Rachel Alexandra

Am I the only a single who does not want to see Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta meet up with? Am I the only a single who truly does not want to see either of them arrive in next to the other? Am I the only a person who would love to debate the deserves of just about every person with the proverbial ending sentence, “well I guess we will by no means know…see ya next 7 days, very first beer is on me…”

Since my fantasy is not going to very last, and they are sure to meet at least the moment throughout 2010, I will go out on a limb and proclaim: Rachel Alexandra will be dubbed a ‘superhorse’. She will transform the breed as we know it, mainly because once her pedigree is comprehended, everyone will want 1.

That doesn’t mean entire siblings or even offspring. That suggests…well permit me convey to you in a phrase:

Colossal electric power.

The greatest guess from in this article on in would be to pull up Rachel’s pedigree on pedigreequery.com. If you have in no way utilized it just before, once the internet site loads, form Rachel Alexandra in the enter box labeled ‘Horse’, and press the Lookup button.

This assessment is supposed to appraise the presence of the big coronary heart gene usually referred to as the X-element, in Rachel Alexandra’s pedigree.

So. Let’s chat mares: shall we?

Natalma. Starting with Northern Dancer positioned in gen4 of Rachel’s sireline, a preliminary and simple sample is founded by his [Northern’Dancer’s] dam Natalma. While this position in the pedigree does not (theoretically) move the substantial heart on from sire to son, it may provide an crucial goal for the expression of the significant heart gene. In other text, Natalma at the top of the pedigree may well provide as a hitching post for her next placement farther down in the pedigree, sitting properly in an x-placement. Like grabbing someone’s hand while they are on ice skates, and then providing them a shove so that they get pleasure from extra pace Natalma’s positioning might help the shipping of her possess traits into a long term generation….

Natalma was by Indigenous Dancer. This was her initially dose of the big heart blood. Her second dose of big coronary heart arrived from her dam’s sire Mahmoud, therefore making her a ‘double-duplicate mare’. This is a exclusive difference. Having said that, in this circumstance it is an ‘uber’ distinction because of to the interplay of (at the very least 3) horses: Hamburg, Americus, and Domino. Listed here, a quite dynamic nick is compiled and dancing at centre phase.

Not much too far off Natalma’s chart by means of her sire’s broodmare sire, looming in gen7 is Hamburg. Hamburg has been described as an particularly fast starter, and can be imagined of as a champion handicap horse as effectively. He was a profitable racehorse, specially at distance, and a incredibly productive sire. Hamburg was out of Lady Reel, a mare that delivers a Lexington/Glencoe nick in an x position, a Lexington x, a Lexington non-x, and three extra cases of Glencoe [daughters] in x positions. He seems all over again in gen6 of Discovery’s pedigree as Chicle’s broodmare sire, who also athletics St. Simon as his 2nd broodmare sire. St. Simon is contributory because he delivers in another Glencoe daughter (Pocahontas 1837) line in an x placement.

Take note: a lot of of the big heart characteristics in fashionable Thoroughbreds have been ascribed to Pocahontas 1837 because of to the merging of the Eclipse x line from Glencoe, and her individual tail woman Eclipse x line.

Natalma’s sire Native Dancer’s tail female line brings in Sweep, whose broodmare sire Domino athletics a heavy dosage of Glencoe daughters, a Lexington daughter, and an additional Lexington/Glencoe nick.

Natalma’s dam sire, Mahmoud, provides in a tail feminine line that builds the [nick] tremolo with Girl Josephine, a granddaughter of Americus.

Want to make your head swim? Assess the Hamburg and Domino pedigrees…

Anyway, Sweep (of Native Dancer’s line) is mixed with John P Grier [in Miyako], who brings in a different Domino x line. It is a major hittin’ significant coronary heart line up, and these strains are whole of the most explosive nick in modern day Thoroughbreds: the Lexington/Glencoe nick…

There is a 5S x 5D overall look of Sir Gaylord in the pedigree of Rachel Alexandra. He is not positioned in any of the x positions, but it is of notice to remember that he is 50 percent brother to Secretariat: out of the similar mare, Somethingroyal. Somethingroyal was out of Imperatrice, a mare current in Rachel’s pedigree in gen6 as the dam of Speedwell (2nd dam of Cure the Blues). Speedwell was by Daring Ruler. And of class, I will not brain mentioning that this brings in another Discovery line in the X. Oh yeah, and yet another Lexington/Glencoe nick via his [Bold Ruler’s] tail feminine line Sweep Out…

You know, as an X-factor fanatic, this is lots to get fired up about. But, believe me. It is just a primer for the epic tale of big hearts in Rachel Alexandra’s pedigree.

