Byerley Turk book review

“The Byerley Turk: The Incredible Story of the World’s First Thoroughbred”, is a fantastic story, masterfully told. It is a story of a horse, from his auspicious birth while in the care of his Turkish groom, to his peaceful death while in the care of the wealthy Englishman, Robert Byerley. It is most compelling, and contains a graphic intensity that the author Jeremy James, who has knowledge and experience with horses, weaves into his story.

Jeremy James has the ability to take you inside the landscape, and into the hearts of horses and of men. In fact, the way that this story is told, gives insight into an era that is long gone. Buildings, scenery, attire, relationships, protocol, and events are lavishly described. It gives insight to vastly different cultures in conflict, and yet the element of the human heart, and the heart of the horse are amplified throughout. The author has an uncanny ability to involve the reader, so that the passions, horrors, joys and sorrows, are deeply felt.

This is a story of trust, loyalty, and supreme athleticism, during a time of war and upheaval. There are heroic deeds performed as a matter of fact, and in retrospect, deeds with a seemingly supernatural aura… deeds which connected the events with their destiny. There are elements of beauty amongst the serious gore. Fear and friendship, supreme intellect, slavery, survival, suffering and opportunity are juxtaposed inexorably into the landscape spanning from the Ottoman Empire, to Ireland.

The stallion and his groom inspire awe and change, where ever they go. The relationships that they offer are of such a deep and profound nature, that, whether they are at home, or in a foreign land, at times it seems that they are from a different world altogether.

There are emotionally charged sequences of courage and sacrifice made in the name of love, not war. This story illustrates the power of deep relationships, the power of ‘home’, and the transformative power of understanding.

It is not a story for the faint-hearted. The senses are floridly described in scenes of death, stress and suffering. Partings are painful. Love is not a petty emotion. Devotion is not a fleeting fulfillment of convenience. It is a book of extremes. Extreme beauty and style…extreme dedication, extreme danger, and the fantastic power of a strong-willed and defiant stallion, and the tender moments he creates when the touch of a whisker brings about peace and comfort…

It is the story of how Robert Byerley came to be in possession of the Turkish horse known as the Byerley Turk. Well researched and well presented, it is a wonderful use of the novel in depicting a time in history. It successfully captivates the imagination, and allows the reader to understand the importance of the horse in World History.

The Byerley Turk: The Incredible Story of the World’s First Thoroughbred

Zenyatta Bloodlines

At first glance, obvious reasons to favor Zenyatta reside with her sire and her broodmare sire.  Street Cry, the sire of the 2007 KY Derby winner Steet Sense, is one superficial reason. The other, Kris S, provides size and stamina…

Looking over the first five generations, Zenyatta’s pedigree is filled with a Who’s Who in Thoroughbred racing, and makes her blood bluer than blue.

It’s the depth of her pedigree that is so exciting. For starters, we see the duplication of Hoist the Flag. Working on the theory that the Y chromosome is actually a degraded copy of the X chromosome from females past, it is the opinion of this author that a strong female line repeated in the grandsire line as well as the mare line (in an x-factor position) will promote the expression of the large heart gene.

Hoist The Flag is out of Wavy Navy, who is by War Admiral,  a known large heart horse. This is complemented by another known large heart horse, Princequillo, and is further anchored by the duplication of Mahmoud through Cosmah and Natalma (the dam of Northern Dancer).

Large heart genes resonate very strongly all across Zenyatta’s bloodlines, making her an extremely strong candidate.

Another powerful aspect genetically speaking, is the tail female occurrence of Hamburg, which backs the lineup with Glencoe daughters, and the almighty Lexington/Glencoe daughter nick.

Additional large heart horses in non x positions include Blue Larkspur tail female to Roberto,  and further Glencoe daughters and Lexington/Glencoe daughter nicks through Nashua, Never Bend, Costa Sola, Pin Prick and Hornbeam.

Add the horses that we are all familiar with like Tom Fool and Man O’ War, and you can pretty much just light up a cigarette, and relax.

Zenyatta is a brilliant combination of structure, will, Soul and genes.

View her pedigree here: http://www.pedigreequery.com/zenyatta

Nick of Time

Who knows where or when the next ‘unexpected’ great horse will arrive, but doing your homework definitely helps. Research done well beyond five generations, gives a much fuller picture regarding the genetic buildup behind the scenes, and the kind of genes that are ready for expression.

There are certain individuals who exhibit specific talent and conformation. We can select for these traits easily enough. However, in addition to selecting individuals, inbreeding and line breeding, there are certain ‘combinations’ of horses that consistently produce successful offspring. This is called a ‘nick’. A nick can produce the unusual. One of the most explosive nicks in Thoroughbred history was that of Lexington when crossed with a daughter of Glencoe.

The brilliant sprint mare Nogara descended directly from the Lexington/Glencoe stakes winning mare Maiden. Nogara was the dam of one of the most prominent horses of modern Thoroughbreds: Nearco. Bred by the ‘wizard of Dormello’ Frederico Tesio, Nearco, was an undefeated racehorse, and essentially a modern Foundation horse for many brilliant stallions, mares and their descendants. One of the tenants of Tesio was: bring the stallion’s dam back to him. The mating that produced the famous ‘Nasrullah’ essentially did that.

