b4breeding

In my previous post I talked a bit about Cam’s Trickster (a full brother to Cam’s Card Shark), who stood in New Zealand for several years, but without much success. And in my blog called Cam Fella 3×3 I did a quick overview of the fairly sparse success of sons of Cam Fella who have stood in New Zealand.  There are not very many Cam’s Trickster or Camtastic mares still being bred from in New Zealand, but Presidential Ball (who was a much more successful siring son of Cam Fella) is developing plenty of support as a broodmare sire. However I noticed in a decent race on the card at Addington tonight for 4-7 win horses, 4 out of the 10 horses in the field have Camtastic or Cam’s Trickster as their damsire, being (with lifetime earning to date):

Race 3 WOODLANDS STUD HANDICAP PACE  $12,500, 4 TO 7 WINS DISCRETIONARY, 2600m

Flyover – Live Or Die-City Plan(by Camtastic(USA)) $71,758
Temudjin – Christian Cullen-Mainland Reign(by Camtastic(USA))  $38,349
Samuel James – Christian Cullen-Ascot Cam(by Cam’s Trickster) $53,444
Magical Mel – Live Or Die-Magical Muffin(by Cam’s Trickster) $77,790
Plus: Kotare Yakov – Falcon Seelster-Kotare Yoyo(by Presidential Ball) $48,739

Just a quirky Cam coincidence! Or an omen “First 4” bet??

Also I wanted to refer back to my blogs about Mr Feelgood, where I asked what other horses had managed to establish top level successful careers in both hemispheres?  I agree with comments (posted in response on the Race Cafe forum) that Lyall Creek and Young Quinn are also in that category, as well as Cardigan Bay. I had under-estimated the number of seasons both “Creek the Freak” and Young Quinn had raced over in the States. Of course all three were geldings so never had the chance to pursue success at stud as well. But tip o’ the hat to those wonderful horses. Mr Feelgood remains the only one I’m aware of who has succeeded in the north to south direction.

Last thing, I’m interested to know more about the change of Northern hemisphere racing in the ‘old days’ from heats to non-heat racing.  What triggered the change? And were heats ever used in earlier Southern hemisphere racing? (I think they may still be used in some European trotting races). I read with amazement stories of true heat racing in the 1930s, 40s, even 50s where heats were not just eliminations but the same field in total racing 2, 3 even 4 times to find an eventual winner. What does this say about the quality of racehorse (heart?) that we have today compared to those days. Could many modern horses cope with that now? Or has the speed of our racing been the gain we have made in exchange for such displays of durability and heart? Comments and information on this topic welcome.