Two Weeks and Counting

I don't know if I should cry, laugh, be sad, be happy, be scared or anything. Today, I gave my two week notice at Equibase. I've accepted the job in Louisiana. I don't want to leave Kentucky, I don't want to leave my friends aka my real family. However, I never want to sit and wonder what if and regret an opportunity that passes by. 

My last day is September 10th and I'll be packing up and driving down on the 11th. First day working will be the 15th. Not 100% where I'll be living but I'll be staying at one of the owners house for the first few days until I seal the deal with an apartment - only so much I can do from here. 

Dakota is being shipped down but they are hauling him for me so I'm not 100% when he will be arriving but finding something official for him to live is second on the list. There's too many options right now and again, it's hard for me to make a final call from Kentucky. 

Solo riding with Dakota.

Echo... is staying in Kentucky. I will still own her obviously but I feel like she deserves a chance to continue training and compete with Lauren. One of the biggest factors was if Echo would handle me not around since everyone agrees that's partly why Texas with her was such a failure. However, Echo really loves Lauren and they get along great. The times I've been out of town, Lauren has continued to work with her and there doesn't seem to be any change in Echo's behavior these days if I'm not around while she's worked. Yippee for a mentally maturing Echo. Also instead of going to Aiken or Ocala for a few weeks over winter break, Lauren is considering coming to me instead since there are a few farms in the area that have places to cross country school etc.

Two more new photos from the jumper show back in July. 

She's not competing this weekend as originally planned. Her hooves have been chipping with all the rain. The hind hoof she injured while she's sound on it and the structure of the hoof is fine, everyone agrees if she hit it just right it'd probably not be a good situation. One of those deals I had to step back and realize it's only been 6 months since she injured the hoof. 

Hoof peeling and chipping... Yay....

Hopefully I get opportunities to visit Kentucky with work and if not, I get vacation time to use for things like Rolex, racing stuff and Echo showing. 

Ice bucket challenge at work. Such a production.

26 Non-Horse Things About ME!

I'm 26 today. Since I'm driving to Michigan for the week to spend the week and holiday with family and friends I figured I'd leave you with a list of 26 random facts about me. 