Nearco (out of Nogara who was a tail-female descendant of a  Lexington/Glencoe daughter) was bred to Mumtaz Begum who brought in another direct female line to the almighty Lexington/Glencoe nick in a powerful way. [Note: Mumtaz Begum was a half sister to Mah Mahal, dam of a known large heart sire 'Mahmoud'. Both Mumtaz Begum and Mah Mahal sprung from the loins of Mumtaz Mahal, thought to be the fastest filly of all time, and a mare that had a significant impact in 20th century breeding.] Mumtaz Begum’s tail-female great grand dam was Americus Girl who was by Americus; a highly inbred horse. Americus’ grandsire ‘Norfolk’ was by Lexington out of the Glencoe daughter Novice. Americus’ grand dam ‘The Nun’ was by Lexington, also out of the Glencoe daughter Novice. So, his paternal grandsire, and his maternal grand dam were full siblings. It is worth noting that another Glencoe daughter, ‘Charmer’ is a tail-female ancestress to Americus’ sire, ‘Emperor of Norfolk’.

[Please see speed and large heart analysis of Americus]

A large dose of the super-nick in Mumtaz Begum’s heritage was brought to Nearco, and produced the legendary super sire Nasrullah.

As a two year old, Nasrullah won the Coventry Stakes, and the Great Bradley Stakes. He came in second at the Middle Park Stakes. At 3, he won the Chatteris Stakes, the Cavenham Stakes and the Champion Stakes. He was third in the Derby Stakes. All in England. He was Champion Two Year Old Colt again in England in 1942. He was also Leading Sire in England in 1951.

He was brought to the USA in 1949, and was Leading Sire in America in 1955, 1956, 1959, and 1960.

Nasrullah also sired: [author's
note: this is a rather small sampling…]

Bug Brush winner of over $200,000, including 1^st Kentucky Oaks, Inglewood Handicap, Santa Margarita Handicap, San Antonio Handicap, and many other races. Out of 32 starts she won 10, placed in 4, and showed in 4.

Delta winner of over $269,000. At 4 she set a new track record at Churchill downs, 6 furlongs in 1:09.3. She was Broodmare of the Year in 1968

Fleet Nasrullah winner of over $220,000. Set two new track records: Californian Stakes 8.5 furlongs in 1:40.6, and the Hollywood Premiere Handicap, 6 furlongs in 1:081/5. Sired 1824 foals, among them 147 Stakes winners.

Independence (full brother to Bold Ruler) winner of over $132,000 in 74 starts. He set a new track record at Belmont Park, 20 furlongs in 4:40, new track record at Saratoga 20 furlongs in 5:03. He raced eight years.

Jaipur winner of over $618,000 in 19 starts. Champion Three Year Old Colt, winning the Withers, the Belmont, the Travers, the Gotham, the Choice Stakes; coming in second in the Roamer Handicap, and the Woodward Stakes.

Nashua winner of over $1,288,000 in 30 starts. Wins include the Preakness Stakes with a new track record, the Arlington Classic, Belmont Stakes, Flamingo Stakes, Florida Derby, Match race with Swaps, Wood Memorial, Jockey Club Gold Cup twice with a new track record in 1956, the Dwyer Stakes, Widener Handicap, Suburban Handicap and others. He was 1954 Champion 2-Year Old Colt, 1955 Champion 3-Year Old Colt, 1955 Horse Of The Year. His track records and distances:

1954 ETR Belmont Park, 6f in 1:08 1/5.
1955 NTR Pimlico, 9.5f in 1:54 3/5.
1956 NTR Belmont, 16f in 3:20 2/5.

Never Bend winner of over $640,000 in 23 starts. Notable wins include the Champagne Stakes at 2, the Flamingo Stakes at three, coming in second in the Kentucky Derby, the United Nations Handicap and the Woodward Stakes that same year. Champion Two Year Old Colt. Never Bend sired Mill Reef, who won over $760,000 in 14 starts, including six consecutive G1 wins. European Horse of the Year, Champion Three Year Old in England. Champion Older Horse in 1972.

A significant presence of the most notable nick of all time — Lexington/Glencoe – had been inadvertently accumulated. How could it have gotten even better?

Waiting in the wings; enter the lovely and talented ‘Miss Disco’. Miss Disco herself was a successful racehorse, running in 54 races, and placing in the top three, 23 times. She earned over $80,000 in the ‘1940’s.  She plays a double role in this article, one of introducing her sire, Discovery, and two: demonstrating the amazing power of adding more ‘Tabasco’ to the all ready spiced up Nasrullah.

Miss Disco was a marvelous combination of American and English Thoroughbred blood, much of which has added up to extraordinary performance. It is not a coincidence that her great grand sire was none other than Fair Play, the sire of Man O’ War. That’s just for starters. There was an injection of the Lexington/Glencoe nick through Man O’ War’s great grandsire Spendthrift. But looking at Miss Disco’s sire, Discovery**, we uncover the real gold.

Champion Handicap Horse 1936, and known as the “Iron Horse”, Discovery’s weight carrying record sets the standard for all who follow. He stood 16.1 hh, was a gentleman, and an amazing horse. Those who knew him were impressed by his manners, the perfect demeanor for an exceptional horse.

Discovery’s strength at stud was through his daughters. He carried an extraordinary amount of X (large heart) blood in his veins, which seemed to determine his fate as a broodmare sire. Discovery gets a big Lexington/Glencoe boost through his dam, Ariadne who inherits from the brilliant Hamburg, and another horse named His Majesty. Discovery’s tally of Lexington comes to 6 crosses, and of those 6, 2 are Lexington/Glencoe nicks, and those two are wonderfully placed in x positions. In addition to the Lexington, Lexington/Glencoe nicks, Discovery racks up a STAGGERING amount of additional Glencoe crosses. 42 of them. Of the 42, 7 are daughters in x-positions.

Miss Disco’s dam, Outdone, had her own genetic treasure trove. Outdone added 9 crosses to Lexington, and of those 9, 4 are Lexington/Glencoe nicks. Of those 4 nicks, 2 are in x-positions, one being tail-female to Sweep On, Outdone’s broodmare sire. The success of Miss Disco both as a racehorse, and as a broodmare, should therefore come as no surprise at all.

