Thank you for this story about Lady Garthorn, and for your willingness to discuss non-commercial pedigrees. I hope some kindly person gives Lady a good home for life. If I had the money and resources, I'd take her in a heartbeat.

In reference to breeding, I'm very hopeful that at least some worthy mares with more obscure pedigrees might find their way to the courts of some top stallions, if for no other reason than to preserve the broadest possible Thoroughbred gene pool.

With that in mind, the great Peppers Pride is another mare with a non-commercial pedigree. Perhaps one day you'll share with us your analysis of the very interesting Tiznow x Peppers Pride mating. She's by Desert God, who, although unraced and an obscure sire, is royally bred. Peppers' tail-female line doesn't have much black type in it that I could find, and the pedigree of her dam, Lady Pepper, is filled with old-time American breeding that long ago faded from commercial popularity.

Still no one can take away the fact that the Desert God x Lady Pepper mating produced the unbeaten stakes winner of over a million dollars, Peppers Pride, so there must be something good going on genetically with that cross.

In looking to understand why Tiznow was chosen to sire Peppers' first foal, I read his pedigree overview on the WinStar Farms website. Among other info, it said that he sired champion 2-yr-old Folklore. The overview noted that, although Tiznow has not shown a "broad affinity" for the Mr. Prospector line, the second dam of Folklore is by Fappiano.

The overview goes on to say that Fappiano is out of a mare by Dr. Fager, who was by Rough'n Tumble, the broodmare sire of Tiznow’s male line ancestor, In Reality. Since Fappiano is also the sire of Desert God, a foal from Tiznow x Peppers Pride would be linebred 6x6 to Rough'n Tumble. Further, the overview notes that Tiznow also has a grade one performer out of a mare by Blushing Groom son, Rahy. Desert God is also out of a mare by Blushing Groom.

I'd love to read your comments about this mating if you care to share them with us.

For Big Red:

How about you and I take her, then work her board off through stable work:) Although, we'd have to live in the same state!

Great article, wish they would give more non-comercial pedigrees more respect, maybe we would have more horses like Peppers Pride!

I want to thank you for posting the TheHorse.com here. I went to the site and perused it, and found out to my surprise that Lady Garthorn is actually about 30 miles from me! I will be visiting her there, and plan to volunteer at the rescue! Thank you !!!!! :)

• Scot's reply:  Neat!  Please update us with your impressions of the mare after you've visited!

horsenut23: I truly wish it was possible. I live in the ultra-urban Los Angeles area and have neither the means nor the resources to even share in a horse's ownership. California is experiencing the highest unemployment rate in the country. It's pushing 11%. I'm among those who have been laid off. As a result, I'm saving to move to Utah, where unemployment is far lower.

After checking her pedigree, I contacted the rescue with the intention of at least going to see her, as usually the free ones with the best pedigrees and / or records are on the East Coast, and I'm in the Midwest. Unfortunately, she comes with strict rules against any breeding. Since I have an equally strict rule against owning any horse that doesn't have a job, (mainly because we are maxed out on retirees at the farm!) she's not for me, but she seemed like a neat horse.

For Big Red:

I know what you mean, I lost my job last May after 20 yrs, have struggled since, but I will receive my pension (EARLY retirement ! LOL), so things will be better now, with working 2 part-time jobs. But, I will volunteer at the Center, and get to visit her soon! I have a good friend who lives in Santa Monica, so there is a possibility to see the Breeder's Cup this year. I'll Lady G you said "Hi" !:-)

The mare's bloodlines might not be currently commercial but they're great horses in her background.  There's going to have to be outcrosses for the Northern Dancer and Mr. prospector lines, that are so prevalent.

TO JMcM: Yes, your right. There are great horses in Lady Garthorn's background. Her sire, Garthorn, was a multiple stakes winner in the U.S., including the G1 Metropolitan Handicap. He also was stakes placed in France. Although Garthorn has not been a successful sire, he was by the G1 winner and very good sire, Believe It, who was 3rd in the Kentucky Derby behind Affirmed and Alydar. (Among his many stakes winning progeny, Believe It sired one of my favorite stakes winners of some years ago, Al Mamoon.)

Lady Garthorn's dam, Skirt Raiser, was sired by Al Nasr, a G1 winner in France. He was by the great Lyphard out of Caretta by Caro. Caretta produced at least nine winning foals and two stakes winners.

Lady Garthorn's tail (direct) female line is exceptional. It's the family of Bowl of Flowers, Graustark, Gallant Bloom, His Majesty, Your Host (sire of Kelso), Majestic Prince, Secreto and numerous other stakes winners.

Lady Garthorn descends directly from Your Hostess (Your Host's full sister), who was the dam of stakes winners Royal Clipper, Gallatia, T.V. Commercial, and Coraggioso, as well as the important broodmare, Gay Hostess. Your Hostess' dam is the "blue hen" foundation mare, Boudoir II, who has had worldwide influence on the breed.

So, in the right hands, Lady Garthorn's pedigree and record of foals she's already produced all indicate this free mare has some genuine value to her (aside from being a living creature who deserves a good home).