BREEDING FORUM

Posted: **Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:14 pm**

I am going to revisit a recent post on inbreeding, but with a caveat. I am using my definition of the coefficient of inbreeding, nothing else. I am going to get very grumpy if this starts to turn in to a string about any other sort of inbreeding meter.
A nice filly, Ruby Nell, by Bolt D’oro ex Rich Love won a decent turf G2 race at Santa Anita recently. Her dam is pretty closely inbred by any definition, although its quite a thoughtful pedigree.
She is By Not for Love who was out of Dance Number by Northern Dancer out of Numbered Account.
Rich Love’s dam Richetta is by Polish Numbers who was by Danzig out of Numbered Account. Her (Rich Love)’s Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI) was 5.18, she won a non - stakes race and about 28K US$ so I guess she was fairly moderate. Her final record was 1 win in 6 starts.
She has produced 6 named foals including Ruby Nell who has proven to be the best so far and is smart, she has won getting on for 400K US$. Her COI is 1.66.
The next best was Tilted Towers, a gelding by Atreides who won 6 from 25 and just under 300K US$ his COI was 2.0.
Loving Moment by Uncle Mo was the next best winning a couple of times and just under 130K US$ her COI was 1.76.
Blue Northern by Frosted, was a winner of a single non stakes and 28K US$ COI 2.44
Easy on The Sugar also by Frosted a filly also won a race and about 25K US$ COI 2.44
Sexarito another by Frosted was unraced winning Zero, COI 2.44.
Now it is patently obvious that the stallion Frosted was not the best stallion for this mare but I wouldn’t want that to distract from the bigger picture.
Here is a simple, factual, practical example of how LOW COI appears to represent greater success whereas a higher COI seems to suggest moderate running or no running at all.
What it also does, and perhaps this is the best news for anyone breeding, is confirm that whatever mare you have there may well be a way of producing a decent runner.
Having said that in this case there are other reasons to think that although Rich Love was a moderate performer on the track, she may well be a different proposition in the paddocks.
I am further convinced that you don’t need a top quality mare to get a good runner, it may well be a bit easier but it is not essential.
Incidentally Numbered Account has a COI 3.22 and was a champion. So it does not suggest that just because you have a horse with a high COI it will be useless. I suppose it’s a bit like Enable and inbreeding to Sadler’s Wells you can never say this will not happen just it is less likely to happen. Numbered Account had 10 named progeny Dance Number and Private Account were top class and Polish Numbers was smart but all her progeny had a COI between 0.88 and 1.56. That includes four that did not race.
I have never particularly looked at COI closely and it’s relationship to racing class, perhaps that is something for another day.