Discovery also sired:

Geisha 1943. The dam of Native Dancer who won over $785,000, including the Preakness Stakes, the Wood Memorial, the Belmont Stakes, the Withers Stakes, Travers Stakes, the Metropolitan Handicap, to mention just a few. He was one of the most dominant sires of the mid to late 1900s, and was the broodmare sire of Northern Dancer, and grandsire of Mr. Prospector.

Traffic Court 1938 1954 Broodmare of the Year, winner of over $50,000, and the dam of USA Champion 2 year old colt, Hasty Road. Hasty Road set a national Track Record in the 1954 Derby Trial at Churchill downs, one mile in 1:34:00. He won over $541,000, which included the Preakness Stakes, 2^nd in the Kentucky Derby.

GoodThing 1941 the dam of Bed o’ Roses who won over $383,000. Bed o’ Roses awards include: Champion Two Year Old Filly of 1949, Champion handicap mare of 1951, at 3 she turned out a national Track Record at Santa Anita Park, for the distance of 7/8 of a mile in 1:21.3. Hall Of Fame Inductee, 1976.

When all of these elements are combined, and Miss Disco, the 1958 Broodmare of the Year, was brought to Nasrullah, we get another brilliant individual: Bold Ruler**. When Bold Ruler, collector of the most explosive nick in the history of Thoroughbreds, a collector of additional Glencoe, and a collector of Hermit blood met up with Somethingroyal, who brought a very high concentration of Glencoe, and Hermit blood, the result was the incomparable Secretariat. We haven’t seen anything like him since.

Buildup of ’special combinations’ in pedigrees is like adding more and more spice to a recipe, without causing it to degrade. I am not sure that Secretariat could have been crossed with any mare of the time, who had an equal measure, or even more of what he had. Thoroughbred breeding had reached a pinnacle of sorts.

Genes represent only about 35% of your work. The rest is the environment: nutrition, proper management, routine excellent care, and a keen attention to the details. The physical, emotional, psychological environment that is provided for the mare directly affects the foal, in uterus, and out. This is what truly needs consideration to allow the best potential expression of those very carefully chosen gene combinations.

** information from the Thoroughbred Database:   http://www.pedigreequery.com/

**Discovery’s record:

63 Starts: 27 – 10 – 10, earning $195,287.

Won Brooklyn H. (three times), Kenner S., Whitney S. (three times, twice by 10 lengths), Rhode Island H., Potomac H., Maryland H., Detroit Challenge Cup (by 30 lengths), Stars and Stripes H., Butler H., Bunker Hill H., Arlington H., Wilson S. (2x), Hawthorne GC, Merchants & Citizens’ Cup, San Carlos Cup, Saratoga Cup

2yo: 2nd KY JC S., Walden Cup; 3rd Breeders’ Futurity, Hopeful, Richard Johnson S

3yo: 2nd American Derby, Arlington Classic, KY Derby; 3rd Chesapeake S., Preakness, Havre de Grace Cup

4yo: 2nd Narragansett Special, Suburban; 3rd MA Cup, Rockingham Park Cup

5yo: 2nd     Narragansett Special, Saratoga Cup

** Bold Ruler’s record:

Winnings: $764,204, including the Preakness Stakes, the Monmouth Handicap (1 ¼ miles carrying 134 lbs.), the Suburban handicap (1 ¼ miles carrying 134 lbs: the 2^nd place finisher carrying 25 lbs. less), the Trenton Handicap, Wood Memorial, Benjamin Franklin Handicap (136 lbs), The Time Square Handicap (128 lbs). He was Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year Old Colt in 1957. He was Champion Sprinter in 1958. He was Leading sire by earnings, 1963-69, 1973, and Elected to Hall of Fame in 1973.

He was Sire of 11 champions, most notably, Secretariat. He was Grand sire of Ruffian, and great-grand sire of Seattle Slew.

Morgan Horse of the future?

Why is it important for breeders of Morgan Horses and Morgan Horse enthusiasts to read about Thoroughbreds? Why should they know about The Byerley Turk, Eclipse, Glencoe and Secretariat?

By researching their physical and genetic attributes, it may be possible to propel the American Morgan Horse to new levels of performance. It may be possible to create a whole new set of goals, standards and expectations for the breed. For example, how about supplying American riders with American horses to compete in the Olympics: why do we always see Americans on primarily Dutch and German horses?

On the first Saturday of May 1973, a horse named Secretariat struck out of the starting gate. It was on this day, during the 99^th Kentucky Derby, that he set himself apart from every other horse in history. He defied logic. Not only was he the first horse to run the 1 ¼ mile race in less than two minutes, but he inexplicably ran every quarter mile faster than the previous one. In all other situations, before and since, horses would grow more fatigued toward the finish. Not with Secretariat. He seemed to blossom and spread wings, when other horses were digging their deepest to churn out a few more strides.

Secretariat became a hero. He was on the cover of Time Magazine, and Sports Illustrated. He was magnificent. No scandal, just pure beauty. He would become the first Triple Crown winner since Citation in 1948. He inspired us and gave us something to believe in.

On June 9^th 1973, Secretariat, already having captured our hearts and imaginations, gave us something that was so remarkable, and so unbelievable. He seemed to know what he needed to do for the longest race of the Triple Crown, the 1 ½ mile Belmont Stakes. He did it with panache and fire. Before the race, his muscles were rippling, his nostrils flared, his ears flickered. He nickered and he reared, indicating that he was ready. He ran the Belmont exactly the way he meant to…

Down the backstretch, he ran like he was part of the wind. He left Sham at the ¾ mile mark in a blistering 1:09 2/5. Before the 2^nd turn, he widened his lead. It was an insane pace. But he kept pulling away. Fearful that he would simply drop out of the race, people watched in stunned silence, as they witnessed the greatest running of the Belmont Stakes. With ¼ mile to go, he was 14 lengths in the lead. Coming out of the turn for home, he was ahead by 18 lengths and simply annihilating his field of competitors. The calling of the race, infused with great inspiration and emotion announced: “he’s moving like a tremendous machine!” It was indelibly etched in many memories. Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont by an astonishing 31 lengths, and in the world record time of 2:24:00.

