They say she’s sound & healthy, but heading to the broodmare barn.
Here’s hoping she has an easier time of breeding than her mama.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/213564/stonestreet-rachels-valentina-retired
I think this makes excellent sense. She has proved herself to be a top notch racing filly, and as the only daughter of her mother, it makes as much sense to protect her genetic potential by early retirement as it does for a stallion.
If they have any suspicions at all about racing soundness, this is a good decision.
I too hope she has a better time with foaling than her female line seems to carry. Didn’t Lotta Kim also have foal producing troubles?
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8761721]
Didn’t Lotta Kim also have foal producing troubles?[/QUOTE]
She did, but it sounds like her foaling problems were because of a racing injury. And her problems seem to be resolved now:
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/104884/lotta-kim-hits-stride-for-heaven-trees-farm
Too bad. I was hoping she’d have a longer career on the track. I an glad that she’s OK, though.
Her last race was an unexpectedly dull effort. She went off as the favorite in the G1 Mother Goose and finished 5th behind horses that shouldn’t have been able to challenge her when she was at her best. I would imagine that had something to do with the decision.
It’s hard to be the child of a star. 
I’m glad they retired her, her performance seemed to be waning so better to retire healthy than to keep pushing for the old form.
I’d love to see her produce some fantastic kids!
I was initially sad with the decision, as I saw her last year at Saratoga and would have loved to see her again, but I’m good with it. She is still happy and healthy, so now she gets to be a spoiled broodmare. Excited to see her future!
As for her mama, I keep hoping they’ll retrain her for dressage or something. Would love to see her competing again, since she can’t be bred. But that’s probably selfish of me.
[QUOTE=chalice18;8762145]
I was initially sad with the decision, as I saw her last year at Saratoga and would have loved to see her again, but I’m good with it. She is still happy and healthy, so now she gets to be a spoiled broodmare. Excited to see her future!
As for her mama, I keep hoping they’ll retrain her for dressage or something. Would love to see her competing again, since she can’t be bred. But that’s probably selfish of me.[/QUOTE]
If you follow the above link it is a story about her having babies again. She has had several fine foals since RA.
[QUOTE=Gestalt;8762159]
If you follow the above link it is a story about her having babies again. She has had several fine foals since RA.[/QUOTE]
I think she’s talking about RA herself.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8762185]
I think she’s talking about RA herself.[/QUOTE]
You are right! I didn’t read completely.
I was at Stonestreet farm back in April and met Rachel Alexandra. …I was actually chatting with one of the gentleman who oversees the broodmares there and he said RA is actually breeding sound despite the complications she had. He went on to say that breeding her again could be a possibility but so far isn’t in the works. Stonestreet farm was absolutely lovely and any horse that is able to spend his/her life there is pretty lucky!!
