Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Ask The Experts

Ask The Experts #23

12Z. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End
12Z. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End

Q:

I have a question about the colts. When is the decision typically made whether to geld or leave them intact, and what factors go into that decision?

Nancy Schaffer

Tucson, AZ

A:Typically we will never geld a colt before it leaves the farm, either for the sales or to be broken in, unless there is a medical issue involved. We often have a good idea that they may become geldings fairly soon into their training careers though! Some colts are definitely more “studdish” than others.

Buyers usually don’t want to purchase a yearling gelding, as this will often indicate they have a difficult temperament. On top of that, this is a dreamers game—when someone buys a colt they like to think they have a shot at owning a horse that will have a stellar racing career and go on to leave his legacy as a stud.

Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End
Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End
Some of the colts that are headstrong and studdish as yearlings improve once they are in training and they have a job to do. With the horses that don’t settle down, it becomes a question of whether you can get the horse to train and race to his full ability if his mind is not on the game and he’s fractious and difficult to handle. If the answer is no, then often he will be gelded at this point.

The other reason to geld a colt is if they are clearly not going to compete at the levels that would then lead to a career at stud. A gelding is usually easier to handle and deal with on a daily basis. I know a lot of people will say they have had difficult geldings or easy colts, and of course that can be the case but generally it’s easier to have a gelding in the shed row, especially when there are fillies in the barn.

Our Expert

Cooper Sawyer

Yearling Manager, Lane’s End

Cooper was born in Lexington, KY and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Agriculture. He started working with horses in 1997 in the training barn of Al Stall Jr. Before coming to Lane’s End as the Yearling Manager in 2010, he worked at Wimbledon and Mill Ridge Farm.

Reader Interactions

965 Comments

  2. / Reply

    dear max yes I saw kauto in his new dressage saddle and he travels in style as well denman is practicing his team chasing now the hunting season is over .it was a pity he couldn’t have walked in hand with his old friend at Cheltenham the 2 great rivals and neighbours but he’d misbehaved at newbury and nearly took off at sandown a couple of years ago no doubt he’d have tried to take part in the gold cup!! several severe weather warnings over here sooo cold brrr!! hugs sheena

    • / Reply

      Sheena. Sorry to hear about the cold. I saw a photo of the van for Kauto. He has it made on all fronts. Clive Smith is looking after him in royal style and visits him because he is closer now. Did you hear that Rayef will not be sold and will stay with Laura? Very happy to hear it because he is friends with Kauto. Another horse tweeted Kauto about going to Lambourn. What is that all about?

  3. / Reply

    Way to go, Black Caviar! She’s really something. Loved your poem, Trina. Too cute!
    Best of luck to Mr. Bossy Pants tomorrow.
    Welcome back, Ann Maree! So glad you’re doing better.
    Heidi, I’m so sorry about your aunt. Sending hugs and prayers your way..

  6. / Reply

    Have you seen the new video of 12Z in the video section. Check it out…he’s having some fun in his paddock!

    • / Reply

      Thank you Sue and Tony,

      I would have completely missed this great video if you didnt point it out. I cannot believe how big and powerful he is already, only a year old. Awesome, defininetly keeping my eye on him. He has a great future, not only because he is the first born of Zenyatta and son of Bernadini, but because he knows he is special.

    • / Reply

      Thank you Sue and Tony. I forget to check the video site and would have missed this amazing one. He is so big now, not our baby anymore. Looks like a horse not a foal.

  7. / Reply

    Just saw that my question was posted. Thank you Cooper for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us. Disposition seems to play a key role in this decision, so boys, you better behave!

    Waiting and waiting for news about Zenyatta. I’m hoping for a picture perfect grey colt.

    • / Reply

      Dear Trina,
      Thanks for the link to Jazz for Cows — loved it!
      Cows have lots of curiosity, and these seem to be fascinated with the music/musicians.
      Have a good weekend!
      Cheers

    • / Reply

      Trina,
      You are so very sweet to share this video and it is simply divine! Lucky cows and aren’t they gorgeous.
      If Moose and Goose get wind of this,well, the demands could go even higher.
      Thanks Trina! I will smile all day thinking about the beautiful bovines.