He finished his three year old campaign, in the style that people had become accustomed to. He was Champion Three Year Old Colt, and Horse of the Year. He was retired to stud.

Years passed, and many in the industry were disappointed that he didn’t reproduce himself in his sons. It took another generation however for his daughters’ offspring to demonstrate that they were exceptional…It is a dynasty that is still in the making, not through his sons, but through his daughters.

Secretariat may have been born in 1970, but in 1680, two hundred and ninety years earlier, a horse was born in the Ottoman Empire. He distinguished himself through his speed, agility, stamina, intelligence and courage. He was a war horse of brilliance and beauty. He became the property of Captain Robert Byerley, and after his wartime service ended, he sired some exceptional horses. ‘He stamped his get’, with all of his attributes, and his daughters cemented his place in history. He became known as the World’s first Thoroughbred, the incomparable Byerley Turk. Here lies the rub: Because their daughters were so successful, the Byerley Turk’s sons, and Secretariat’s uber sons did not establish prominent sirelines within the Thoroughbred breed.

Born in 1764 in England, Eclipse adds another element to the buildup of this story. Eclipse was an undefeated racehorse. If fact, he defeated his competitors so completely, that for a few of his 18 [four mile] victories, he merely had to show up and walk the course, due to the lack of adversaries. When he died in 1789 the autopsy conducted at that time confirmed that he had an extraordinarily large heart. This seemed to explain his superiority as a racehorse. It weighed fourteen pounds. It has been estimated that the normal heart of a horse of that era would have weighed about six pounds. Eclipse was a tremendous broodmare sire, and his daughters produced outstanding performance horses.

When Secretariat was autopsied in 1989, Dr. Thomas Swerczek, DVM, PhD said, “It was the biggest heart I’ve ever seen.”¹ Dr. Swerczek, a man with notable experience remarked that Secretariat’s heart was free from any pathology, and was perfectly healthy. Those who were present at the autopsy were stunned into silence when the ‘mega-heart’ was lifted out of his body. An aura of awe descended upon all present. Secretariat’s heart weighed an estimated twenty-two pounds. A normal heart for a horse of today weighs an average of eight and a half pounds. Initial research suggested that the gene for the equine large heart may be located on the X chromosome, and may explain why these super horses were such great broodmare sires. It is passed from mares to either their sons or daughters, because females have two X chromosomes. It is passed from the stallions, only to their daughters because they have only one X chromosome, the other being the Y chromosome. This phenomenon has been dubbed the X-factor.

Again: Why is it important for breeders of Morgan Horses and Morgan Horse enthusiasts to read about Thoroughbreds? Why the Byerley Turk, Eclipse, Glencoe and Secretariat?

Consider the most distant Thoroughbred ancestor, The Byerley Turk. He has the distinction of being an extraordinary broodmare sire, like Secretariat and Eclipse. He also sired some excellent sons. Although he was not autopsied at the time of his death, the possibility of his genetic inclusion of the X-factor cannot conclusively proven, nor can it be conclusively ruled out. Anyone who has read the impeccably researched novel by Jeremy James; “The Byerley Turk: The Incredible Story of the World’s First Thoroughbred”, certainly would have to respect the intellect and unprecedented ability of this amazing horse.

The Byerley Turk has a place in Morgan Horse History. ‘Figure‘, the legendary progenitor of the Morgan Horse was a direct descendant of the Byerley Turk. According to the National Museum of the Morgan Horse, ‘Figure‘ or as he is known today ‘Justin Morgan‘, was sired by a Thoroughbred named ‘True Briton‘. ‘True Briton‘ was a direct descendant of The Byerley Turk through Lloyds Traveler (by Mortons Traveller, by Crofts Partner, by Jigg, by the Byerley Turk).

If indeed the large heart existed ‘before’ Eclipse, and was introduced into the breed by way of the ‘oriental’ blood, theoretically, it would open up a whole different story for Justin Morgan. Consider the contribution that natural selection would have had for the inheritance of Arabians and Barbs. Evolution and environment may have had a great deal to do with the appearance of a larger than normal heart. It would be a logical adaptation for a prey animal of equine proportions living in a harsh environment, where greater speed and stamina and a greater pump to distribute oxygen and facilitate cooling would impart natural advantages. A natural advantage for survival would translate to superior performance in today’s animals.

Justin Morgan could have gotten a large heart from his ‘Anglo-Arabian’ dam side… True Briton, although a strong candidate for the large heart himself, could not have passed the X chromosome needed, on to his son (only to his daughters). But his pedigree would have been a very strong co-factor. Perhaps, Justin Morgan’s Anglo-Arabian female line converging in this way could have indeed produced an extra large heart in the body of Justin Morgan. It is not impossible. Maybe that’s what legends are made of…

Returning to the Thoroughbred element, the second oldest ancestor mentioned was Eclipse. It is currently accepted that Eclipse was a ‘large heart’ horse, capable of passing this trait to his daughters. Apparently, not only was he capable of doing so, he did. Secretariat’s large heart has been attributed to the abundant presence of a little mare named Pocahontas in his pedigree. She appears almost 250 times. Pocahontas “retired to become one of the most influential broodmares in the history of the thoroughbred.”² Her lineage has become very important to the understanding of the large heart, and how it directly relates to increased performance in modern horses.

