The Derby’s been over for a week and life is still crazy. Unlike last year the Kentucky Derby was run on the first Saturday in May with spectators and they sang “My Old Kentucky Home” YEA!!!! We were cheering for Hot Rod Charlie since we have close ties to some of his connections…and he was being ponied by “Coach” Lava Man. Hot Rod Charlie didn’t win but he ran a good race and was on the board. He seems to be getting better with every race.

I wish I had gotten several blogs written since January, but I didn’t and I will attempt to catch up in this blog and one or two more. In summary we delivered 12 babies. 9 fillies and 3 colts. As you can see it was the year for fillies, and as always I believe all of them will be great racehorses.

So, back to February 9th, Malibu Gem delivered a beautiful long legged filly by Practical Joke. And, as usual Gem was a few days past her due date and giving us very few signs that foaling was getting close except for being more irritable than usual. As you can see from this photo they both were content to rest before getting up. But once up, she was quick to nurse. The next day we had a severe ice storm that took out our electricity at the foaling barn for about twelve hours. Kentucky Utilities did a great job that day getting electricity on for so many, one of their employees even offered to hold a light for us if we had to foal before he had our lights working. Luckily it came back on later that night.

Then three weeks later Aes Sedai delivered a big colt by Mucho Macho Man at 12:18AM. It took a good four hours for this colt to maneuver his long legs to a standing position on his own. But once up, he was on the go.

Then, later that evening at 6:25 pm, Mo Buckets, the first of our three maidens delivered a beautiful 100 lb filly by Mastery. This mare did not like you in her stall for any reason and could prove to be difficult before she had her baby, so we were a little concerned about her delivery, if she needed some assistance. She was very restless and was up and down many times. Normally the mare will go thru her nesting phase …then lay down…then deliver. Well that’s normally what they do, but this being her first time, every time she felt a contraction, instead of staying down, she’d pop back up…maybe she thought it would stop her discomfort, not sure. But what I am sure of is it took all four of us to assist while she delivered standing up. Well, to be honest, I wasn’t doing more than giving her moral support by telling her what a good job she was doing. She was not buying into that, she had her ears pinned back and kept giving me the evil eye. But, lucky for us becoming a mom changed her demeanor and she has become an easy mare to work with and a GREAT MOM.

One week later, Mysteriously, our second maiden, tried to catch us not looking. She was not showing the typical signs that delivery was near so she was turned out to her paddock that morning . It was a very pleasant day and she lazily grazed all morning. This paddock is just outside Barn 1 where lots of activity goes on so it was easy to keep an eye on her. At about 12:30 pm when she saw the workers leave for lunch she must have thought…finally I’m alone and can do this without anyone with me. She was right that she didn’t need much assistance and was a little surprised when Chuck was there to make sure mom and baby were ok. She delivered a 123 lb colt by Distorted Humor, that was strong enough to walk into the barn with mom a little later.

Two days after that, Shane’s Girlfriend delivered a really nice 110 lb colt by Speightstown. This being her second foal, she did it all by the book. That evening she showed the typical early signs of labor and by that evening at the typical time for delivery of 1:00 am her water broke and she needed no assistance delivering within 8 minutes. And, as with her first foal, she was a very protective mama. She wanted no one in the stall with her and really didn’t even want anyone looking in the stall. It was very difficult to get a picture with her ears not pinned back. Her attitude is she loves her baby and only puts up with people when she must. And from stories I’ve heard from her racing days she hasn’t changed much.

The next day our third maiden, Pistol Packin Rose delivered a feisty filly by Sky Mesa. With this delivery, I realized just how long we’ve been on the farm.

This was the third generation for us to deliver in this family. We delivered Pistol Packin Rose seven years earlier out of Rose Dela Troienne who we had delivered just four years prior to that, out of Tigress Woods. How time flies when you’re having fun.

I think I will save the rest for next time.

Racing update…Gold Account went to Texas and won on May 2nd. It wasn’t a big race but it was a good overall performance and luckily he wasn’t claimed. Can’t wait to see how he improves for his next race. His full two year old sister Roses N Gold is training great, will be ready for the track this summer. And then there is Dunbar our two year old colt by Tonalist out of Miss Dixie Rose. He has been training great. I’d like to race him but as Chuck keeps telling me we can’t race them all and he has a few people looking at him so if we get an offer we need to look at it. I can’t help it I’d love to race them all but to do that I need to win the lottery or Gold Account needs to win a Stakes!!! I know he can.