b4breeding

This discussion started with David’s thoughts based on mainly Australian statistics, then others including some NZ statistics I copied in. Finally here’s the link to the USTA statistics (of course as Dot says they are not an “apples with apples” comparison, and there will be some double ups like Texican N for the In The Pocket cross, but interesting nevertheless). I see that BG’s Bunny doesn’t show up at all in the USTA stats for “crosses of gold” with Bettor’s Delight, which is intriguing.

Perhaps we can make “calls” about higher percentage crosses with BD as a sire now, because we have many years of high numbers to look back on, giving these statistics some validity.

What is harder is to predict what will cross well with Bettor’s Delight as a damsire because, as David Sinclair pointed out, that is really where he is most likely to leave a long term inheritance.

So in our statistics – be they Australian, NZ or North American, the eyes will be out for what patterns might be showing up in that area. Of course relatively small numbers of BD mares will have had foals of racing age, but I am still quite surprised at the few times he is showing up as a damsire in many of the sires we know. With Art Major and American Ideal there are some solid percentages but nothing jumping out of the box yet.

I’m also aware that location of a sire and his mares can make a big difference to what get to go with what in America, whereas in New Zealand it is like one big state, all in.

I’ve blogged before on this topic and kept an eye out for BD as a damsire with yearlings coming through the sales. But haven’t looked at the stats recently.

If anyone wants to dig deeper on the mare/family matches so far with BD as a damsire in all those countries, go for it and I am happy to post up your thoughts or leave a comment on this blog.