1. I have a phobia of clowns. Full blown phobia, not just a dislike. Mimes and things in mask / costumes are a not so far behind, but I can tolerate them. Halloween is not my favorite holiday. 
2. My mother put me in the lake my grandparents live at for first time at 6 days old. Needless to say I have zero fear of water and feel at home in a lake or pool.
3. I use to think that when my family told me I was going to one day go to Notre Dame University it meant I had to play football. Clearly I was a brain washed 3-4 year old. 
4. Favorites: Color = Green. Number = 6. Food = Really anything Italian or Mexican. Dessert = Ice Cream. Green Bay Packers, Detroit Red Wings, Yankees or Tigers. 
5. Only child for 15 years. Now have a half sister that's 15 years younger than me.
6. Youngest of 3 cousins on Dad's side of family, oldest of 11 on Mom's side of family. Dad's side did screw it up by my only uncle having a kid 5 years ago, but that's ok, he doesn't count. Still determined to be the baby of the family on that side. My next oldest cousin on Mom's side is more like a brother to me, we're just under a year apart and always were a force vs the other cousins.
7. I can convert time and time-zones in my head way too easily. Standard to military and vice-versa to knowing whats what time zone wise and have a pretty good understanding of who is in what time zone and can convert it to whatever necessary in my head. My co workers love me when we do Japan and South America racing. 
8. I love technology. It kills me to not have the most current electronics available. My laptop, iPad, iPhone, iPod all need updating. 
9. I've never had a tooth cavity and never needed braces. Both my parents have terrible teeth. I'm convinced their bad teeth genetics cancelled each other out.
10. Backstreet Boys > N*Sync, Justin Timberlake Solo > Backstreet Boys. Backstreet Boys + New Kids on the Block Tour > Anything. That shit was epic, enough said.
11. I've been told I could be a celebrity's best friend. Unless you were in a boy band or part of the cast of Grey's Anatomy, Friends, or How I Met Your Mother, I'm probably not going to recognize you from a lineup of 10 people, let alone know your name.
12. I love a cheesy romantic comedy movie. They all have the same story and outcome, but regardless I still watch them. I'm hopeless on my movie taste.
13. If I didn't have horses, my spare time and $ would be all dedicated to traveling. My dream is to be able to travel AND have horses but so far that hasn't gone so well in life. I'd probably be the top rank for airline miles if I had the chance. 
14. As a kid I use to love watching bowling on TV. Which was probably started by my grandpa and mom being in a Friday night bowling league and tagging along. I was on a Saturday bowling team when I was 9. That did't last long.
15. I made the 7th grade basketball team. However my parents forced me to choose between riding lessons and basketball. I chose horses and got Dakota months later. One of my biggest regrets in life is not going for basketball because I love the sport and it was fall / riding lessons were ending for the winter so I probably could have done both if I had pushed my parents hard enough. 
16. I was suppose to play tennis in high school starting in 10th grade after going to camps etc. Then I tore my ACL ending my tennis run in high school. Still love to play though! Also nothing beats a Sunday afternoon of watching a round of a particular series. 
17. I was THAT kid in high school. That one that 'overachieved' in community service stuff. I was part of SADD and PALs and was head of 2-3 mini-committees for SADD my junior/senior year. All 4 years of high school I had 100+ hours of SADD community service hours. 
18. Never missed a high school varsity football game from 7th grade on.
19. I love HTML.
20. I hate odd numbers. I'm all about symmetry, I don't like things uneven. Odd numbers can't be split in half into a whole number and it annoys me.
21. I was tested for MS at the age of 16 - super early for symptoms to display but I had multiple. Test came back negative but I've been tested an additional 3 times by various doctors since. One of my biggest fears is for the day the test comes back positive. 
22. Love to cook. Baking is ok but I love testing new combinations of seasonings / spices / flavors!
23. Super shy and quiet. I'm a much better listener than talker. Unless you successfully pry me out of my shell, then I don't shut up.
24. I'm not a fan (putting it lightly) of clothes shopping or shoe shopping. Anti-girly in this way. I'll go clothes shopping if it's for riding clothes though!
25. I can sorta sew and use a sewing machine. I can knit too. Put them together it makes me sound super old! Thankfully both have come in hand for horse things. 
26. Procrastination is my best friend. 

Blog Hop: 7 Deadly Sins

After much arm twisting L @ Viva Carlos has me doing her blog hop. Okay, not so much twisting as explaining because I've never done this and was /am clueless. 

Pride - Seven great things/strengths in your riding life.

1. Being self efficient in my horse care

2. Staying calm in a horse emergency

3. Knowledge of Thoroughbreds

4. Barn organization

5. The fact I'll still get on a horse after head injuries I've had

6. I can master any sitting trot, no matter how bouncy

7. Teaching ground manners

Envy - Seven things you lack or covet for you or your horse.

