Pedigree Pitfalls

For the novice yearling buyer, the pedigree page is a mystery often casually explained away by the vendor, syndicator or trainer trying to steer you into this horse, so best we explain a few common pitfalls.

Black Type

The more Black Type on the page the better quality the family of this horse should be given stakes performers are written in bold, capitals for STAKES-WINNERS!

If the Black Type is at the far bottom of the page rather than the top, it's often ancient history that will have very little real relevance to this horse.

How Many Dams?

Most pedigrees have two to three dams on the page which is normal and even four, but five is moving into the realms of what we would term a 'skinny pedigree' that means to fill the page the catalogue producers (Arion) have had to keep going back in history, again the further back we go the less relevance.

A one dam page is a rarity and indicates a blue hen, that being a broodmare that has done a thoroughly exceptional job at stud, so much so that her exploits fill the page!

This is her $$&*# foal

After the race record of every first dam will come a sentence. This is her first foal or her second or her third. Whatever is correct for this mare and this is very relevant information for all buyers.

The Magic Millions catalogue is notable for offering a lot of yearlings from young mares, so you will see a lot of first, second, third and fourth foals. In the case of mares that have now had quite a few foals, if none of them have raced, the question should be asked why not?

Which brings me to my next point.

Unraced

Unraced mares are often retired to stud, but it does beg the question of why. We're breeding racehorses here and if a thoroughbred did not go to the races it failed in what it was bred to do.

Very few unraced stallions are lucky enough to go to stud, but truckloads of unraced mares are given the opportunity to breed on, sometimes not so wisely.

Not being deemed suitable to go to the races is usually the result of a physical or mental shortcoming and also sometimes through no fault of the horse either through injury, illness or trainer and owner incompetence.

Here I will offer up a good example of a horse that had ability, but retired unraced and proved a gem at stud. Back in the days when I was riding work for Gai Waterhouse we had a filly come into the stables called Joy.

She was by Bluebird (USA) from the Denise's Joy family, so had plenty of pedigree and good looks to match, but she had suffered a paddock accident which damaged her knee quite badly and while she did manage to barrier trial, a race day did not eventuate due to her ongoing soundness issues.

Joy produced four winners including Group I winner and champion New Zealand sire Thorn Park.

A bit of research can often ascertain which scenario is in play and that can be useful information when you are considering outlaying a lot of money.

That said, plenty of slow mares produce fast foals, likewise fast mares can produce walkers… this is not a science!

Bold Type within Tabulation

Every pedigree page has a tabulation at the top showing the names of the horses in this horse's pedigree back four generations. If a name appears twice it will be in bold indicating a double cross.