Written 2012
I am puzzled by the negative attitude Australian yearling buyers take towards buying yearlings out of “older mares”.
Yes there are significantly more stakeswinners produced out of young mares, however this is simply because old mares that have been unsuccessful get culled, die or are bred to failed/ineffective stallions (in effect the same as being culled). Also old mares obviously have a lower fertility rate than young mares.
In every other country in the world, good judges will tell you that the only negative to old mares is if they don’t put anything into the foals they produce (old mares foal syndrome!). However if the yearling is well grown and shows no sign of having OMFS, you are actually at a significant advantage buying good yearlings out of old/proven mares. Most mares fail as good producers, hence you can reduce your risk by buying a yearling out of a mare you know can do the job!
Whilst it is generally thought you are at a statistical advantage buying yearlings out of young mares, I would take any price the truth is actually the opposite, so long as you culled out stock displaying OMFS and out of failed producers. Any mare over the age of 12 that has produced 2 or more stakeswinners (say from 8 foals of racing age) has a stakes winner to foals ratio of 25% or greater, no stallion in the world can boast these statistics.
AGE OF DAM PROGENY
14 Years old Air De France, Alquoz, Apache Cat, Avon Angel, Carnegie, Count Ricardo, Emancipation, Fitting, Golden Snake, Just Now, Lion Hunter, Manhattan Rain, Paint, Rock of Gibraltar, Rustic Amber, Serheed, Sousa, Spartacus, St. Jude, Swick, Willoughby
15 Years Old Desert Sun, Let’s Elope. Made of Gold, Northern Meteor, Tobougg, Typhoon Tracy
16 Years Old Adventurous, Belle du Jour, Bellotto, Buckpasser, Brief Truce, Bubble Gum Fellow, Commands, Court Ruler, Denman, Distinctly North, Encores, Forest Express, Half Hennessy, Halo, His Majesty, Irish River, Mister C, Northfields, Noverre, Perugino, Reward For Effort, Sanction, Street Cry, Timber Country, Todvega
17 Years Old Adam, Hawk Wing, Hula Chief, Ivory’s Irish, Machine Gun Tom, Mister C, Monde Bleu,
Octagonal, Pins, Scenic Blast, Super Elegant, Viewed
18 Years Old Alibhai, All Time High, Baguette, Geiger Counter, Kenvain, Piccolo, Polish Navy, Royal
Academy, Soviet Lad, Xaar
19 Years Old Bianconi, Joie Denise, Joyeux Danseur, King’s Best
20 Years Old Clangalang
21 Years Old
22 Years Old
23 Years Old Skalato, Twining
