Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Kitanogaijin — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 08:29:50 GMT

You were rather harsh, and possibly naive, in your response to willie1 Ms. Hunter. He is quite right to suggest the maintenance of a watchful policy towards Japanese breeders.

You are quite correct that the Yoshidas are very good horse farmers, as are the Okadas, the Paca Pacas, the Shimokobes and several others, all of which are best practice farms and treat their animals as well as you could expect anywhere in the world.

But for every one of them, there are possibly dozens of local farms that are still in the Dark Ages, who routinely mistreat, abuse and malnourish their horses. And have absolutely no qualms about simply selling them off to the pet food factory when they are no longer productive. Or worse - and believe me, I have seen a lot worse.

Ferdinand should be remembered particularly, and kept in the forefront of thinking, because without his case, many more sad cases would have occurred. Another one closer to home, and even sadder in some ways, was the great Criminal Type. A deal had been done to get him back to the Old Friends Farm in Kentucky, but it was stretched by a greedy and very stupid owner who stretched the terms to try to get one more foal out of him before he went - and in the intervening period the years of abuse in the form of chronic malnourishment and other mistreatment caught up with him and he died of a ruptured stomach ulcer.

You are right to be optimistic about the future, but history says that the Japanese as a nation often respond best to outside pressure. You always need, as willie1 suggests, to keep one eye on the present and past. And often you can see that sort of thing much better when you remove the rose colored glasses.

Thank you for the beautiful photos.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

timehascometoday — Sat, 11 May 2013 03:58:24 GMT

can you find info on a mare I used to train at turf paradise.she was sold to japan.her name is rapidasharina a close relative to curling. thanks

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Kate Hunter — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 02:30:16 GMT

I am glad you all liked the updates. I hope to be able to do it again in a year or two.

Just a quick word to the anti-Japan crowd,

The Yoshidas had nothing to do with Ferdinand's sale to Japan, his stud career, or his untimely death. They offer forever homes to their mares/stallions.

Pretty much ALL Japanese stud farms now provide forever homes for their pensioned stallions.

There was ONE man who made the call on Ferdinand's life and he is the one to blame, not the country itself.

Let's not throw stones in glass houses shall we? Once America has a safe, loving home for every single OTTB, then you can attack the other countries, that you don't know anything about. Until you have lived here, worked with the people in Japan, you can't, with ANY authority, judge them, OK?

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

lorraine — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:34:58 GMT

Beautiful photos. Stardom Bound's foal is gorgeous. My favorite is Azeri I had forgotten she was over there. I suppose even though Ferdinand is gone, the horses that are over there are safer now? "Unfortunately she (Stardom Bound) isn't in foal this year" sounds strange because am I the only one that thinks a mare has to be in foal until she is pensioned is excessive??? I would hate to be a filly. I've seen birth videos and feel so bad mares have to go through that EVERY year, just about. Again gorgeous pictures. I sure would like to keep tabs on Stardom Bound's foal (shown).

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

JayJay — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 04:13:21 GMT

Which Stardom Bound colt is that in the pic? Tapit or King Kamehameha... looks like he'll turn into a grey ?

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

willie1 — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 11:50:09 GMT

Ferdinand should never be forgotten I hope the Yoshida brothers realize this.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Stellar Jayne — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 03:14:36 GMT

Hi Kate,

Thank you so much for the update on Stardom Bound, she was a great racing filly! She looks so good and happy. Her foal is just gorgeous! Looks to have good bone already. It just warmed my heart this holiday season to see them both.

Love seeing Ginger Punch and her adorable foal also! They look so healthy and well cared for. Brings tears to my eyes. She was great on the track and I hope her babies will be very successful as well.

Azeri has maintained that Look of Eagles, she is a beauty! Any news on how her earlier babies are faring on the racing ovals?

Thank you so very much for the updates on these three beautiful queens of racing and current pictures of them and some of their babies.

I wish you Happy Holidays and a Healthy and Happy 2013.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

philipedell — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:25:25 GMT

Love the article. My champion mare, Musical Romance, was just purchased and sent to the Yoshida farm. How can I get some news on her? Is she OK and who are they going to breed her to? I would love to hear about her.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Delrene — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 18:51:03 GMT

thank you for these beautiful photos of our wonderful American girls. I do hope the owners take note of how many of us are still very interested in how they are doing. Lovely mares and babies. These three especially are so dear to our hearts.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Aleine — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 18:28:34 GMT

Kate, beautiful photos.

Now.....we can all bow our heads and think about Ferdinand (Ky Derby winner '86). Remember how he was sold to slaughter only to end up on dinner plates? His Japanese owner thought he would be more profitable as a tasty treat. No way to treat a Ky Derby winner!

My what a short memory we have in this country.

NOT a big fan of ANY horse being moved to Japan, sorry.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

sherpa — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:22:16 GMT

Kate, I wonder if you saw Dubai Majesty at Yoshida's North Farm? It broke my heart when she was sold just a day or 2 after winning her BC Sprint. She's such a magnificent-looking mare, really something special...

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Alex'sBigFan — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 03:13:25 GMT

Thank you for the photos and article on these lovely mares. Good, IHA has some fine possible dating candidates over there. Ginger Punch and Azeri are real beauties and the foals are precious. I did not realize that Azeri was that old already either or even in Japan. What I think has to happen in breeding though is for us to start importing huge talent here from other countries, not us exporting all over the place.

Happy Holidays to all.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Mary Jo in Florida — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 01:08:29 GMT

Kate, I always love your articles and pictures. If you can, please keep us posted on Tapitsfly in the future. She is a favorite of mine. It is too bad that it is so difficult to get information on the mares once they leave the track, no matter what country they go to since fans really want to know how they are doing.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

FSF — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 02:19:10 GMT

Thanks, Kate. Now that you say that, I can totally see what you mean. I was getting excited thinking she threw loud colored babies :)

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

J D 1 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 02:08:14 GMT

Lovely photos. Do you have any photos of Stardom Bound's Big Brown colt. I am curious how he is doing and what he looks like.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

valm226 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 02:03:06 GMT

Beautiful photos. Glad to see these grand ladies doing well. Small correction, Azeri is by Jade Hunter, not Robbery. Thank you for sharing.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Kate Hunter — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 01:50:21 GMT

Ginger Punch's baby had a rash or a scratch (can't remember which) and they shaved it's shoulder so they could treat it. As you can tell, it is all healed up in the photo. They take their equine care seriously.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Past The Grandstand — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 01:24:10 GMT

I love this! These are some of my favorite mares. Thank you so much for this post.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

Karen in Texas — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:34:48 GMT

I appreciate the reports on these lovely mares! Thanks so much!

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

greengirl — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:59:08 GMT

Gosh, hard to believe that Azeri is 14 now, almost 15! Thanks for the picture of her. It's nice to see our favorite girls.

re: Mares in Japan Part 3: American Royalty, with Kate Hunter

FSF — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:44:48 GMT

Does the Ginger Punch baby have white on her shoulder? Interesting color.

So great to hear an update on all these regal ladies, and love seeing their babies. Hopefully some of the sales will bring some of these future stars back to the US eventually.