Through the Lens : Foal

Rachel Alexandra and Her Foal

Bret Walker — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:12:00 GMT

Rachel Alexandra and her first foal, a Curlin colt born on Jan. 22, 2012, live on Stonestreet Farm.

They went out in their paddock on a beautiful and sunny day in Lexington, Ky.

The foal took his lead from Rachel Alexandra, running some, resting some and repeating the routine. The foal is growing fast and now weighs 175 pounds. Friendly and inquisitive, the foal goes right up to visitors and likes having his forehead rubbed.

“Rachel is doing great,” said farm manager Garry Megibben, “and the foal is full of himself. He’s been a great addition.”
Hot Dixie Chick (Rachel’s paddock buddy) had her first foal on Feb. 7 when she delivered a Curlin colt. In about a week’s time, Rachel Alexandra and Hot Dixie Chick will once again share a paddock with the addition of their Curlin foals.

Special thanks to Stonestreet for this wonderful opportunity! Hope you enjoy the photos. I have included a couple of snapshots below but make sure you view the entire slideshow. Then, come back and let me know which one is your favorite in the comments section below. Thanks everybody!

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Order this Photo.

Spring at Lane's End Farm

Bret Walker — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:56:00 GMT

Guest blogger/photographer Mathea Kelley is back to share her latest update on our good friend Zenyatta. Thanks Mathea! Hope you guys enjoy!

Spring at Lane's End Farm is paradise for horses and people alike. It seems like overnight the gray of the long winter is gone and there are new foals, green grass, trees and flowers blossoming everywhere. One of the happiest horses on the farm is the queen herself, Zenyatta. She has settled well into the routine of farm life and is the picture of health with her dapples glistening in the sunshine. She spends most of her days grazing in the lush green paddock with her friends. I wonder if the girls are contemplating motherhood as they will have foals by their sides at this time next year? I'll post a few of my favorties below, but click here to view the entire slideshow.

Order this Photo. Photo by Mathea Kelley.

Order this Photo. Photo by Mathea Kelley.

Mathea will continue to keep us updated on Zenyatta throughout the year. Please let her know how much we appreciate her keeping us up-to-date on Queen Z.
Now that the Triple Crown has wrapped up I will be lining up more visits with some of our favorite mares. Stay tuned to www.ThroughTheLensBlog.com to see who gets the next visit.

Catching up with Silverbulletday and Vertigineux

Bret Walker — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:43:00 GMT

Several Blood-Horse projects have kept me on the go recently, including photo shoots with mares Silverbulletday and Vertigineux and a handicapping webinar called How to Bet: A Beginner’s Guide for Thoroughbred Racing. If you are new to betting or just need a refresher check this out.

Busy times as we approach the Triple Crown. Similar to their male counterparts and the Kentucky Derby, the 3-year-old fillies are prepping for the Kentucky Oaks on May 6, 2011, at Churchill Downs.

I went to visit Kentucky Oaks winner and champion Silverbulletday, now in retirement at John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm near Lexington, Ky., where she arrived in September 2000. During her career, the champion race filly had 15 wins from 23 starts, all stakes except for her maiden triumph.

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Looking radiant with a dappled coat, Silverbulletday shares a field with Teeming as she waits to foal. “She hardly gets wound up,” said Joe Ramsey, farm manager. “She’s an alpha-type but not aggressive, just very smart.”

In foal to Midnight Lute, Silverbulletday is due to foal a filly on May 12.
Her current field mate, Teeming, is in foal to Smart Strike and is due to foal a filly on April 20.

Read more on Silverbulletday in the April 23, 2011 issue of The Blood-Horse. A great Triple Crown offer for the magazine is available.

Vertigineux was named the 2011MarketWatch Broodmare of the Year. She now resides at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky. I photographed the great mare nearly three years ago at Winter Quarter Farm. She then was sold and moved to Ashford Stud, where broodmare manager Bob Davis oversees her daily care.

“She’s an easy mare to work with,” said Davis, who noted that even as a 16-year-old she is fit and strong. Vertigineux’s 2011 foal is a Henrythenavigator filly born on April 2. The mare produced a full sister, now a yearling, in 2010.

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With her majestic look, holding her head high and posing, you can see the resemblance in her offspring. Included in the slideshow below are images of some of Vertigineux’s daughters. Among her eight foals is current 2-year-old Eblouissante, by Bernardini, who now is in training with John Shirreffs.

Enjoy the slideshow! I’ll be back soon with more photos of wonderful mares.

Click here to view the full slideshow.

Lotta To Live Up To

Bret Walker — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:03:00 GMT

Lotta Kim produced a full sister to Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 27, 2011, at Dr. Dede McGehee's Heaven Trees Farm near Lexington, Ky. Photographed on March 12, 2011, the Medaglia d'Oro filly is owned by Dolph Morrison. A decision has not been made on whom Lotta Kim will be bred to this season.