Cora Deans, the dam of Royal Vale [gen5 sire side], is just off the pedigree in gen6, and has the 1st x posture that contributes directly to the massive heart tally. She contributes: 3 Hermit, 6 Pocahontas, 1 Bend Or/Macaroni nick in x positions.

Cycle: Next mare on the prime side of the pedigree (in gen5) that could truly provide the huge coronary heart gene (in an x position). How could she add to the ‘buildup’ of nicks and singular x strains? Let us say that Natalma lays a foundation, and how do the similarities stack up? Are we heading to see any much more of the specialty blood of Natalma? What form of focus does the Lexington/Glencoe nick require to make a genetic ability perform?

In addition to this nick, we are searching at the buildup of unique traces…The problem becomes, do the person lines have to be similar that is represented by the exact same horse (for illustration Princiquillo), or are we wanting for any regarded huge heart horse, piling on the likelihood of expression simply because of the accumulation of the gene?

In any case, we never have to glance much. Cycle’s 5th dam is Frizette, by Hamburg, and out of Ondulee, a triple enjoy of heart: Hermit, Bend Or, and St. Simon. Cycle’s 3rd broodmare sire is another large heart horse, Male O’ War. We know that he sports activities a Lexington/Glencoe nick, nevertheless not in an x place. This ‘nick’ is sent through his excellent grandsire, Spendthrift which might have contributed to velocity and excess weight carrying means. Right. And length. You should not forget about Gentleman O’ War’s overall performance at the Lawrence Realization Stakes estimated acquire by 100 lengths in excess of a distance of 1 and 5/8 miles. The good three are there: Hermit, St. Simon, and Bend Or. The 3rd of the described the only of the a few not in placement to deliver the substantial heart to Gentleman O’ War… Why Hermit? Question me once again someday. Why St. Simon? Due to the fact of Pocahontas. Why Bend Or? Traditionally, due to the fact of the Eclipse x coming via the Skyscraper mare line, but in my viewpoint because of the Prunella-Lisette-Alexander Mare [2-n]-Hyaena, Pipylina Company.

In addition to the Hamburg contribution, Cycle provides at least 15 extra strains of Eclipse blood by means of Pocahontas, an Eclipse line as a result of Plucky Liege, the dam of Sir Gallahad, and 3 Hermit lines all in x positions.

A further non-x notable: the sire of Silent Display screen (gen4 of sire aspect) Prince John. By the famous substantial coronary heart sire Princequillo, and out of Not Worried, who is by big coronary heart sire Rely Fleet, Prince John’s 2nd dam was Banish Dread by the big coronary heart sire Blue Larkspur. All Silent Display screen needs is the bling of a lot more huge coronary heart stuff…which he gets from…

Prayer Bell: Choose a deep breath, and rely to ten. This is a fantastic journey, and I hope it hardly ever finishes. Prayer Bell concentrates massive coronary heart blood like it was going out of fashion. 1st up: War Admiral, regarded massive coronary heart horse. By Male O’ War, and out of Brushup, a daughter of Sweep (if that is ringing a bell, it should! It was outlined that Sweep was in the pedigree of Indigenous Dancer (sire of Natalma), and Sweep Out brought a Lexington/Glencoe nick to Bold Ruler by means of his tail woman line…).

Brushup’s granddam also provides another direct line to Eclipse as a result of Spearmint’s dam Maid of the Mint through Fravolina…

Baba Kenny, the second dam of Superior Self (Prayer Bell’s sire), brings in a awesome dose of Pocahontas blood to cross with War Admiral.

Prayer Bell’s dam, Sunday Night is by Eight 30, who is out of Meal Time. If that isn’t going to audio like some kind of a date, I never know what does…But genuinely, it is time for a seat belt mainly because Seaplane, the dam of Meal Time is by Man O’ War and out of Bathing Girl, the 3rd dam of War Admiral, and the line talked about before that potential customers instantly to Eclipse by Spearmint…and Bathing Girl can take far more than just a minimal dip into the Pocahontas properly. Out of 11 crosses, 2 are in x positions. An more Glencoe daughter, Glencoe Mare3, is in an x position as nicely.