1. Unlimited budget

2. Confidence

3. My own truck and trailer

4. Wooden tack trunk

5. Those who can get on their horse without lunging before

6. Broader knowledge of warmblood pedigrees/lines

7. A new Charles Owen

Wrath - Seven things that make you angry

1. Not cleaning up after your horse in a wash/grooming stall

2. Bad arena etiquette

3. Not warming your horse up before a ride

4. Not picking hooves before a ride

5. A bad polo wrap - don't bother if you can't make it look 1/2 decent

6. Not having any empty muck tubs when I need to clean my stall

7. Uneducated owners

Sloth - Seven things you neglect to do or cut corners on

1. Not bleaching my feed pans & water buckets as often as I should

2. Let my stalls go a day longer than I should before adding more shavings

3. Not rinsing my bit after every ride

4. Grooming only saddle area and picking hooves sometimes

5. Rarely cleaning my paddock boots after riding

6. Anything to get out of pulling a mane

7. Waiting to buy hay and shavings after I'm already out

Greed - Seven most expensive things you own for your horse/riding

1. Courbette dressage saddle

2. Dakota's Stubben hunter bridle

3. Dakota's Stubben dressage bridle

4. Back on Track Sport Boots

5. Back on Track Saddle Pads

6. Leather Halters - love me an expensive leather halter

7. My sheepskin half pad

Gluttony - Seven guilty pleasure or favorite items

1. Shampoo's & Coat Conditioners 

2. Hearing people tell me how pretty Echo is

3. Saddle pad hoarding

4. Discovering a great horsey product first

5. Lots of white, I love some chrome on a horse

6. Back on Track

7. Rarely happens now, but our group dinners at Jalapenos

Lust - Seven things you love about horses and riding

1. Mental, physical and emotional benefit of being around horses 

2. The equine community

3. The never ending list of friends and networking connections

4. Leather

5. Fashion & Style

6. The smells of a horse barn - hay, fresh shavings, etc.

7. The jokes, lingo and all the tiny things only other horse people -get-

2013 Goal Updates

I figured since over half the year is gone (crazy!) I should review my 2013 goals. I was a little afraid to look since my grandpa being ill, loosing my job and moving had thrown me for a loop, but the mid-point results could be worse.

Myself

• Be able to ride again - Riding again!
• Be able to canter again - Cantered for first time outside in November 2012.
• Canter again in arena 
• Have health problems resolved
• Graduate with my associates degree - Scratching this goal.
• Transfer to Western Michigan University - Transferring now to Midway College in Kentucky. I'll be starting January 2014 if not sooner. I won't have an associates degree first but will get my bachelors.
• Lose 50 lb - 15 lost so far!
• Get a new car

The Horses
     Dakota

• Improve headset through the trot
• "Perfect" headset at walk
• Work on lateral movements at walk and trot
• Begin canter work
• Compete in a sanctioned dressage show

     Woven Web

• Have solid ground manners - As good as they're going to get I think :)
• Introduce bit / bridle - Achieved!
• Introduce saddle - Achieved!
• Begin riding Woven Web - First ride on 2/8/13.
• Get 30 days of solid work on her
• Get 60 days of solid work
• Get 90 days of solid work
• Present to AHHA for breeding inspection - Scratch this. Going to re-evaluate what I want to present her as.

Miscellaneous

• Get my Courbette Husar Touring XL Dressage Saddle Re-Flocked
• Finish USEF registration
• Finish USDF registration
• Go to Rolex Kentucky - Didn't happen, next year! This year though will be replaced with many hunter derby's and the National Horse Show.
• Go to Arlington Million - Won't be happening but I'm now able to go to many many races being back in KY. Starting with this past weekend's racetrack outing. 

Back in the Blugrass!

I'm here!!! 

I got into Lexington around 5:30 today. No major traffic or other problems, thank goodness.

Ole Kentucky Home

When I posted last Friday, I expected this post to be completely different. I planned on making the title "Sun, Sun, Sun, Here We Come" - indicating I was moving to Florida. More specifically, Ft Lauderdale / Miami area and working at Calder Race Course.

Change of plans.

Yesterday I got a phone call from Equibase (The Jockey Club) in Lexington Ky, where I previously worked, with a job offer. It took a 10 minute phone call with one of the VP's to make me completely change my course of plan.

I'm planning leaving Michigan on May 9th, 10th or 11th. Start working on the 13th. The horses have a trailer booked to Lexington mid-June.

Stay tuned for updates!!! I can't wait to get settled in and get Echo into training again and restart the blog and all our exciting bluegrass times.

Dakota hanging out in his stall at Waterwild Farm in 2009, where Echo and him will be residing.

Happy 12 Years Dakota!

Twelve years ago today I met my best friend, Dakota. Five days later he arrived to my boarding farm and we began our journey together.

It's been a long incredible journey together, through thick and thin & good and bad.

Read more about our story together here!

January 8, 2001

January 13, 2001 

February 2001 

Blog Mini Series

Winter is upon us as we turned the calendar to December this week. I fully admit as it gets colder and colder, my spare time is less likely spent in the barn. I'm sure I won't be working with Echo 3-4 times a week like I want once she's healthy enough to be worked. I want to keep writing post so this is part of my way to take up that missing time.

All 'series' will be 8, 12 or 16 weeks long. If this works out and people seem to like it, I may find things to continue with.

Schedule

December - February: These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things - I've been going through all of my horse stuff since I found out I was getting Echo, trying to reorganize for 2 horses. It the process I found a lot of things that I had a "Ick that needs to be thrown away" or "I love this" reaction too. So this series is my way of sharing the good reactions. From everything from tack to supplements and apparel to first aid.