So again, why should this be important to Morgan owners, and the future of Morgan Horses?

“Most large hearts could be traced through a mare named Pocahontas, foaled in England in 1837, and went to the same daughter of Eclipse, Everlasting, both through her sire Glencoe, and on her tail-female line.”³

Glencoe also descends (in addition to Everlasting) directly from a Byerley Turk daughter on the tail-female side, and from Byerley Turk himself on the tail-male side. (9^th generation sire line) “Glencoe, who came to Kentucky after siring Pocahontas in England, spread his large heart through his daughters in America.”⁴ Not only was Pocahontas the ancestress of superior racehorses, but other Glencoe daughters produced superior racehorses here in the United States. Glencoe sired hundreds of foals, and among them he sired Pauline, the dam of Revenue Jr. Revenue Jr. in turn sired Fanny Scott, the dam of the well known Morgan General Gates 666.

Imagine that: the possibility of a pure large heart line injected directly into the Morgan breed from Eclipse through Glencoe, and on to General Gates who was born in 1894.

It is worth a serious look. Morgans have a place in American History. They helped form our country. Morgans have a place in creating our future. There are ideal athletic body types, beautiful movement, jumping ability, size, substance and intellect to be found in Morgans. By selecting the large heart trait, and concentrating it along with proper conformation, would it be possible to usher the Morgan Horse into the world of the European Warmblood? It would be an inspiration to watch American riders riding truly American horses at the International level. It would give new meaning to the “Pride and Product of America”.

The World is ready to see other breeds competing successfully at the International level. Why not the Morgan? The history of the breed, and the legend of Justin Morgan himself has demonstrated the capability to compete against all odds…Why not bring the power of the past into the future?

• There is an ‘X-factor’ in Morgan pedigrees, which has a different meaning than the one attributed to the large hearts in Thoroughbreds. Horses with an ‘X’ along with their name and registration number indicates Saddlebred lineage.

• Eclipse and Secretariat both had large hearts, which gave them a significant performance advantage. Eclipse passed this trait to his daughter Everlasting. Many horses, including Glencoe inherited the genetic trait for the ’super heart’.

• It is probable that Glencoe introduced the trait into the Morgan breed through his daughter Pauline, who was the dam of Revenue Jr. Revenue Jr. subsequently sired Fanny Scott, the dam of the Morgan horse General Gates 666 [Morgan Horse Registry Vol. III].

• General Gates was born in 1894. He became the Foundation sire for the US Government breeding program located at what is now known as the UVM Morgan Horse Farm. He sired excellent sons and daughters registered to the Morgan breed.

• Large hearts put a super power pack into the body of a horse. A significant performance advantage may result in horses that have the proper conformation to house and utilize the extra power.

• We need to find proof of the large heart in the Morgan Breed. This can be accomplished in the same way that it is accomplished today in the Thoroughbred; via the ECG data of living horses, and via autopsy of horses known for super stamina and/or super speed, upon the natural cessation of their lives.

• Anyone interested in understanding more about the sire line of Justin Morgan would appreciate Jeremy James’ book, “The Byerley Turk: The Incredible Story of the World’s First Thoroughbred” Published by Stackpole Books. Copyright 2005 Jeremy James.

• In summary, whether or not the Byerley Turk actually possessed a super heart or whether or not he had and passed on the gene is not proven. He did however play a significant atavistic role for Justin Morgan, Eclipse’s daughter Everlasting, and the imported thoroughbred Glencoe.

Resources:

Written material:

Justin Morgan Pedigree Information from the National Museum of the Morgan Horse

“Understanding the Power of the X Factor” by Marianna Haun

Published by the Russell Meerdink Company, Ltd. Copyright 2001

“The Morgan Horse” by Jeanne Mellin

Published by The Stephen Greene Press, Brattleboro Vermont Copyright 1961

Footnotes:

¹ “At the Heart of Greatness” by Laurie Bonner.

Published in EQUUS Magazine Nov. 2004

²
http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Glencoe.html

³ pg. 13″Understanding the Power of the X Factor” by Marianna Haun

Published by the Russell Meerdink Company, Ltd. Copyright 2001.

⁴ ibid. pg 14

© 2008 A. Neary.

Sport Horse dynasty of Cottage Son

Question: Which American Thoroughbred(s) of today might replicate the influence of Cottage Son?

In addition to outstanding jumping ability, Cottage Son endowed his offspring with superior stamina. Although his individual talents were undiscovered due to an injury sustained in his very first race, he was a successful steeplechase and eventing influence. But this alone was not enough to thrust him into the Internationally renowned company of Furioso and Rantzau…

During the 1950’s, in the Holstein region of Germany, Sport Horse breeding experts turned to the Thoroughbred. Although Cottage Son did not meet any of the racing criteria, nor did he meet any of the German qualifications, they quickly discovered that the influence of Cottage Son combined with the horses of that region was simply remarkable.

Cottage Son was born in 1944. He was a descendant of the great Bay Ronald on his sire’s side, and on his dam’s side, descended from the great steeplechase sire, Cottage. Cottage Son, a brown horse, standing16.3 hands high, produced 14 stallion sons and 42 approved daughters, in Dressage, Showjumping, and Eventing. As a broodmare sire, Cottage Son was a sensation, siring the dams of two of the all time greats of modern jumping, Lord and Ramiro. His son Consul was the sire of the World Champion Dressage horse Granat. His great grandson, Capitol, would secure his place in breeding history. His influence on the modern Showjumper is nothing short of legendary.

Nine of the thirteen medalists at the 2006 World Showjumping Championships that took place at Aachen, were direct descendants of the Thoroughbred, Cottage Son.

