I am looking for TB mares that raced extensively and retired sound. They also need to have bloodlines that are desirable for sport breeding. Are there particular areas of the country that are more prone to producing these types of mares? I have kept my eye out on the facebook groups, posts and visited some of the ex-racehorse placement sites, but I see very few of these mares. The few mares I have seen don’t seem to have the very desirable sport bloodlines. Does anyone have experience and/or recommendations for finding these types of mares?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but many adoption places place no breeding contracts on their mares. Most “war horses” will be tried in the breeding shed for racing.
Terri
I’d like to find one to ride, not to breed.
There are too many horses without homes now. I want to buy an unwanted mare rather than breed.
What’s your location? Or are you willing to keep your search nationwide?
The tricky thing about mares, as I’m sure you know, is that you have a smaller subset to search. Anything with breeding behind her is unlikely to be pushed into her “war horse” years and will go to be bred for racing. That doesn’t mean there aren’t war horse mares out there, there’s just less of them than there are geldings.
One thing I’d recommend is check the actual race entries via Equibase. Focus on the lower end tracks and claiming races, as the horses run for smaller purses and you’ll find more mares bred “on the cheap” that may still have nice sport horse breeding, but paper that’s not valuable for race breading.
For example, I just pulled up Penn National’s entries for this Thursday. Race 4 has filly and mare claimers running for an $8K tag, and this gal jumped out at me, who would have some value as a racing broodmare, but not exceeding sport horse prices:
http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=8294450®istry=T&rbt=TB
She’s still competitive, but she’s the type of horse you could research further, then put in your virtual stable and keep tabs on. When she stops finishing on the board regularly or drops even further in the claiming ranks, you could either approach the owner/trainer, or if you have the ability, find connections to make a claim for you if she’s running for a cheap enough tag.
Another at Mountaineer running tomorrow who’s winning, but barely paying her way:
http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=8860777®istry=T&rbt=TB
She’s a homebred, so maybe her connections want to keep her to breed… but then again, maybe not.
I wouldn’t expect this method to have a high success rate on the first try, but do this with enough mares, you’re bound to find something that works out.
In our area, retiring race mares are cheap and available. Because the chuck wagons take the war horse geldings, but don’t want mares. Ever. They especially like geldings with a long and successful race history, and are skilled in evaluating the potential soundness of temporary racing injuries.
Mares are not good enough to be going to the breeding shed with or through their current connections, are available and looking for new homes. Whether or not you like their breeding for show disciplines, I can’t say. Whether or not you can look at the individual despite their pedigrees is the question.
Out bidding the chucks for the big, sound, athletic geldings is not easy. They are not afraid to spend money on prospects. They will outbid a recreational or show discipline shopper if it is a horse they want. If they don’t want the horse, often, neither do you. But buying mares gives less competition to the shopper. To purchase direct, contact trainers at the track… put a “wanted” advert up at your local racetrack notice board. Bring cash, and a horse trailer, and enough experience to be able to make a decision on the spot.
Try Finger Lakes Finest; they have had several in the past. Agree with Texarkana - hard to find because if they have worth in the shed they are usually retained for breeding and few are pushed to warhorse status.
Your better bet would be to familiarize yourself with horses that consistently produce warhorses. AP Indy is one, In Reality, Say Florida Sandy (as is Private Account). Put It Back has a few locally to me that have 40+ starts.
Here’s one, by Catienus, that I really like:
https://www.facebook.com/FingerLakesFinestThoroughbredsInc/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1088624624588820
Her pedigree, from a soundness perspective, is very strong.
Not sure where you are located to make shipping from NY reasonable, but send Finger Lakes Finest a Facebook message. I am a volunteer with them and we have a handful of nice warhorse racemares.
You can also often find them dirt cheap at the mid range TB sales, after a few foals that didn’t light the track on fire. They won’t be 3-4 yo, but I’ve seen some very lovely mares sell that have plenty of time left in them for a sport career.
Well my mistake being in the sport horse breeding section and all. ??
I am curious now OP - what do you think are desirable sporthorse lines? Any lines in particular you are looking for?
Thanks for all the replies. To answer some questions, I am in AZ. If I strike out in this quarter of the US (mid texas to mid california up to nevada, colorado) I will expand my search to the entire US and Canada. I appreciate the advice regarding keeping an eye on the claiming races, I would not have thought of that. Are there tracks in this region, I am thinking southern California most likely that tend to have these types of mares and races? What are some TB sales that would be considered mid range?
Age range would be up to 14. I would look at a mare that was a dud in producing race babies as long as she is breeding sound and meets my sporthorse ideals. An unproven breeding mare would need to be under 10 so if she has reproductive issues I can at least retrain her for riding and have her still young enough for resale.