March - June: Echo's Stallion Selections - What mare owner doesn't love browsing stallions to potentially breed your mare(s) to? These will be my top picks for everything from Thoroughbreds to warmbloods and sporthorses.

August - September: Under the Influence - More favorite things, but this time it will be more industry wide and along the lines of "these are the top 10 racehorses that have influenced me..." or top riders, trainers, etc.

Future Ideas - Comments or Suggestions Needed! These could be a weekly / bi-weekly / monthly post. I don't want anything more frequent than weekly for fear it'd take away too much time from post about Echo and her training.
- Industry Trends - Economy, Legislation Passing, etc could be covered here. Whether it be racing, eventing, dressage, etc.

- Organization Spotlight - Equine organizations I've come across in my years as a horse owner that I feel actually do good for the horse world and ones I've seen actual results from.

Echo

Well the title says it all. I've finally decided on a barn name for Woven Web, Echo. When I was younger, before I ever had Dakota, the barn I rode at had a filly named Echo. Ever since then I've absolutely loved it as a barn name. I've debated every name from Cava, Mango, Merlot, Charlotte, etc. I really wanted to use the name Cava, but it just didn't fit her. As one of my friends told me, I can always use it in the future to name a foal she might have. So with that, Echo it is!

I've gotten a little flack for the name from people saying it's a boy's name. But I grew up knowing a filly named Echo and she was awesome so :P to those who think its a boys name.

Yesterday Echo spend the entire day outside in the mare field. I figured it'd be best to have a go at it in the morning when they can all peacefully eat their morning hay. According to the barn owner it went smoothly and she was eating her hey while the others ate too. I didn't get out until 7:30 last night so it was past dusk when I was able to bring her in. I was a bit nervous about fishing her out of the field but she was hiding in the back corner and once she saw me about 20 feet away she came right up to me. Other than the fact I was happy she came to me, I was also thankful that was 20 feet of mud I didn't have to trek through.

I took her into the arena to make sure she didn't have any obvious injuries or beat up markings and she was full of energy and proceeded to free lunge herself without much encouragement from me. I finally got the energy topped off her and took her to be groomed. She continued her trend of being good and picking all 4 hooves up without a fuss - almost better at it than Dakota. Worse part of the night was my realization that she's WAY too smart and figured where I keep her treats. She pulled the velcro flap down from my stall door organizer and had her mouth on the bag before I could stop her. She didn't get any treats but she's made it clear her abilities to get into things. 

Also for two nights in a row she has cleared up her hay and I haven't seen a single piece left behind. Yay for hay clean up!

I'm off work at 5:00 tonight and with nothing major pressing me to get home I'll be going out and having a good round of respect lunging with her after our argument over it on Monday night.

Dakota

While Woven Web news is quiet, I figured I might want to write a post to better introduce Dakota for those that may not know about him or our story together. 

January 8th 2001 I skipped school for my mom to take me to look at the 6 month old Thoroughbred gelding I had found in the newspaper classifieds the day before.

I knew I was going to buy him before I even got there. I knew it, my Mom knew it but neither of us would say it. After about an hour of drooling over him I handed over the $600 for him and arranged shipping him the 20-30 minutes to Paw Paw.

When I first got him, his name was Spider. Ewww. So a name change was a must and flipping through my StateLine Tack catalog I saw the name Dakota on one of the halter name plates and knew then it would be fitting for him.

So Friday January 12th he arrived at the farm I grew up riding at. It was a temporary place for him to go since they were in process of moving and selling the farm. 6 weeks later he was moved to a different farm, about 15 minutes from my house where he stayed for 2 1/2 years. There, I taught him to lunge and began training him for riding. 

In 2004 I moved him to a farm really close to the High School which was super convenient after school. They became my barn family and I think I spent more nights at their house in high school than with my Mom. I continued riding him english but began to ride more toward a dressage aspect. 

