The babies are growing, the yearlings are maturing and the mamas’ bellies are starting to show they are pregnant again.  In case you were wondering… YES it is hot here, too!!!

The babies don’t care.  They play tag and see who can pull the hardest on the other’s halter.  The guests at the B&B really enjoy watching the evening antics after dinner.

Orientatious 18 may be the youngest (born May 8), but WOW what attitude he has!  He likes letting the older ones know that he is a force to be reckoned with.  Penumbra 18, the oldest of our 2018 crop, is quite the independent filly.  She’s already been weaned, along with Golden History 18, and will hold her own at feeding time against the mares.  She’s an impressive filly by Colonel John.

Bellezza Rosso 17 in front of the Yearling Barn.

The yearlings have changed their schedule too — from just hanging out in the pasture all day to what we call Sales Prep.  That means they come in to the Yearling Barn at 7 AM and go back outside by 6 PM.  While they are in the barn, their schedule varies a little bit but includes being bathed, groomed, walked and learning how to use the Automated Walker properly.

Some of our guests ask why we do all this, and the answer is “for many reasons”.  Keeping them in during the day keeps them out of the sun, which gets rid of their sun bleached coats.  This, with the grooming, puts a beautiful shine to their coats.

The walking gets them used to the way they will be walked at the sale.  The youngsters need to be comfortable just walking so that the buyers can see their long stride, which can really add to their sale price.  And then stopping and standing patiently so the buyers can inspect them.  Yes, good manners can add to their sale price too!

The hand walking, combined with the automated walker time, helps tone and define the yearlings’ muscles.  This all starts them changing in their looks from scruffy teenager to the beautiful Thoroughbred you will eventually see at the racetrack.

Bellezza Rosso 18 and Bellezza Rosso enjoying a perfect summer day.

This time of year, the mares are doing their thing of being good mamas.  They come in with their foals six mornings a week to maybe just rest or maybe have the farrier trim their hooves or maybe see Cory (their veterinarian), who is checking to see that their pregnancy is progressing satisfactorily. He does a pregnancy scan at Day 14 to see if they are pregnant, at 16 days to check for twins, at 30 days to find a heartbeat.  At 45 or 60 days, you can fetal sex them if you want to know the sex.  Then every 30 days they are checked to monitor the progress of the pregnancy – which allows early detection of any problems…but hopefully none!!!

This brings me to the racehorses.  Pistol Packin Rose is getting some well deserved R&R at the farm.  Here are some names, so you can update your Virtual Stables:

Rose dela Troienne 15 is named Cody.  He’s a full brother to Pistol Packin Rose. He’ll be running very soon.

Alleva (Bellezza Rosso 16)

Bellezza Rosso 16 is named Alleva.  He’s a 3/4 brother to Travieza and is a member of the first crop of Goldencents.

Golden History 16 is named Twice Golden as he is by Goldencents!

Maxnmacy 16, also by Goldencents, is named Missmachupicchu.

They are all training well and Alleva is running tomorrow (Sunday, July 7). He’s in the second race of the day at Los Alamitos, with post position # 2 of 5 in a 5-1/2 furlong maiden special.  It’s a small but “salty” field, including a $450,000 Into Mischief colt, a $210,000 City Zip colt and a $260,000 Flashback colt — and our guy who is priceless!  The handicapper seems to think they’re fairly evenly matched as Alleva is the longest shot in the morning line at 4 to 1.

In terms of excitement, looking forward to the debut of our very first homegrown Goldencents is about as good as it gets… so we’ll stop right there!