It is an amazing thing, to watch a horse take flight, whether it is galloping at top speed, jumping a 5 foot oxer, or measuring the moments of suspension between the floating strides of the trot. Horses that perform difficult feats with ease, inspire us, and thrill us. Few horses can compete at World Class levels for extended periods of time, and fewer still may earn their place as a famous progenitor of this calibre. To his credit, Cottage Son remains a potent influence in the arena of World Class Equine Athletes.

Answer: Four American Thoroughbred stallions of distinction fit this particular bill in more recent times: they are Northern Dancer, Dynaformer, Secretariat, and Seattle Slew.
*Northern Dancer has topped the list of steeplechase sires and grandsires for several decades. In fact, his influence is felt more than four decades later.
*Dynaformer, the incredible sire of the famous KY Derby winner ‘Barbaro’, also sired McDynamo, a World Class steeplechase horse, who topped the earnings list for several years. Dynaformer, like Cottage Son, imparts incredible talent, along with size and stamina.
*The incredible Triple Crown winner of 1973, Secretariat, stood at 16.2 hands high, and sired many, many Hunter/Jumper sires including Innkeeper, and Watermark. His daughters are renowned for producing elite racehorses, and his legacy is cemented in history through them. Secretariat has stamped his sons and daughters with his trademark movement: a huge gallop and an outstanding, floating trot. He stamps his get with jumping ability, substance and exceptional stamina.
*Seattle Slew, was the Triple Crown winner of 1977. Since he was retired to the breeding shed, he has been a phenomenal producer of stallion sons both in the racing and sport horse industry, particularly in eventing. He has produced some very large horses {17hh+}, with exceptional bone and substance. His daughters have produced a long list of very athletic, and powerful horses.

Barbaro bloodlines

Barbaro

By Dynaformer 1985, and out of La Ville Rouge 1996. Here’s why Barbaro is my favorite for the 132^nd Kentucky Derby: You just can’t beat the intensity of the females in X-position in this pedigree. Two things jump out at me, anyway: Nijinsky, and Nearctic. They both have daughters in X positions. Next, I am looking at Nashua, and hoping for some kind of duplication there, and there is… Nijinsky and Prides Promise produced a mare named Summertime Promise in 1972. She brought together the Omaha (2^nd dam Flambette), and Johnstown hearts (2^nd dam Flambette), and combined that with Blue Larkspur, and Haste (the BMsire of Count Fleet). Johnstown is the BMsire of the great horse Nashua, who is in turn the BMsire of Mr. Prospector… But this is just the beginning.

Runaway Bride brings in a Blandford X, and Lady Juror… a representative of the well known 9-c* female line, which comes sailing through to Barbaro through Blushing Groom.

Now we look at Spearfish. A mare by Fleet Nasrullah, and out of Alabama Gal. Here we have, in X positions, a duplication of Haste, this time through Count Fleet. We have Bull Dog, the wonderful Teddy x Plucky Liege product, coupled with another instance of X position Bull Dog as the 3^rd BroodMare Sire of Spearfish. Continuing the line up of X horses in X positions, we have the famous 9-c* female line Mahmoud, and well, well, well… a full brother to Man O’ War as 4^th BM sire.

OK, not nearly done yet… Neartic, the sire of Northern Dancer is 3^rd BM sire of Barbaro. This is Canterbury Pilgrim, Pretty Polly, and Selene time…

And now, my personal favorite through Silver Abbey comes Frizette in X position, along with the Man O’ War granddaughter War Plumage. I am a real fan of Frizette, because she combines some of the greatest lines in history: St. Simon, Bend Or, Hermit, and Hamburg… and has them all in X-positions. I believe the 23-b line to be one of “Greatness”, and have followed this line into the best horses the world has ever seen. One thing to note: Hamburg, the sire of Frizette, was an extremely fast and strong horse. He has an unusual pattern in his tail female lines. That is one of much repetition. One of these lines is 12-b, and the other, 23-b. The Tranby Mare, and Lexington are the 12-b lines, and Reel, Lecomte (out of Reel), and Edith are the 23-b lines (essentially, this is a triple Gallopade, since Reel is out of Gallopade, and Edith is a great granddaughter of Gallopade). I believe these lines to be highly synergistic and influential when they are positioned for this kind of expression in the pedigree.

It seems that this is all re-emphasized by the 9-c* occurrences. Every time Turn-To, Nasrullah, Mahmoud show up, there is an emphasis of this fantastic phenomenon. Maybe it is the powerful Glencoe/Lexington nick making its way into the future. Whatever it is, I believe Barbaro has it.

Author’s Note: this article was written several months before Barbaro’s sustained his tragic injury during the opening strides of the 2006 Preakness Stakes. It was decided to re-publicize the article in honor of Barbaro, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, Michael Matz, Edgar Prado, all racing connections and friends, plus Dr. Dean Richardson and all the staff at Univ. of PA Vet school’s George D. Widener Hospital for large animals. Information regarding  Barbaro’s full siblings Nicanor, and Lentenor can be found here: Tracking Barbaro’s Brothers

© Adrienne Neary 2006 All rights Reserved. Reproduction or redistribution in any form is prohibited.

Genetic influence on talent?

What exactly is talent, and how is it passed from one generation to the next?

Tackling the first part, here’s what Merriam Webster Dictionary has to say about talent:

2
archaic
: a characteristic feature, aptitude, or disposition of a person or animal
3
: the natural endowments of a person
4 a
: a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude b
: general intelligence or mental power : ability

And so, the task begins. What do we perceive as talent in a racehorse? Is it speed, endurance, intellect, a way of moving, a way of behaving? All of these? The first four are inherited. Behavior is created…

Given the recent performance at the 2009 Breeders’ Cup, would we all agree that Zenyatta has talent? Probably so. Would we agree that Quality Road, the horse that refused to load into the starting gate had talent? We would probably debate that. However, it is an important element for the demonstration of talent in any individual. Perhaps Quality Road had the ‘finishing line’ talent, meaning that he could go the distance with relative ease, but; he refused the opportunity. His talent was not showcased on that day.