In 2006 after finishing high school I moved to Lexington KY for nearly the next five years. Naturally Dakota had to go with me! My best friend and I found a farm about 1/2 hour north of Lexington and she was living next door so it was the perfect situation. That of course took a turn for the worse when her and I headed back to Michigan over the holiday's and left the horses with the farm owner in Kentucky. Three weeks later we came back to five severely thin, starved and dehydrated horses. My friends mare was 8 months in foal with a filly we had bred and planned on owning together. She aborted the foal the day after we found her in that condition. Dakota was the second worse in condition. The vet scored him at a 1.5 body scale. When we moved the horses the next day things just kept getting worse. We had freezing rain, the horses were in a small dry lot and the water tank was at the bottom of the 'hill' in the lot. Dakota found himself knee high in freezing mud when he tried to get a drink. He got himself loose and I walked him down the street to yet another neighbor until he was strong enough to get on a trailer to move him to a farm closer to Lexington. Many IV's, long days of worrying and a lot of medication he was able to get on a trailer and moved closer to Lexington. We reported the owner to animal control but we unfortunately didn't have any written agreement of her care for the animals while we were gone so no charges could be made. 

After a few other farm switches, in February 2009 I moved him to a farm off of Russell Cave Rd in Lexington. Probably the best move yet since I was able to get there daily and I met great people there including my best friend that found me Woven Web. 

In December 2010 I moved home to Michigan to finish college. I left a few days before Dakota but he arrived December 23rd safe and sound back to the farm he was at while I was in high school. 

15.3 Hands  Sire - Paint / AQHA  Dam - Thoroughbred  Dk Bay

3 Months Old With His Dam

Jan 13 2001 - Day after arrival

Yearling Dakota

My pretty 2yo

First solo ride together

2006 - First day in Kentucky

Dressage <3

Love.

Tolerance.

Best Friend.

Weaving the Web - Part 2

Pedigree - Dam

Woven Web's dam, Summer Queen, foaled in 2002, was bred by Marylou Whitney.

Her sire, Summer Squall (Storm Bird x Weekend Surprise - Secretariat) who is half brother to A.P. Indy, was predominant force on the racetrack. At two he won four stakes including the Hopeful Stakes (Grade 1) and Saratoga Special Stakes (Grade 2). At three, he became a classic winner in the Preakness after his second place finish in the Kentucky Derby. In addition to the Preakness, he took the Jim Beam, Pennsylvania Derby and Blue Grass Stakes as a three year old. He raced through his four year old year adding the Fayette Handicap and second in the Pimlico Special Handicap to his resume. He entered stud at Lanes End Farm in Versailles Kentucky where he sired 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic. Pensioned in 2004, Summer Squall lived out the rest of his years at Lanes End until he scummed to old age at 22.

Bred in Canada, Storm Bird (Northern Dancer x South Ocean - New Providence) was champion two year old in Great Britain and Ireland in 1980. Aside from Summer Squall he also sired major sire Storm Cat.

Summer Squall's dam, Weekend Surprised (Secretariat x Lassie Dear - Buckpasser) was a homebred for the Farish family at Lane's End. In her racing career she won three stakes, the Schuylerville Stakes, Golden Rod Stakes and Pocahontas Stakes. As a broodmare, other than Summer Squall, she produced the likes of A.P. Indy, Honor Grades Tiger Ridge, Eavesdropper, and Weekend in Seattle among others, earning herself the prestigious broodmare of the year award.

    

Left - Summer Squall    Right - Secretariat

Storm Bird

Weekend Surprise

Summer Queen's dam line is another to admire. The female family belongs to American Family #1, the best of the American Families.

Summer Queen, who was unraced herself, has a total of seven registered foals. Three have raced with two being winners.

Summer Queen's dam, Queen Inca (Capote x Inca Legacy - Saratoga Six) produced four winners including, Colonial Inca, Tale of the Queen, Cat Tale and B G Queen Legacy. Queen Inca also produced Inca Prize (by Prized) who became the dam of graded stakes winner Inca King. 

The third dam in the female family, Inca Legacy won three races on the track and is half sister to three graded stake winners. As a broodmare, Inca Legacy produced seven winners. Catinca (by Storm Cat) was winner of the Grade 1 Ruffian Handicap along with multiple Grade 2 and 3 races. Gulch Legacy was a winner at the track, but more impressive was  her producing Stone Legacy who placed second in the Kentucky Oaks. Inca Legacy's other winners include Storm Legacy, Inca Slew, Inca Silver, Broad Legacy and Lisa's Fast Step.

