carpe Diem colt.

Hot Attraction started the action on February 27.  She was three weeks past her due date, so we had even had the vet check her several times just to make sure all was good with the baby.  She was good, baby was good and sooooo considerate that she delivered before dinner!  Yes, I said “before dinner” at 7:00 PM.

This colt by Carpe Diem has an unusual blaze – sort of a broken blaze / blaze in two parts.  It reminds me of a successful horse I’m used to seeing in the last few years, but I’m drawing a blank on the name.  Can anyone help me???

With Chris having everything under control with Mama and baby, Chuck and I went back to the house.  I reheated our dinner and we ate while catching up on the other happenings of the day.  The phone rang and Chris said he thought Suzy Malibu was showing some signs of wanting to deliver.

Suzy Malibu and her new baby making each other’s acquaintance.

Soooooo back to the barn we went.  Suzy Malibu was a maiden mare (meaning this was the first time for her to have a baby) so we had no historic reference on what she was going to show us before delivering.  At 10:30 PM, one day after  her due date, she delivered a colt by Informed.

Suzy showed great mothering instincts and, as you can see, she knows this is the cutest foal on the farm.  It was fun sending pictures to Glenn (her owner) who was that evening dining with his sister, whom Suzy is named after!

Mingo resting on a bale of straw the first double foaling night.

As you can imagine, this evening was a long one for all of us and even Mingo was asking when he was going to be able to get some shut eye (see picture of him napping on the straw).  I watched Chris move the foaling cart down the barn aisle to sit between the stalls of Hit the Limit (due date 2/22) and another maiden mare Caradini (due 2/25).  Luckily, they decided we’d had enough excitement for one night.

Hit the Limit and her 133 pound Palace Malice filly.

They waited another week and, at 9:55 PM, Hit the Limit delivered a big filly (133 pounds!) by Palace Malice.  This filly only waited about ten minutes before trying to arrange her legs and get about the business of standing.  It was funny to watch her get frustrated as she tried to get up. She is one determined young lady, and was moving all around the stall, making little foal-talk noises (not a whinny yet). By 11:00, she was up and nursing and looked like a foal about three weeks old!

Chris gives Hit the Limit 18 her colostrum.

Meanwhile, in the stall next door, Caradini watched the entire foaling and I swear that after we commented on what a big filly we had just welcomed, she looked soulfully at me and said, “I’ve changed my  mind about giving birth.  I’d rather just keep this thing right where it is, in my belly.”)

But baby thought otherwise, Caradini started pacing and by 11:40, delivered her first foal – a colt by Goldencents. I started sending videos to Glenn (owner) of Caradini 18 and this little guy was moving around the stall within five minutes.  While we were still standing there watching this cute baby, Glenn reminded us that Chuck and I were in that very barn 8 years ago that very day, delivering a colt by Into Mischief that became known as Goldencents!

Caradini and her very first foal, a colt by Goldencents.

This colt bolted up within 40 minutes and would have walked out of his stall had Chuck not been standing there to stop him.  He was soooo funny to watch, because every time he got near the stall door, he would try to walk out.  I didn’t realize at the time that he just wanted to go nextdoor to see the stall where his Dad had been born.

Yes, when talking with Glenn the next day, we realized the Goldencents colt born to Caradini the night before was born with several coincidences.

1st…Born on the same day of the year as Goldencents.

2nd…Born in the same barn, with the same people attending.

3rd…When Goldencents retired to Spendthrift Farm and left Doug O’Neill’s barn, his vacant stall was filled by a new filly named Caradini.  I guess it would have been just too much had the colt been born in the same stall, but we did figure out it was right next door.  Jayro Torres, groom for both Goldencents and Caradini, is already looking forward to the arrival of this guy in the Doug O’Neill barn.

Quick note to say that Goldencents’ babies sold very well at the first 2-year-old in training sale last week.  Don’t forget to Click HERE  for that news, and click LIKE on the Wilshire Farm page to get all the #Goldenwatch updates.

Well, I don’t want to sound wimpy, but as I recount these four births, it makes me tired!  No time for that, though, as I need to get to Lil’s.  Writing this has made me late to work.