    • / Reply

      Hi Trina:
      I loved this video. Thanks for sharing. When I was in NZ I saw lots of cows. I even visited a dairy farm. I couldn’t get over how curious they were. They were all very alert as they watched me taking photos of them.

      Cows are smart too. They would make their way onto the platform and stand there until it was their turn to step into the stall on the conveyor belt to be milked.

      – Linda

    • / Reply

      What a hoot! Thanks for the smile Trina. The cows certainly were mesmerized. I wonder if the tuba sounded a bit like mooing? The band reminded me a lot of the Canadian Brass – one of my all-time most favorite groups!

  10. / Reply

    Dear Heidi,
    Thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Hope it helps to know that we are here at this site of love and support. Sincere condolences to all of you. Hugs

  11. / Reply

    Dearest Heide, Virtual hugs and all my thoughts with you, your mom, and your uncle. What a rotten few weeks you have had. We love you and are hoping for brighter days and just good memories for you soon.

    Love and Hugs, diastu in tempe

  13. / Reply

    Congratulations Black Caviar, way to go kid, very proud. Also so proud of the grey’s. they ran well.

    Ann Maree, so happy on the successful surgery, will continue to remain in prayers for your speedy recovery.

    Heidi, praying for God’s comforting hands to be with you and your family in this difficult time. It is well.

    Queen Z, how was the day?, hope you had fun with the rest of the girls. Your Prince is looking so dapper, you will be proud and he is carrying himself well, like the true blue blood he is.
    Good night to you and the rest of your rainbow crowd including Prince and little Princess.

    To all my Z nation family, a restful night to all and Gods peace always.

    • / Reply

      Thanks for sharing this w/ us, Kathy R.
      Wow, Nelly girl,you did it!
      Love the photos w/ the massive crowd and BC parading by. It just sends chill up and down my backbone. What a horse.

    • / Reply

      Hi Kathy R.
      Thanks for sharing. I wish I could have seen one of her races in person.

      Good luck Nelly with everything life brings your way!

      – Linda

  15. / Reply

    Dear Sheena: You may get your wish regarding a Nelly-Frankel date – the boys down here on Skysportsradio are picking up whispers that the connections are keen to return to Ascot and arrange a date between the two. One of the thoughts is they will race her over 1000m as a better option than the longer distance. We should hear more over the next week according to Peter Moody. Hugs, KathyR.

  18. / Reply

    Safe trip and God’s speed to Rosie and her Kittens at Turfway today.

    Here in Indy we are gearing up for a big snow storm. 8-10 inches Sunday into Monday. The weather maps are all showing just rain in Kentucky so our Zenny should be okay. Hoping for an Easter baby or 4/1. Isn’t 4/1 Zenyatta’s birthday? What fun, a little girl born on her mother’s birthday.

  20. / Reply

    dear max hardly any racing here today think keta posted that sprinter sacre might go to Aintree for the longer trip hope they look after him!it really was good news about laura and rayef think kauto was talking about good Friday’s open day at lambourn not sure if he is going am sure he will!!! hugs sheena

    • / Reply

      Sheena. Thanks. I had forgotten that Good Friday is nearly here. Kauto will probably be at Lambourn because that was his plan to go. He is a very busy horse.

  21. / Reply

    @Trina– I absolutely LOVE the Jazz for Cows video. How appropriate also for our Lady Bears, as the theme for the year has been “Nuttin’ but N’Awlins”. Sending it to my college roommate in south Georgia who lives on a cattle farm. Hugs.

    • / Reply

      Thank you for this link. I also like the name of his owner, No Guts No Glory Stable. Bullet Catcher certainly already showed that he has guts. Glad that he now has some glory too. Congrats BC.