Meal Time’s sire is Superior Time. And just so you know…High Time’s broodmare sire is none other than Domino…Doesn’t that just make you giggle? (Xdominant)

Here’s just a different image to believe of. If you were to attract a line on a piece of paper, each individual time you counted a major heart line in Rachel’s pedigree, it would be receiving dim and thick by now.

You can find additional, but I genuinely am trying to make this straightforward. St. Germans is really worth a mention as Prayer Bell’s 3rd broodmare sire. There is a pleasant buildup of Pocahontas x and Hermit blood, as nicely as a complimentary Bend Or/Macaroni nick serving well in an x placement.

Just underneath St. Germans lies Idle Dell. Oh for crying out loud. Do I have to do all the function? Idle Dell at 1st blush brings in the Glencoe mare, Eagless. But. Glance underneath Eagless, and you are going to see Bend Or, and Blue Rose. A lot more, more a lot more. Ben Brush is worth a simply click. A Lexington non-x, a Lexington/Glencoe nick with Glencoe in an x situation, plus Stockwell (Pocahontas), and Knight of Kars(Pocahontas). Noteworthy basis for Madaglia Doro…

Culture Singer: Truly worth a pay attention…Let us go from the bottom up this time, and sing the scales. Initial matter that jumps out at me any way is 3rd dam in the tail female line…Sunday Evening! Again! In an x situation! Just so, I will not have to go by means of all that once again…just scribble a bunch extra strains on top rated of the ones that have already been drawn…

Darker and thicker.

Royal Charger, Modern society Singer’s 2nd broodmare sire: Out of Sunlight Princess and by Nearco. As far as Nearco goes, I’ll just say Spearmint, and Maiden. But, considering that he’s a non-x, he’s additional gravy and expresses the expertise. Sun Princess descends specifically from a mare talked about previously: Woman Josephine. Oh God. Please see above…[Mahmoud in Natalma’s description], and Ribot, Modern society Singer’s broodmare sire brings in loads of Pocahontas in x positions, and even though we are on that notice, I will mention Cyllene and St. Simon, oh, and Hermit.

Modern society Singer’s sire is Restless Wind, out of a mare named Lump Sugar who is out of Sugar Run. A handful of far more for the present, St. Germans, and at least 6 extra Pocahontas (x) and a the very least a single Lexington non x, and a Bend Or (x). La, La, La.

Restless Wind’s broodmare sire, the a person that counts towards x positions, is Bull Lea. Bull Lea is by Bull Pet, who is out of Plucky Liege (Spearmint) out of Concertina (St. Simon), and oh, how I would like to discuss about Banter [14-a], but I won’t be able to. We have ventured into non x territory. Suffice to say that Petrarch, Bull Dog’s 3rd broodmare sire, is a direct descendant of Glencoe Mare1…

Bull Lea was out of Rose Leaves, a mare whose 3rd broodmare sire is Hermit, and whose sire Ballot ushers in a pleasant Pocahontas line.

Prayer Bell’s Sunday Night ties in with Modern society Singer’s Sunday Evening, and makes Dubbed In, Medaglia Doro’s 2nd dam of specific fascination…We are talking large buildup listed here, in the way of Lexington/Glencoe, Pocahontas, War Admiral and Guy O’ War. They are working their way towards ‘solid’ from fluid…

Now for the distaff side: mares in x positions

Wild Applause: I can not convey to you how a great deal I would have laughed if this mare was in the tail female line, and the final one to discuss about! It is nonetheless great enjoyment to know that she was by Northern Dancer, and consequently the beneficiary and torch bearer of Natalma the spot referred to in the beginning of this article.

Wild Applause’s dam, Glowing Tribute is by Graustark and out of Admiring…How about I just do this record the names.

On Graustark’s facet (make sure you hold your applause right up until all the names have been outlined):

15 Pocahontas, 2 Hermit, 1 Mahmoud (Girl Josephine)

On Admiring’s facet:

War Admiral, Gentleman O’ War twice, Significant Time, Plucky Liege, St. Germans, 3 much more St. Simons, another Hermit, Ben Brush, 2 Bend Or/Macaroni nicks, and 11 extra Pocahontas (x) strains.

