Whoa: 2-yr old filly gives birth at track

[Glimmerglass]

This is crazy stuff - I feel so bad for the poor gal. Luckily she is heathy.

Although without proven evidence of whosyourdaddy being a TB the off-spring sadly cannot be raced. The only exception I’ve ever seen for “sire unknown” was Amazing Philly who did race but cannot have JC-registered offspring.

BloodHorse 8-22-08 “2YO Filly Gives Birth at Louisiana Downs”

Owners are seldom at a loss for words but when Marvin and Joel Cunningham were informed that their 2-year-old homebred filly Tiger Eyed had given birth they were speechless.

The bizarre incident happened Aug. 20 on the backstretch at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs racetrack near Bossier City, La. At 5 a.m., trainer Patrick Mouton pulled up to Barn 33-C in his truck and was concerned at the large crowd assembled.

“I parked my truck and saw there was a lot of people down at the end of the shed row,” Mouton said. “In this business, when you see something like that it usually means somebody got hurt.”

What looked like by-standers around a car wreck was actually an assembly of astonished grooms, trainers, exercise riders and jockeys that had come to witness the wild story that was circulating. Tiger Eyed (a 2-year-old Louisiana-bred filly by Ide—Loveswept Cat, by Tactical Cat, that had just worked three furlongs in 36 2/5 earlier in the week) had a foal by her side.

“She was just in the early stages of beginning training and starting to breeze,” Mouton explained. “I was completely flabbergasted.”

It is a story that definitely has more questions than answers. Mouton went on to describe the surprise and displeasure of the owners.

“Do the math,” the veteran trainer said. “This had to happen in some pasture when she was only seven to eight months old. There must have been a colt in the mix somewhere or somebody jumped the fence.”

Tiger Eyed and her foal have been shipped to a local farm near Benton where a surrogate nurse mare will provide nourishment for the newborn.

“Obviously the track is not a good environment plus the mother is still a baby herself,” Mouton said of the decision.

According to Mouton, plans for Tiger Eyed are to resume training at the racetrack in early September.

[Sing_Mia_Song]

Wow. I remember when Speak Compelling foaled, but I think she was a late 3YO. :eek:

[minnie]

And how does one take care of a horse every day and NOT notice she’s pregnant - at least 2 weeks before delivery anyhow???

[clint]

@minnie;3465792

And how does one take care of a horse every day and NOT notice she’s pregnant - at least 2 weeks before delivery anyhow???

I had a Hanoverian maiden mare who I knew was in foal. Up until the time she delivered, she never looked pregnant, nor did she have a large milk bag. And I was looking. I’ll bet that if you didn’t know a maiden was in foal, and she was fit, that she could keep a foal tucked up so it wouldn’t be especially obvious. It has happened before.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=minnie;3465792]
And how does one take care of a horse every day and NOT notice she’s pregnant - at least 2 weeks before delivery anyhow?[/QUOTE]

Actually if you look at the photo of her - a day or so after delivery - she looks even smaller then my 12-yr old mare. I wouldn’t think she was pregnant …

[dressagetraks]

Wow. Poor filly, just a baby herself. Hope she isn’t stunted from this and the foal does okay.

[JoJo2006]

WOW, Unbelieveable!! I ran her pedigree to get her exact age. She was born May 18th 2006. Running the numbers it suggests that she was impregnated in Sept 2007 (approx)…when she was just 16 MONTHS old. She must be one tough girl!!! Someone, somewhere messed up BIG TIME!!!
Hard to believe her pregnancy went completely unnoticed.

[Acertainsmile]

Nice 3/8ths work for a “mare” that pregnant!

[Evalee_Hunter]

Already a thread:

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=163743

[QHJockee]

My husband actually walked through Pat’s barn this morning and no one said a word about it. I figured word would have spread like wildfire…like all the other news on the backside does.

[Lady_Beast]

hmm, i wonder if the baby will grow up to be normal…
thats quite an early morning suprize

[jennywho]

Can you imagine being the first one there this morning. I’ve had several WTF moments related to horses, but this one would take the cake. I can just imagine looking in the stall and then looking again and then looking again.

[DeeThbd]

I know of the same thing happening on two different occasion (though with mature mares). The first instance was similar - trainer arrives to discover a foal - I think he had claimed that mare.
Second - trainer had purchased a mare, and she just seemed fat and had a case of the slows. Took her to the farm thinking she needed some time off…and, a foal. Trainer contacted previous owner who (she later found out) would let the racehorses into one large field. Although he knew which possible sire (TB) the foal might have, he refused to allow DNA testing to confirm to make the foal eligible for racing. Trainer ended up with a nice saddle horse.
Then on the flip side of the coin…owner sends mare for breeding, vet check insists mare did not catch. Owner sells mare…who is indeed in foal. New buyer refuses to negotiate anything and walks away with a nicely bred youngster.
Sigh.
Dee

[foxhavenfarm]

Well thank god they’re both healthy and the filly foaled without complications!

[rcloisonne]

Hope I’m wrong but I’ll bet that poor foal is toast. The owner is gonna spend thousands renting a nurse mare for a “whoops” foal? I’d LOL if it weren’t so sad.

Then they claim the filly’s “just a baby” and too young to raise the foal herself but they have no problem subjecting this “baby” to the rigors of track life and race training? Seriously, are they for real? :rolleyes:

[On_the_Farm]

[QUOTE=rcloisonne;3466714]
Hope I’m wrong but I’ll bet that poor foal is toast. The owner is gonna spend thousands renting a nurse mare for a “whoops” foal? I’d LOL if it weren’t so sad.

Then they claim the filly’s “just a baby” and too young to raise the foal herself but they have no problem subjecting this “baby” to the rigors of track life and race training? Seriously, are they for real? :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

First, how much milk do you think the filly may have? And for the idiotic comment about how the foal is “toast” why would they have bothered to rent a nursemare in the first place?

Looks to me like they’re doing what’s best both animals and its a helluva lot more ethical than doing embryo transfers out of a competing show horse.

[regret]

That must be a once is a life time surprise for that Trainer.

[grayarabpony]

Beautiful mare – hopefully the foal will grow up to be a good sporthorse for someone –

[kcmel]

@On the Farm;3467029

Looks to me like they’re doing what’s best both animals and its a helluva lot more ethical than doing embryo transfers out of a competing show horse.

Yes, I’m especially impressed that they are giving the mom 2 weeks off before she resumes training .

[danceronice]

Probably best to separate them–not only is the amount of milk an issue, she’s a two-year-old baby brain herself!

But he is kinda a little cutie. Should make someone a nice riding horse project when he’s old enough to sell.