Fourth in the female family is Inca Queen. On the track Inca Queen won major stakes such as the Top Flight Handicap and Sheepshead Bay Handicap. She was also placed in the Coaching Club American Oaks and Hempstead Handicap. As a broodmare she was the dam of eleven winners. Hail Bold King won the Pegasus Handicap (Grade 2) and was a national track record setter for 1 1/8th miles in the Genesis Handicap. Hail Bold King also ran 2nd in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Laurel Futurity and Arcadia Handicap among others. Exile King won the Grade 2 Rutgers Handicap and was third in the Arkansas Derby. Her gelding, Manny's Prospect won the La Jolla Handicap (Grade 3). Two of Inca Queen's colts Magoo's Magic and Metfield were take winners in the Huntington Stakes and Sheridan Stakes respectively. Her other winners include The Four Arts, Slew the Queen, Inca Princess, Germany, Senza Paura, Saratoga One and Moskey (VEN).

Finally, Inca Queen's dam, Silver Spoon was a brilliant race horse. She was a chestnut daughter of Triple Crown Winner, Citation. Citation was by Bull Lea, Calumet Farm's foundation stallion. Silver Spoon'd dam, Silver Fog carried blood of Equipose, Belnheim II, Man O' War, Peter Pan and a slew of others. Silver Spoon stood at 16.1 hands and as a foal she injured her hip and walked forever with a hitch in her gait. Her first race was a $8,000 claiming race at Belmont Park. Thankfully for her owners there were no takers. She was then sent to California where she dominated her division. Silver Spoon went on to win the Santa Susana Stakes (now the Santa Anita Oaks) and the Santa Anita Derby. Only one other filly has accomplished this which was Winning Colors in 1988. In the Santa Anita Derby, Silver Spoon defeated eventual Preakness winner by 2 1/2 lengths with her ears forward. She was then entered in the Kentucky Derby, the only filly to do so between 1945 and Genuine Risk in 1980. She ran fifth in the Kentucky Derby, the winner was Tomy Lee. Silver Spoon ran against Tomy Lee again, defeating him in the Cinema Handicap. In 1978 she was inducted to the Hall of Fame. She died in 1978 and was buried at C.V. Whitney's farm that is now part of Gainesway Farm. 

Born February 18th 2008, Woven Web was also bred by Marylou Whitney in Kentucky at Marylou Whitney Stables. 

In January 2009, Woven Web was part of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. As hip 2183 and part of book 3 she was cosigned by Gainesway and was purchased by John Little MD for $3,700.

She was bred in 2010 to Don't Get Mad and foaled a healthy filly in 2011 named Lovely Surprise.

With Woven Web's pedigree and prominent race horse sire's and the likes of Seattle Slew Alydar, Secretariat, Danzig and Unbridled, she should has a pedigree to support the sport horse world breeding.

Far Right - Lovely Surprise (Don't Get Mad x Woven Web)

Top - Silver Spoon on Sports Illustrated Cover  Left - Silver Spoon winning one of her many stakes  Right - Silver Spoon with her trainer and stablemate

Left - Seattle Slew  Right - Capote

Left - Saratoga Six   Right - Alydar

Triple Crown Winner Citation

Weaving the Web - Part 1

Pedigree - Sire

Saarland, had a fairly successful career while racing, earning nearly $600,000 on the racetrack. At 2 he ran in the Champagne Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Coming out of the Breeders' Cup he got his first stakes win in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes. While racing from age 3 to 5, Saarland ran in the Kentucky Derby, Stuyvesant Handicap and placed second in the Gotham Stakes (Grade 3), Metropolitan Handicap (Grade 1) & Westchester Handicap (Grade 3) and was third in the Brooklyn Handicap (Grade 2). He was owned and campaigned by Cynthia Phipps and was trained by Shug McGaughey.

In 2005 after Saarland finished his racing career, he entered stud at Darby Dan Farm in Lexington Kentucky. He sired 3 crops of racing age, 181 foals, 132 starters, 3 stakes winners, 1 champion, 99 winners of 274 races and earning $5,107,915 USA. Some of his top offspring include Collegiate, Jethro, Exclusive Scheme, Saarlight and Himynameissarah among others.