Swift Heal: Out of Speedwell [Bold Ruler x Imperatrice] described above, and by Dr. Fager. Dr. Fager’s broodmare sire is Much better Self (see Prayer Bell), also already outlined above…so there is certainly no require to repeat myself. [Hope you got that joke…I have been repeating myself many times already, and to say that Rachel’s pedigree is pretty spicy is now an understatement. It’s now a degree of picante…

Dr. Fager is out of Aspidistra, who is herself out of Tilly Rose. Déjà vu all over again…Bull Brier, Tilly Rose’s sire rakes in another Hamburg as his 3rd broodmare sire. Adding to that, McGee as 2nd broodmare sire, and that is a new one…Just checking if you are still with me…McGee’s broodmare sire was Hermit, but it might be fun to remember ‘Old Bones’, the great racehorse Exterminator; by McGee and recipient of plenty of Lexington and Glencoe close up, and winner of 50 out of 100 races. Yep. 100 races.

Eternal, the broodmare sire of Bull Brier is by Sweep (non x), and out of Hazel Burke who adds another Pocahontas (x). The tail female line of Bull Brier brings in the Glencoe daughter Magnolia, and War Dance: by Lexington, and out of Reel, who was probably comparable to Rachel in a way. Reel was an outstanding racehorse, competing in four mile heats winning 7 of 8 career races…

Tilly Kate is the dam of Tilly Rose, and might I say, adds more power to the punch. Through Tilly Kate’s dam Teak, more of that peppery Lexington/Glencoe nick is ushered in…

Adding up the lines, it comes to 8 Lexingtons, of those 5 are in x positions, and of those five, 2 are Glencoe nicks (of course through Hamburg’s daughter Frizette – see Cycle. No joke…). Additional Glencoe (non x) equals 7, and Pocahontas is present 9 times in non x positions and twice in x positions…Once again, add that to Speedwell, resulting in the dam of Cure the Blues, Quick Cure.

And finally…

Early Decision: Oh go ahead. Just guess. There’s not a name here that you haven’t heard before. I’ll just go for the jugular…all x blood now: Man O’ War twice, Spearmint (Yep, your right, Plucky Liege), St. Simon, (yep, same instance of Plucky Liege), Hastings (Man O’ War’s grandsire) with a non x Lexington/Glencoe nick, Petrarch (x), a double dose of Pocahontas, with another 2 Hermit, Sweep, Domino, 2Cyllene, another Petrarch, St. Simon, another Spearmint, Princequillo (oh please, just look at the Natalma pattern in Rachel’s pedigree and compare it to the Princequillo pattern in Early Decision’s pedigree), Domino from Running Stream through Case Ace in Raise a Native, and 4 more Glencoe (x), 1 Lexington (x), and a Bend Or Macaroni nick.

And now, for the tail female line. Early Decision’s 3rd dam is Ro Dear (the 2nd dam: Native Go Go by Raise a Native, and her dam: Biscayne Missy by Chieftain out of Pocahontas 1955 out of How by Princequillo). Ro Dear by Colonel Mike, and let’s just suffice to say High Time – pop quiz-try to remember High Time’s broodmare sire…

Yep. Domino.

Out of Ellen’s Best who is by War Relic (if you’re not feeling the crescendo, I’m sorry), who is of course by Man O’ War (non x) and out of Friars Carse, and if you want to cut to the quick quickly after six pages of verbiage, than all right. Fine. Ellen’s Best’s 3rd dam is Speed Boat, a full sister to War Relic, and gets the job done with Man O’ War as Rachel Alexandra’s 10th broodmare sire! Friars Carse is no slouch as she has 2 Bend Or instances, Hermit, and just what you always knew, she is a direct descendant of War Reel by War Dance by Lexington, and out of Reel. Phew. Oh, did I mention that Friar Carse’s 3rd broodmare sire Himyar yields another Lexington (x)? And that through Superman, her dam sire adds a couple more Pocahontas (the Glencoe daughter) lines?

So, after the longest spiel on heart lines that I have ever composed, I just have this to say: Rachel Alexandra has the possibly the tightest knit genetic sweater I have ever seen (in modern Thoroughbreds), and that includes the impressive and incomparable Secretariat. [Secretariat’s sire side — stacked with Lexington/Glencoe nicks, as well as Pocahontas – was crossed with classic Pocahontas lines from Great Britain through his dam’s side: a great many of them]. It never ever allows up. You will find not one particular lull in the x tale of her life.

Rachel’s pedigree is extremely reliable all over, and is neatly woven in its entirety with these specialty colors. If it is really all about buildup, which I believe it is, then Rachel’s pedigree is the apex of accumulation for her technology.

Even though Natalma may well have acted alone, or in concert with Admiring, Graustark, Speedwell and Aspidistra it may in fact be the Man O’ War buildup in Dubbed In and Early Determination that provide as the tie that binds in Rachel’s genes.