Regarding bloodlines, I am still learning what a good sporthorse line is and the nuances between them. My approach is when I find a mare I like I start researching her lines on COTH or other places and then decide whether the general consensus is the lines are desirable. Also, I have Epic Win and Reputed Testamony, Loyal Pal and Forfeit frozen stored and want to find a good match for those.
The main rehoming site I had been looking at was Canter and I am unsure if they are sold with no breeding contracts. The FAQs did not specify.
For Epic Win, I would try to find a mare that has very good movement and comes from a good moving family… Capote, SC sons/grandsons (Johannsburg, Frost Giant, Giant’s Causeway, Stonesider…), any mare that has Relaunch or Sky Mesa up close, Danzig Connection, AP Indy sons (Dances With Ravens, etc), Star Gallant, Quiet American (Fappiano), Honor and Glory… Some Unbridled Songs are very nice movers as well. I would avoid any mare with doubles to UB, Northern Dancer, Icecapade, Phone Trick, etc.
I think this mare, personally, would make a very nice horse with Epic Win:
http://www.pedigreequery.com/puttinonashow
Reputed Testamony I would look for some of the same qualities - you want a very good moving mare for those two TB stallions if you want UL prospect for eventing (which is what I am assuming you are aiming towards, as both are EV sires).
I like EW more than RT. If I was looking to breed RT I’d find a really nice warmblood mare, personally.
[QUOTE=Sporthorse Shop;8904037]
The main rehoming site I had been looking at was Canter and I am unsure if they are sold with no breeding contracts. The FAQs did not specify.[/QUOTE]
Trainer owned horses, which are the majority of what you’ll find on CANTER, have no limits. It’s not an adoption, it’s a purchase between you and the trainer or owner of the horse. CANTER acts as a listing service and is not involved in the sale of the horse. LOPE TX is similar.
I saw a few mares that might have interested you at Arapahoe Park, so certainly worthwhile to watch the CANTER trainer listings during live racing season.
There are also several sales in Texas and at least one or two in NM that might be worth keeping an eye on. Oh, there’s also the Silver Cup sale at Arapahoe Park in late July ish? Mostly youngsters, but some breeding stock.
Lucky for you, the southwestern United States is a proverbial hot bed for cheap TBs. Although it also has a bit of its own breeding culture, where you see less of the typical TB blood from the east and more of their own lines they have cultivated that cross well with QHs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find nicely bred sport prospects.
Arizona itself has quite a bit of activity. Turf Paradise, Rillito (although I think they’re having some issues), and some fair meets… no mare running in the claiming ranks at any of those places is going to have much residual monetary value in the breeding shed.
New Mexico has a very active (and cheap) racing and breeding scene. Ruidoso, Zia, Sunland, Albuquerque, Sun Ray, fairs… lots and lots of TBs running for low claiming prices and small purses.
Colorado and Texas also have tracks that are going to have a lot of mares that will fit a sport horse budget. I think Nevada has fair meets, with probably the same horses that hit other cheap places in the south west.
Southern California mares, for the most part, are going to be too expensive for a sport horse budget. Santa Anita and Delmar are not places to look-- I’m not saying you won’t find anything, as horses do retire and or become injured at every level, but purses are far to high, making the horses worth considerably more than your average sport horse budget. If you do search in SoCal, Los Alamitos would be your best bet, or go north and focus on Golden Gate Park and the Fair Circuit races.
As Simkie mentioned earlier, breeding stock sales are also a great place to look. The benefit of them is that you can see the horses up close and in person if you attend, and generally they have been deemed breeding sound upon examination if being sold as a broodmare/broodmare prospect. Barretts in California has their mixed sale coming up in January, which will have a lot of broodmares and broodmare prospects. They also have a fall horses of all ages sale that just passed. There is a big New Mexico-bred sale at Ruidoso, I think it’s in the summer. Texas also has a big breeding stock sale in the August I believe.
Just because I like looking at horses (and am avoiding grading papers/lesson planning):
Running at Turf Paradise in Phoenix tomorrow:
http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=8563238®istry=T&rbt=TB
A 7 year old who has won $126K in 65 starts. I pulled her up on PQ and she has a pic (looks not bad considering the lousy angle) and a comment that she was available for sale last year for $750.
http://www.pedigreequery.com/cantaffordanother
Probably not the bloodlines you are seeking, but horses like these I’d be adding to my Virtual Stable so I receive notifications on them, maybe check them out in person in the paddock or on TV via simulcasting (they usually show a good bit in the paddock simulcasting), then maybe try to make contact if you decide you are interested. She’s making money, but who knows for how long, as she’s pretty much running at the very bottom of the sport. Not very many places she can drop below the level she is currently at.
