Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 17, 1993 TAG: 9305170067
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The 16-year-old mare, who made racing history in 1980 when she won the Kentucky Derby, ended 13 years of misfortunes and miscarriages and weeks of suspense when she delivered a healthy chestnut colt Saturday evening at an equine hospital in Kentucky.
The yet-unnamed colt arrived on the 360th day of Genuine Risk's pregnancy, 25 days later than expected, with the help of four veterinarians and a crew of foaling specialists.
They were marshaled because ultrasound monitors disclosed that the foal had developed a slow and irregular heartbeat that afternoon.
Labor was induced, and a happy ending was finally assured for the story of the grand old mare known as Jenny, whose pregnancy prompted hundreds of telephone calls and letters from around the world during the past few weeks.
Diana and Bertram R. Firestone, who have owned Genuine Risk throughout her career, gave a brief and joyful reaction from their farm in Loudoun County, Va.: "We are thrilled."
During the months of waiting, Diana Firestone sometimes would fly to Kentucky and keep a vigil, sitting on a chair in the barn alongside her famous old mare.
Dan Rosenberg, manager of the Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky., reported the arrival by telephone Sunday with relief and joy, saying: "He's a big, strong, beautiful chestnut colt with a star, a stripe and three `stockings.' She's showing great maternal instincts, nuzzling the foal and being very attentive."
Asked if Genuine Risk showed any signs of trauma because of her 13 years of trials, Rosenberg replied: "I don't think she has any thoughts of the last 13 years. But she knows that she had a baby. And she loves him."
Jenny and her colt were back at Three Chimneys on Sunday, resting for their first walk in their private pasture on the 1,100-acre farm where renowned stallions like Seattle Slew, Capote and Slew O'Gold reign in private pastures, too. Mother and son were both reported in excellent health.
It wasn't only Jenny's age that elicited such an emotional response from the public. In human terms, she is going through upper-middle age. Many mares have foals then, and some give birth even past the age of 20. But the drama grew because of the star quality of the horse involved.
Genuine Risk was first bred to the illustrious Secretariat, and it was acclaimed as a mating of superstars: He won the Kentucky Derby in 1973 and swept the Triple Crown; seven years later, she became only the second filly to win the Derby, and she went on to run second in both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.
When she retired in 1981 after winning 10 of her 15 races, she ran in the money all 15 times.
But she delivered a stillborn colt from her first mating, and a sad story began to unfold for the great racing filly.
She was bred again to Secretariat, but proved barren that time, as she did the next two years when mated to The Minstrel and Cure the Blues. Then she was bred to Dixieland Band two years in a row, but had miscarriages both times. She was bred in 1988 to Cure the Blues, but the fetus died after 40 days. In 1989, a fetus aborted after eight and a half months.
For the past two years, for a stallion fee of $15,000, she was mated to Rahy, a miler of some success in Europe and this country, whose main distinction was his purchase price: The Maktoum brothers of Dubai paid $2 million for him as a yearling.
But this time, as the months went by, Genuine Risk seemed more serene and secure. When she went past her due date of April 20, the 335th day of her pregnancy, the staff at Three Chimneys began to believe. The normal term for mares is between 320 and 360 days.
Keywords:
HORSE RACING
by CNB