Perhaps he, like other Thoroughbreds, had an abnormally high IQ and for some reason, he did not want to make this effort on this day. Perhaps he was angry at the way he was being handled, or perhaps there was something, some tiny little something that bothers him enough to lash out with all of his ‘talent’. Intellectual and physical. It is our responsibility as human beings to secure the understanding. Whatever is bothering that horse has been ignored, and he is saying so. That’s how I weigh in on that part. Talent has the best opportunity to show its’ unique configuration when the ‘environment’ supports it. Both the natural environment and the contrived environment.

The genetic, physical, and intellectual traits endowed to Zenyatta on the other hand, came together to display an extraordinary performance. What was inherited? What was nurtured? Everything. And whatever challenges or weaknesses she might have, were diminished to the point of basic nothingness.

From a genetic point of view, Zenyatta’s size might arguably be a contributing factor in her racing success. It is likely that it had been acquired via her broodmare sire line. Kris S. Kris S. also sired Rock Hard Ten, another enormous beast. Of particular interest [to me] was Rock Hard Ten’s style of movement. He had a very loose shoulder and a lot of knee action for a Thoroughbred. That is an attribute that I look for in Sport Horses, and have found it to be not only a winning attribute in the show ring, but one that seems to exude strength and balance. Equally important [some say more so] is the motor: the hindquarters.

Take a look at Zenyatta’s. It is huge and packed with muscle. Take a look at her as she moves away from you and she literally uses her hind legs like pogo stick machines. Boing, boing, boing. No kidding. It is amazing.

Coupling that with her loose and powerful shoulder, her dominant will and her educated mind; they all combine synergistically to produce a length of stride and a devoted strive to win.

A horse’s conformation is highly heritable, and is directly related to their ability to balance themselves, and more importantly, to balance underneath the weight of a rider. The better the balance, the easier it is to cover the distance. In other words, there is an element of ‘effortlessness’. This can come in the package at birth, or it can be developed by a knowledgeable trainer.

In another instance, we must bring up Seabiscuit. He didn’t have the size or the conformation that one would choose in a winning racehorse, however, Tom Smith saw ’something’ in him. Would that be talent? Would that be ‘Soul’ or ‘Spirit’?

We do know that Seabiscuit was autopsied, and did have a larger than normal heart. This is another genetic attribute that is not visible to the naked eye, but can be selected for in a breeding program. It can contribute to the horses’ overall ability, and thus the proclamation of ‘talent’. Tom Smith couldn’t have known about that physical element housed inside the body cavity of Seabiscuit. But, he saw something. He made a connection with the horse at a different level. One of perception, rather than a superficial level.

Talent alone does not get the job done. Too many factors come into play. In summary, building the best machine by combining all the physical attributes needed for success may be fairly straightforward, but it is impossible to breed for ’something in the eye’, that special and elusive ‘It’ that some horses have and others do not. All we can do is nurture talent, and create strengths where there are weaknesses.

Potential. That’s what we have. Regardless of their shortcomings, if we as humans have the proper components in place, we can help to unleash potential in our equine counterparts. If they are composed of the physical and intellectual traits that prove successful, well all is good. If they happen to possess that indefinable ‘It’, then we are in for a remarkable ride indeed.

Leg yielding vs. Shoulder in

Leg-yielding and shoulder in both have a place in individual training routines. It is prudent to evaluate each one’s merits in order to put them in their proper place, and to utilize their benefits meaningfully.

Leg yielding is an elementary exercise used mainly to teach the horse to move away from the rider’s leg pressure. Many riders and trainers feel that it supples the hindquarters. In a small measure this may be true, but it is at the expense of the knees and shoulders. It is a movement that needs to be taught on a circle. It is easy for the horse; he is not required to maintain this bend and can easily ‘fall out’. He can, in fact, perform this exercise with his weight primarily on his forehand, in effect pushing himself through the movement instead of carrying it.

Shoulder in benefits the horse in many ways. The correct execution of this movement will increase the flexion of the hind legs, thereby enabling the hindquarters to carry more weight. This, in turn, allows freer movement of the shoulders, suppling them. It increases the horse’s ability to collect and extend paces, and will help to improve the canter departs (again, because the movement develops the hindquarters and lightens the forehand).

The sustained use of leg yielding does not benefit the horse’s physical development in the way that shoulder in does, and ironically delays the proper development of strength and balance.

I believe leg yielding has become too popular, for two reasons. First, it is required in some lower level dressage tests, so too much emphasis is placed on “schooling” for this movement. Second, it is much easier to produce than shoulder in.

When these exercises are analyzed, shoulder in is clearly more beneficial, from the fundamental physical development of the horse and his eventual progress to higher levels. Leg yielding should be used minimally, with knowledge and care. It does have benefits in a careful training plan as an introductory exercise.

I encourage anyone concerned with the correct development of the sport horse to consider this important issue.

Training notes

An Appaloosa mare standing at 15.2hh cleared a jump by at least two feet. Her style was impeccable, and her ability bigger than herself. She had an impressive lengthened trot, and specifically, the use of her shoulder seemed familiar. She exhibited an eccentric ‘flick’ of the scapula… a way of bringing it forward so that the lower front leg ‘flicks’ out – kind of like ‘the whip’.

There was another horse who moved like this. He had a way of galloping that was distinct. And incredibly powerful. That horse was Secretariat.

