Brilliant mare Zarkava in foal to Sea The Stars

[Gorgeous George]

by Frank Keogh bbc

Perhaps the greatest mating in horse racing history has taken place.
Unbeaten mare Zarkava is in foal to record-breaking champion racehorse Sea The Stars, the BBC can reveal.

They have been described as the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie of the equine world.

If the pregnancy progresses without complications, the new arrival can be expected in the early weeks of 2011.

Zarkava was scanned in foal at 15 days on Sunday. The mare gave birth to her first foal, a filly by multiple Group One winner Dalakhani, on 6 February.

Sea The Stars, who signed off his racing career with victory in the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, is set to generate annual fees of £10m from his breeding career at the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in County Kildare.

And the Aga Khan, who owns 2008 Arc winner Zarkava, sent his unbeaten filly to the Derby-winning colt.

It is thought the long-awaited meeting was short-lived. Most stallions complete their duties within a matter of minutes.

A stud spokesman said: "We are pleased to say Zarkava has been tested in foal to Sea The Stars."

After the planned union was announced last year, the Aga Khan had told of his hopes.

"I believe the last two Arc winners were made for each other," he said.

He believes the pair are similar in ability, temperament and conformation.

"The best needs to be bred to the best," he added.

The match-up will send vibrations around the global bloodstock community, with high expectations for the pair's blueblood offspring.

Sea The Stars is rated only a 4-1 chance by bookmakers Ladbrokes to sire a UK Classic winner in the year 2014, when the first of his progeny will be eligible for races such as the Derby at Epsom.

It was a 100-1 chance that he and Zarkava produce a horse to win the Arc in that year, but those odds were halved after news of the successful mating emerged.

Sea The Stars, a son of Cape Cross, is standing at stud for a fee of 85,000 euros (about £76,000).

This is the charge that is paid every time an owner sends a mare to be covered by him.

With a book of 120 mares in his first year, the horse is expected to bring in about £10m in stud fees annually.

And he has made an impressive start with Group One race winners Lush Lashes and Alpine Rose also being tested as in foal over the last few weeks.

Racehorse breeding is a risky business and there is an incubation of about 10-11 months before a foal is born.

As all racehorses age by one year on 1 January, regardless of their actual birth date, the period from February to May is particularly popular for conception to produce thorughbreds at the optimum time.

Owners the Tsui family had been considering various options for Sea The Stars after he was officially retired in late 2009.

Sea The Stars was hailed an all-time great after six Group One wins including a unique treble of the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Gilltown is close to the Curragh base of the colt's Irish trainer John Oxx.

The Aga Khan said the decision to use his stud brought him "the greatest happiness".

He stated: "We are all proud to have such a remarkable athlete."

Although the bloodlines are impeccable, nothing in racing is guaranteed and the arrival - and subsequent performance - of the foal will be keenly awaited.

[nijinski]

Zarkava hasn't had much of a break , she had her first foal in February.
Those were my first thoughts .
But , that said this a mating that so many wanted to happen ,very exciting ,and I hope all goes well.
.

[TJDave]

Originally Posted by Gorgeous George

They have been described as the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie of the equine world.

I wonder if the foal will be born with tattoos?

If it's a girl, an a$$ hat would be nice.

[Kimsus]

Alot of pressure on this horse, sort of like having Nelson Mandella and Mother Theresa as parents...

[PhantomOnTour]

Zarkava had a baby in February and is already in foal by March. Wow, I didn't know they would be ready to breed again so soon after giving birth.
Are all mares like this? I haven't a clue...

[joanied]

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

Zarkava had a baby in February and is already in foal by March. Wow, I didn't know they would be ready to breed again so soon after giving birth.
Are all mares like this? I haven't a clue...

Also for nijinski...

usually you wait until the mare's second heat after foaling...about 21 days later...that is the optimal time to re breed...but, some will get bred on their foal heat, which occurs about 10 days after foaling...give or take a few days...and then some will wait until 2 weeks or so after foaling, give the mare a shot that brings her into heat.
All depends on the time she gives birth...if it's getting late in the season, then the foal heat is used (some don't settle off a foal heat cover)..best scenario is wait until their regular heat cycle after foaling.

Hope this helps.

[nijinski]

Originally Posted by joanied

Also for nijinski...

usually you wait until the mare's second heat after foaling...about 21 days later...that is the optimal time to re breed...but, some will get bred on their foal heat, which occurs about 10 days after foaling...give or take a few days...and then some will wait until 2 weeks or so after foaling, give the mare a shot that brings her into heat.
All depends on the time she gives birth...if it's getting late in the season, then the foal heat is used (some don't settle off a foal heat cover)..best scenario is wait until their regular heat cycle after foaling.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Joanied . I guess you can say she will be kept "Barefoot and Pregnant", but that's her job now .
Though I'm sure the Aga Khan makes sure she is kept happy and healthy.

[classhandicapper]

Wow, pretty cool.

[joanied]

Originally Posted by nijinski

Thanks Joanied . I guess you can say she will be kept "Barefoot and Pregnant", but that's her job now .
Though I'm sure the Aga Khan makes sure she is kept happy and healthy.

You're welcome ...and yep, she will be...and no doubt she will live in luxury for the rest of her life....as it should be

[CincyHorseplayer]

Allright

Can't wait to see some pics of this sucker!

Oh and BTW with some of the comments on this thread can anybody besides me visualize a cartoon parody set in a trailer park with Zarkava smoking a Marlboro with curlers in her hair,in a pair a flip-flops and STS drinking a 40 oz watching "All In The Family",beer gut in tow?!!!

[Gorgeous George]

The only offspring from the George Washington/Flawlessly filly has been named – DATE WITH DESTINY.

According to the RP she has not done much work at the moment and none of the jockeys have sat on her. “She’s done enough to show she has an engine, how much of an engine we don’t know yet” said Richard Hannon Jr. He also said she is likely to be best suited by 6 or 7f.

Poor thing has a lot riding on her (literally and figuratively) and it is unlikely she will ever live up to the hype.

Fingers crossed for her and her connections though. She’ll be a great talking point for the coming seasons.

[joanied]

She has a good name...good horses almost always have good names.