Sadly, in January 2009 Saarland was pensioned from breeding due to fertility problems and was moved to his owners farm and passed away in March 2009 after a paddock accident.

Saarland at Darby Dan - Photo (C) Tony Leonard

His sire, Unbridled (Fappiano x Gana Facil - Le Fabuleux) won the 1990 Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup Classic and was 1990 Eclipse Champion 3yo. He won $4,489,475 in his racing career and entered stud at the historic Claiborne Farm. 

Unbridled sired 292 runners that produced 183 winners. Ten of his offspring were Grade 1 Stakes winners, four were classic winner, and three were Eclipse Award champions. Unbridled is also the last Kentucky Derby winner to sire another Derby winner, Grindstone in 1996. Aside from Saarland and Grindstone, Unbridled's most notable offspring include Anees, Broken Vow, Unbridled's Song, Eddington, Unshaded, Wheelaway, Banshee Breeze, Halfbridled, and Exogenous.

Tragically at the young age of 14 and case after case of colic, Unbridled was euthanized and was buried at Claiborne Farm.

Unbridled at Claiborne

Left - Gana Facil  Right - Fappiano

Saarland's dam, Versailles Treaty (Danzig x Ten Cents A Dance - Buckpasser) was bred and owned by Cynthia Phipps and was born at Claiborne farm. As a racehorse, was a millionaire winning the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes, Gazelle Handicap, Test Stakes, Ruffian Handicap and Grade 2 Molly Pitcher Handicap. She also placed in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Acorn Stakes, and Beldame Stakes. Out of 20 starts she won 9, second in 9 and third in 2 races, never finishing out of the top 3.

Versailles Treaty was part of the Keeneland November disbursement of Cynthia Phipps and was purchased by Gainesway where she now resides continuing her broodmare career.

Versailles Treaty at Keeneland Sale

Left - Danzig  Right - Buckpasser

Beginnings

Hello world!

I'm a 24yo business student, living back home in the mitten of Michigan. Fair to say I live a stressful life with being a full time student and studying during my hardest semester yet of college. Work seems to be more chaotic by the day and I feel unproductive at the days end more often than not. Between knee injuries and hip / back pain, I've been sidelined from the saddle since end of April. While my gelding has been still getting worked some here and there, I can safely say the last thing I needed was a second horse.

So what happened Sunday Sept 23rd? Yep... Got another horse. Well, I claimed her as mine. She won't be arriving until October 7.

How it all happened....

Last Monday (Sept 17) I saw a Craigslist ad that my friend posted on my Facebook timeline. I reluctantly looked, breaking my #1 rule of not looking for pretty horses for sale. First mistake. Mare was cute, TB, 5-6yrs old, tendon injury with vet report saying it'd be 100% again. So, I emailed the owner. Second mistake. I quickly got a response and after some back and forth communication, I was set to go see her on Sept 21st after work. My biggest problem with this mare is that the owner did not have her papers. So... I started emailing a few Warmblood registries asking for advice on presenting her to a registry if I were to breed her one day and wanted the foal registered. The owner agreed to write a notarized statement explaining how her papers were lost so I could get them replaced by the Jockey Club. I also learned of a few loop holes in the registries for a case like mine. Everything was set to go. Sept 20th I got a heart wrenching email that the owner decided to give the mare away to a family friend. So I put on my big girl pants, sucked it up and told myself it just wasn't meant to be.

The next day one of my friends showed me a link to a mare on canterusa.org that I had previously seen and she looked like she could be a cute mover. However she didn't look like she had much of a personality and something about her left me hesitant. Regardless, I sent her info off to two of my friends for opinions.

That night, my best friend in Lexington texted me telling me she knew of another Thoroughbred mare. Better bred, younger, and in need of a good home. After learning more about her, we agreed for her to go get pictures of the mare overth weekend. Once they were posted on Facebook of me to see I was sold. I told her to get all the vet papers in order and make the call to the owners. Before I hung up the phone I had already confirmed her shipping date via email. As of then, the lovely mare, Woven Web was mine!