  23. / Reply

    Mary Hoffman just posted this on FB’s Zenny’s Tribe. The rescue is called Pure Thoughts and these are the foals of nurse mares who would have otherwise been slaughtered. You can make a donation, adopt a foal or just share this with all of your friends. Most of these babies are thoroughbreds. (NOTE: This is the uglier side of the nurse mare program but NOT the case with the foal of the nurse mare who is raising Rachel’s filly!)

    http://www.wpbf.com/8-foals-brought-to-Pure-Thoughts-Horse-Rescue-in-Loxahatchee/-/8789538/19366636/-/yb0c4p/-/index.html

  25. / Reply

    Moss horse Protocol, 3yo colt, John Shirreffs trained, running at 2:32 PDT at SA in race 5 with Victor Espinoza up. Go, Protocol! Safe trip to all.

      • / Reply

        Someone on the forum side just said Ann and Jerry Moss are not at this race and wondering if they might be with Zenyatta! Kind of exciting!! Seriously pacing!

  27. / Reply

    CROP REPORT WINS RUSHAWAY
    Mary Cage‏ tweet
    CROP REPORT goes wide, comes from far behind, & runs on the wrong lead but wins the Rushaway – sponsored by his owners, Team Valor – easily.
    Steve Haskin‏ tweet
    Was that Forego winning the Rushaway? — towering dark bay, humongous stride, circling field, wrong lead. Sure looked like him

    • / Reply

      OK – I actually watched this race, but my skills for noticing things amiss are still needing some development. What does it mean “on the wrong lead”?????

      • / Reply

        I am no expert, but when a horse canters or gallops, one foreleg reaches out further than the other. If the horse is turning to the left, as it will going around turns on U.S. courses (except for the right hand turn on the beginning part of Santa Anita’s downhill turf course), it should be reaching out further with the left leg (the inside leg) and will be said to be on the left lead. Being on the wrong lead around a turn puts a horse at a disadvantage. That said, I believe a horse coming down the straight home stretch may switch leads to the right leg because that leg is less tired and the horse may gain something from that. Perhaps someone with more knowledge will correct me.

        • I see where it says about Paynter below “Paynter swapped over to his right lead at the eighth pole like clockwork”–that’s the switching leads I was referring to for coming down the straight home stretch.

        • Trina,
          Thanks for the lead change explanation. You said it in layman’s terms that all of us could understand.

        • OH my!! And here I thought they just . . . well . . . you know . . . ran! I have enough trouble managing two legs – never thought about the mechanics involved in running around turns on four legs! Thanks Trina! :-)

  28. / Reply

    LAST GUNFIGHTER WINS EXCELSIOR
    Jerry Bossert‏ NY Daily News tweet
    Make it five in a row for Last Gunfighter who rallied up the rail under @RajivMaragh to take the $150,000 Excelsior Stakes
    Mary Cage‏ tweet Last Gunfighter shoots up the rail to take the Excelsior Stakes (GIII) for his first graded stakes victory and fifth straight win

    Darley Stallions tweet MedagliadOro’s Crop Report pulls away in Turfway’s Rushaway Stakes for first career Stakes win.

  30. / Reply

    PAYNTER UPDATE SAT. MARCH 23 2013 Zayat Stables‏ tweet
    Paynter worked a strong 49.40 over the Santa Anita Park dirt course today
    with jockey Martin Garcia aboard

    Here is the article with great photos.

    Paynter back to weekend breeze schedule
    Posted to: Paynter Saturday, March 23, 2013
    Zayat Stables’ G1 winner Paynter took another step in his comeback by recording his fourth official breeze since returning from his well-documented battle with colitis and laminitis. Getting back to a weekend breeze schedule, Paynter worked half a mile in 49.40 seconds at Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert. Jockey Martin Garcia was aboard for the work, but it was clear he was merely asked to be a passenger Saturday morning.

    Paynter and Garcia broke off at the half-mile pole while traveling well off the rail. The
    4-year-old colt by Awesome Again got into a good rhythm into the far turn and remained well off the fence coming into the stretch. Paynter swapped over to his right lead at the eighth pole like clockwork, and finished up in good rhythm to the wire while never being asked at any point by Garcia to do anything. He willingly galloped out well around the turn before pulling up on the backstretch in what could be classified as an easy half-mile breeze
    http://www.zayatstables.com/articles/paynter-back-to-weekend-breeze-schedule.html

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