"The mare is a good mom,” said Dr. McGehee. “She’s matured into a fine mother. And the foal is smart, just like Rachel Alexandra was as a foal.”
The filly was born at one a.m. on a Sunday morning and was a normal foaling. The mare and foal go out for two to three hours a day and that increases weekly.

Lotta Kim and her filly now have company in their paddock. Miss Abbott, a 19-year-old mare owned by Dr. McGehee, shares the field with her El Corredor colt. The two mares shared a field before foaling.
“This foal is good size,” said Donnie Barcus, Heaven Trees’ farm manager. “She’s a similar type to Rachel Alexandra,” said Barcus. “She’s tall with long legs. She bucks and kicks and plays hard. She’s very active.”

I will be visiting with Rachel Alexandra on March 25 at Stonestreet Farm and I will be posting my images here at Through the Lens soon after, so be sure to keep your eyes open for those.

I will also post updates to my new Facebook fan page. I hope you enjoy the photos below. I would love to hear your name suggestions for this beautiful new foal. Let's see how creative you guys can get.

Lotta Kim watches barn activity while her foal sleeps. Order this Photo.

Stepping out for some fresh air. Order this Photo.

Paddock time. Order this Photo.

Running by Heaven Tree’s yearling barn. Order this Photo.

Feeling a little independent. Order this Photo.

Time to slow the pace. Order this Photo.

Grazing side by side. Order this Photo.

Check out my facial markings. Order this Photo.

Is this angle better? Order this Photo.

Feeling good on a pleasant sunny day in Kentucky. Order this Photo.

Back with mom for another romp. Order this Photo.

I have added a few additional photos to the full slideshow. Click here to view the slideshow.

Dreaming of Anna's New Colt

Bret Walker — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:28:00 GMT

Champion Dreaming of Anna gave birth to a Medaglia d’Oro colt on Feb. 21, 2011, at Dr. and Mrs. Gary Priest’s Woodspring Farm near Versailles, Ky., in Woodford County.

“She is so kind, and a good mother,” said Woodspring Farm manager Guy Mogge. Easy to care for, Dreaming of Anna is just one of the girls. “She goes through her daily routine like a pro. It’s great to have her.”

Dreaming of Anna is owned by Frank Calabrese, who bred and raced the undefeated champion 2-year-old. Calabrese named Dreaming of Anna for his deceased sister Anna Anderson. Dreaming of Anna was born on Feb. 4, 2004, at Lantern Hill Farm near Midway, Ky., also in Woodford County.

“She does get lonely and likes to have her buddies around when she doesn’t have a foal by her side,” added Mogge.
A full sister to graded stakes winner Lewis Michael, Dreaming of Anna (Rahy—Justenuffheart, by Broad Brush) has a yearling filly by Street Cry, also at Woodspring. The mare will be bred back to Tapit.

If you "like" what you see here, you should also "like" my new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AnneEberhardtPhotos. Feel free to share it with your friends as well if you think they might be interested.

Hope you enjoy the photos! I will have more great content to share with you soon. Add to the comments below who you would like to see me catch up with next. Thanks everybody!

With her foal close behind, Dreaming of Anna is lead to her paddock. Order this Photo.

Walking on their own in their paddock. Order this Photo.

Coming back to check out the photographer. Order this Photo.

Stopping to smell some grass before moving on. Order this Photo.

Stopping by the fenceline to see her buddies with her foal nursing. Order this Photo.

Enjoying a sunny, brisk day for a few hours. Order this Photo.

The Sweet Life

Bret Walker — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:48:00 GMT

Life really was sweet when I recently visited Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky. Their staff was wonderful about accommodating my photo requests.

My plan was to photograph Life is Sweet as requested by a few of the readers here at Through the Lens. I had photographed Life is Sweet winning the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic.

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I followed her racing career closely. A stablemate of Zenyatta, Life is Sweet was an outstanding talent, having won two grade I races and nearly $2-million.

Life is Sweet was retired after her final race in February of this year. She was shipped to Lane’s End Farm to start her breeding career. Bred to Smart Strike soon after her arrival, Life is Sweet went in foal, and is due in early March 2011.

She has filled out, looks fantastic, and has a great disposition.

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Order this Photo.

Most of Life Is Sweet’s day is spent in her field with her two buddies, Enthusiastically and Intriguing Lady.

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Lane’s End has seven mares with “Sweet” in their name. Stay tuned for my next blog entry, when I share how life got even sweeter on my trip to Lane's End Farm.

Are there other horses in the Lexington area that you would be interested in me checking in on? Throw out some names and I will do my best to set up some visits. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Life Is Sweet, and your suggestions for my next trip!