This little mare was a direct descendant…who knew!?

X-Factor

What is the X-Factor?

There are seen and unseen attributes in any individual horse. Although beauty and correctness of conformation are easily appreciated, the unseen components may be what sets this horse apart and makes way for greatness. The spirit, character, temperament and will, combined with unseen physical advantages, produce something extraordinary. With particular emphasis on quantifiable traits, the following article addresses the advantage of a larger than normal heart in Equine Athletes. The larger than normal heart is an inheritable trait, and convincing research shows that this genetic opportunity is passed to offspring by way of the X chromosome. The term ‘X-Factor’ is used to describe the heritability of the large heart gene, because of the association with the X chromosome.

Inheritance of the X-Factor

Genes are the code of life. Each gene is found at a precise location on a chromosome, and is responsible for determining a particular characteristic in an organism. This is done by the formation of specific proteins. Proteins communicate events and status, and form essential structures necessary for life. Proteins have an intimate and inextricable relationship with their immediate environment, and subsequently, the surrounding environment. They participate in a very complex and incessant dialog because the micro and macroscopic structure in the body undergoes constant change.  Nothing goes unnoticed at this level, and all things are governed by the information given and received by the genes.

Chromosomes which are the organizing structures for the genes, are united in a special way, forming the double helix structure called DNA. DNA is a pair of chromosomes, one strand from each parent. There are 32 of these pairs that contribute to the genetic makeup of the horse.

Sex-linked chromosomes determine the gender of the individual. This type of chromosome that has female characteristics is called an X-chromosome, and a chromosome that has male characteristics is called a Y-chromosome. Stallions and geldings have one X, and one Y-chromosome, and mares have 2 X-chromosomes. These two chromosomes, are just one of the 32 pair that make up the horse.

How do I find it?

Since the trait is carried on the X chromosome, the heart-line is traced from sire to daughter, and dam to son or daughter. If a sire is known to have a large heart, then he definitely passes it to his daughters, but definitely does not pass it to his sons. If a dam is known to be a double copy mare, she definitely passes the trait to all her offspring, both sons and daughters. A single copy mare has a 50% chance of passing the trait to any given son or daughter.

Without direct knowledge of heart size, it is still possible to make a good guess based on highly correlated information. If a sire appears high on the brood mare sire list, it is highly likely he carries the large heart. Also, mares listed as “Reine-De-Course” are also likely to carry the trait. There are exceptions to both these rules, the most notable being Miss Disco, and her son Bold Ruler. Both were known to have normal hearts. Other circumstantial evidence of the large heart is the ability to win races at more than a mile. The evidence is better as the race is longer and tougher. So graded stakes winners at classic distances are a good bet. There is one more factor that is useful as an indicator for broodmares. The produce record of a single or double copy mare should be considerably above average. Plus her produce should have a tendency to go a distance. Her sons are the best indicator, since they can only inherit the large heart from her. Using the above evidence and known large hearted horses can allow one to have a pretty good idea of the odds that a given horse carries a large heart. You can also have a vet use ultrasound or electrocardiography techniques to directly measure the heart size.

Heart size is just one factor that is important for race horse performance. It is however quantifiable and somewhat predictable. Therefore it is a useful factor for prediction of racing and breeding success. Implications for the Sport Horse Industry are clearly closely related.

The X chromosome is larger than the Y chromosome, and therefore has more space for the genetic markers that describe traits. Heart size, based on current research seems to be carried on the X chromosome alone. Thus, a male horse has a single marker for heart size, while a female has two. A male offspring inherits the Y chromosome from his male parent, and one of two possible X chromosomes from his female parent that determines his heart size. A female horse has 2 X chromosomes and can have one, both, or neither that carry the large heart.

For Example:

Secretariat, a known large heart horse, would not pass an X chromosome to any of his sons but he would pass it on to his daughters. His daughters in turn, pass either their X chromosome from him, or their X chromosome from their dams, on to either their sons, or their daughters.

In the case of a female, one X chromosome will generally be dominant, so it is possible for the trait to be carried, but not exhibited. The term “double copy” mare is used to describe a mare that carries 2 X chromosomes with markers for the large heart on each one. These are the mares who are most likely to have exceptional produce records. These are the ones we want in our brood mare band.

The conclusion about heart size being determined by the X chromosome alone explains the pattern of broodmare sires. These are sires who are not, in general a huge success as studs directly, but whose daughters end up superior to the brood mare population in general. All the sire’s daughters inherit his X chromosome, and if it carries the large heart, all of them will have at least one, and some of them 2 X chromosomes, that pass on the large heart trait. Thus although he cannot influence his son’s heart size, his daughters rate above average. Their offspring will benefit, and thus the sire gains a reputation as a broodmare sire.

Summary

It is known that certain lines within Thoroughbreds are particularly gifted jumpers. There are stamina lines, and lines which produce more substance. There are lines which produce size, and lines that are known for beautiful movement. Each chromosome carries the genetic material of each parent and that is why a study of pedigree is important. Many traits may be enhanced or diluted depending upon the choices we make.

It is also noteworthy that repeating female families seems to be evident in some of the best racehorses and show jumpers of our time. Female families may also be the key to understanding why certain crosses produce outstanding horses. Talent may be looked for in the sirelines of both sire and dam, and the ultimate ‘power pack’ needed to drive the horse found in superior female families. It makes sense that horses with larger than normal hearts might be more able to perform difficult things with more ease. There are other structural elements that need to go hand in hand with a large heart. Large lung capacity, which includes a deep girth, well sprung ribs, a large windpipe, and large nostrils. If you are going to try to breed a horse with these attributes, it is prudent to breed for fundamentally correct conformation. Don’t put a great engine in a bad chassis. The weakest element will be sorely tested.