Now this is the kind of reality TV that I can get behind. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is running a third season of Foal Patrol, an interactive web project.
Foal Patrol allows viewers to get an “up close and personal” look at some of the mares and foals at major breeding barns. You get to follow along with the foaling and also watching the foals as they start exploring their environment on some of the most beautiful farms in the US.
Foal Patrol is the brainchild of the Museum president, John Hendrickson, and his late wife, the renowned philanthropist and thoroughbred owner Marylou Whitney. The first two years were a big success with than three million views from December 2017 through September 2019.
Gun Runner
This year’s featured stallion, Gun Runner, was the 2017 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male. He is owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Three Chimneys Farm. Gun Runner raced from 2015-2018, won 12 of 19 starts and earned $15,998,500, the second-highest total in history for a North American-based horse.
Gun Runner covered 171 mares in his first book in 2018 and 166 in his second book in 2019 at Three Chimneys Farm, located near Midway, KY. One of his first-crop weanlings sold for $750,000. Gun Runner stands for a fee of $70,000.
Magical World
Magical World is a 9-year-old bay daughter of Distorted Humor, out of the Seeking the Gold mare Pleasant Home, owned by Three Chimneys Farm. She made seven starts in her career with one win. Two of her first three foals, Guarana [G1] and Magic Dance [Listed] have become Stakes Winners. Magical World gave birth to a colt by Gun Runner on February 20th at 2:20 a.m.
New Money Honey
New Money Honey is a 5-year-old bay daughter of Medaglia d’Oro owned by e5 Racing, out of the Distorted Humor mare Weekend Whim. Racing from 2016 through 2018, New Money Honey won five of her 13 career starts with earnings of $1,516,857. New Money Honey was bred to War Front and gave birth to a colt on March 10.
Ashado
Ashado, Hall of Fame member and a two-time Eclipse Award winner, was bred in Kentucky by Aaron and Marie Jones and trained by Todd Pletcher. Campaigned by Starlight Racing in partnership with Johns Martin and Paul Saylor, Ashado raced from 2003 through 2005, when she won 12 of 21 starts and earned more than $3.9 million.
Ashado was bred to Frosted and gave birth to a filly on March 6th.
Vaulcluse
Vaulcluse is a 14-year-old dark bay daughter of Hall of Famer A.P. Indy owned by Gainesway Farm, out of the Dehere mare Betty’s Pet. Vaulcluse made three starts in her short career and won them all. She broke her maiden at Belmont Park in October 2007 and won an allowance optional claimer two months later at Aqueduct. In her lone start as a 3-year-old, Vaulcluse won the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in February 2008. Vaulcluse gave birth to a War Front filly on March 24th.
Alpine Sky
Alpine Sky is a 7-year-old dark bay daughter of Indian Charlie, out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Alpine Garden. Consigned by Gainesway, Alpine Sky was purchased for $600,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Racing from 2015 through 2018, Alpine Sky won or placed in 10 of her 22 career starts with earnings of $179,472. She broke her maiden on Oct. 1, 2016 at Laurel Park and also won at Delaware, Gulfstream, and Aqueduct. Alpine Sky is in foal to More Than Ready.
Emotional Kitten
Emotional Kitten is a 9-year-old chestnut daughter of Kitten’s Joy owned by Gretchen and Roy Jackson’s Lael Stables. Emotional Kitten was bred in Pennsylvania by Ken and Sarah Ramsey and was campaigned by the Ramseys from 2012 through 2016. Out of the Ghazi mare Silent Emotion, she won or placed in 16 of 29 career starts, including victories in the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs and the Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico. Emotional Kitten is in foal to Dialed In, with an estimated foaling date of April 25, 2020.
Check the live webcams and the blog for more information on these mares and foals.
I was on foal watch several times as a horse crazy teen, living next door to a QH breeding and show barn. Without fail…without FAIL…the mare would wait until oh dark thirty, when I was half asleep but had to go pee. She’d drop her foal in the few minutes I was gone. Then she’d look at me with a smirk as if to say, ‘fooled ya…”
Yes, I’ve watched a couple of these foaling live cams and never seen one born But the foals are so cute. We need more cuteness in our lives right now.
It’s …it’s a lovely experience, Liz. And sometimes you see things that you would never have expected. The above mentioned farm had an Appendix QH mare named Charmed Wind. She’d raced twice…wellllllll, let’s just say it was found early on that she just didn’t have the motivation to race. she liked to watch……
But she was so sweet, she became mine, not by sale, but by love. I loved that horse….anyway, she’d been bred to their QH stallion, The Redeemer. Charm had been bred twice before and both times the foal was born dead. So this time, I got to the barn just in time to see her foal born. She stood up after the birth and just stood there with a look of dejected resignation, probably wondering what this was all about.Then the colt shook his head to get his ears to stand up and made some sort of noise…can’t remember what, and Charm whirled around with a look of astonishment and said OH!!!!!!!!!!! as clearly as you could ever imagine a horse could say. Then her face turned to joy……..she was the best mother, oh my gosh.
I’d love to see that! I’ve really enjoyed watching the foals. They have no idea what pandemonium the rest of the world is in.