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 CARSON  HOLLOW

2007 - Chestnut Colt by Speightstown out of Elsemere by Tabasco Cat.

Standing at Questroyal North

One of New York State's Premiere Stallions

Introductory Stud Fee $4,500 LF

Bridgetown to Stand in NY at Questroyal North

What goes into Modern Day Equine Genetics?

I am providing some articles of interest. This is some difficult information to go through and process. Please feel free to call me regarding this information. Thank you for taking the time to look at this.  Just click on the links below.  I hope it is helpful.

 

 
Wikipedia - Gregor_Mendel
 

Its can be difficult for anyone to figure out genetics or the role that nature will play as a result of a mating of two thoroughbreds. I hope you find these two articles are helpful in your thought processes in making your thoroughbred mating selections.

Bob Fox

201-362-5619 (Cell)

Feel free to call me to discuss your matings or whatever you wish.

Food For Thought

Is there a Speed Gene for race horses?

 

Horse breeders are popularly recognized as experts of animal husbandry. Through experience and study of pedigrees, horse breeders select horse matings to produce superior performance horses.  Nowhere is this reputation stronger than among breeders of Thoroughbred race horses.  Over 350 years ago a group of essentially 100 horses founded the breed.  From this genetic base, the breed has been crafted by breeders through selection to produce the modern race horse.  
 

Yet, despite 350 years of selection, recent studies suggest that as much as 30% of racing performance is determined by genetics.  Seventy percent of performance is management and training but the edge in a race may be genetics.  Considerable genetic variation still exists for racing performance. So what does this mean?   First, we can still use genetics to craft better horses. Second, more than one speed gene exists. 


This not a surprise.  Horses of all sizes and types win races.  Secretariat was a large horse 16.2 hands while another noteworthy race champion of the 20th Century, Northern Dancer, was only 15.2 hands tall.   Man O War had a stride length of 28 feet while a more current Kentucky Derby winner, Smarty Jones, had a much shorter stride length.  There are many ways to win races.

The genes that influence racing performance will be those that enhance the limiting factors of muscles, respiration, heart function and musculoskeletal integrity as well as the competitive drive to race. Genetic studies of human athletic performance have led to discovery of more than 100 genes that influence athleticism.  We are studying these same genes in horses.

But the real prize would be a single gene that confers superior racing performance. Does a single gene for speed exist?  No, not now.  If such a gene existed, then our ancestors undoubtedly already found it and selected for it several hundred years ago and all Thoroughbred horses already have “that gene.