Another mare also running at Turf Paradise tomorrow for a $3,000 claiming price:
http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=8343806®istry=T&rbt=TB
http://www.pedigreequery.com/ten+purses
Not quite as much of a “war horse” with “only” 46 starts, but that is my kind of pedigree! I would really, really like to lay eyes on that mare and see if she looks as nice as some of the names behind her. You can sometimes get a good view of them in the video replays, either paid or through free sites, but it’s really best to catch them in the paddock where you can see their walk. She may be worth her $3,000 tag as a sport horse prospect alone.
Same race, there’s this girl:
http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=8317744®istry=T&rbt=TB
http://www.pedigreequery.com/blazingly2
Don’t be deterred by the “stakes winner” comment. She won a “stakes” race in Nevada, that means nothing. Her $3,000 tag is probably over estimating her value as a race horse or race broodmare. But Storm Cat over Alydar is supposed produce a wicked jump and I am a huge fan of Mutakddim, so much I bred my own mare to one of his sons. And doesn’t Hawaii have a big H/J fan base?
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8904261]
Just because I like looking at horses (and am avoiding grading papers/lesson planning):
Running at Turf Paradise in Phoenix tomorrow:
http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=8563238®istry=T&rbt=TB
A 7 year old who has won $126K in 65 starts. I pulled her up on PQ and she has a pic (looks not bad considering the lousy angle) and a comment that she was available for sale last year for $750.
http://www.pedigreequery.com/cantaffordanother
Probably not the bloodlines you are seeking, but horses like these I’d be adding to my Virtual Stable so I receive notifications on them, maybe check them out in person in the paddock or on TV via simulcasting (they usually show a good bit in the paddock simulcasting), then maybe try to make contact if you decide you are interested. She’s making money, but who knows for how long, as she’s pretty much running at the very bottom of the sport. Not very many places she can drop below the level she is currently at.
Another mare also running at Turf Paradise tomorrow for a $3,000 claiming price:
http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=8343806®istry=T&rbt=TB
http://www.pedigreequery.com/ten+purses
Not quite as much of a “war horse” with “only” 46 starts, but that is my kind of pedigree! I would really, really like to lay eyes on that mare and see if she looks as nice as some of the names behind her. You can sometimes get a good view of them in the video replays, either paid or through free sites, but it’s really best to catch them in the paddock where you can see their walk.[/QUOTE]
LOVE the Ten Purses pedigree! Smart Strike has MANY dressage type movers. Private Account bottom… love it. Seeing the multiples of Nodouble, even better.
Oh, the Rushtons have Ten Purses. Lemme know if you’d like a contact. I know those guys 
Look at the cheaper/lower class, race tracks. The War Horses tend to drop down the claiming ranks as long as they are bringing home checks!! Maybe not fancy enough pedigrees to go to the breeding shed, but still paying their way!! Those are the good, hard knocking mares!
I just listed one in California
[QUOTE=Sporthorse Shop;8904037]
Thanks for all the replies. To answer some questions, I am in AZ. If I strike out in this quarter of the US (mid texas to mid california up to nevada, colorado) I will expand my search to the entire US and Canada. I appreciate the advice regarding keeping an eye on the claiming races, I would not have thought of that. Are there tracks in this region, I am thinking southern California most likely that tend to have these types of mares and races? What are some TB sales that would be considered mid range?
Age range would be up to 14. I would look at a mare that was a dud in producing race babies as long as she is breeding sound and meets my sporthorse ideals. An unproven breeding mare would need to be under 10 so if she has reproductive issues I can at least retrain her for riding and have her still young enough for resale.
Regarding bloodlines, I am still learning what a good sporthorse line is and the nuances between them. My approach is when I find a mare I like I start researching her lines on COTH or other places and then decide whether the general consensus is the lines are desirable. Also, I have Epic Win and Reputed Testamony, Loyal Pal and Forfeit frozen stored and want to find a good match for those.
The main rehoming site I had been looking at was Canter and I am unsure if they are sold with no breeding contracts. The FAQs did not specify.[/QUOTE]
I just listed one - not a warhorse but winning breeding. Uterine siblings won world wide. https://www.starquine.com/category/196/Broodmares-Prospects/listings/5225/Winning-Siphon-daughter-from-winning-Forty-niner-dam.html
On Facebook Stacey Anne (Cleveland OH) just listed 2 warhorse mares in “thoroughbred mares for breeding purposes” facebook group.
Katie Peery in Portland OR/Vancouver Washington posts a lot of OTTBs on Facebook - usually younger with fewer races but shipping from Portland Meadows to Golden Gate Fields is only $480 or so on BobHubbard’s.
If I see any others on FB, I will list here
Anne Lynn Paulus, Florence KY, just posted Linda’s Moonshine (47 starts) on facebook group “OTTB BUY/SELL and Rescue”
