Incredible breeding statistics with Doctor Love

When Doctor Love won today at Cambridge, he created a 100% race win rate, for all harness racing colts ever registered and now three year or older, for five generations of his dam (Spirit of Eros) and that dam's daughter's (Spirit And Desire, Spirit of Art and Cathar), all the way back from these daughters to 1962 mare Double Tested, via NZ broodmare of excellence Tabella Beth.

 

The colts bred in this direct dam line, since Double Tested was born in 1962, and over some 50 years since Double Tested went to stud, have been foaled by about 17 different sires – yet every registered colt of three years or older has now won. 

 

This is extraordinary, given how many untried horses get injured or yearlings being broken in get injured, or racehorses get injured, or horses are not persevered with by owners, or the like. Then there is the big question – will a colt by this sire from this mare have ability to win on raceday? 

 

Despite all these uncertainties, for over 50+ years, this direct line covering five generations of mares from each of Spirit And Desire, Spirit of Art and Cathar (all daughters of Spirit of Eros, then back to Spirit of Bethlehem, then Tabella Beth, then back to and including 1962 mare Double Tested, has to date always produced male winners on race day – 100% winners to live registered colt foals of three years of age or older. And some classy 100k+ or Group winners

 

It is possible this could be a world record in standardbred breeding. Certainly it is a record maybe some dam line can equal; but one that no dam line extended over some 50 years and five generations, can at this stage beat. 

 

As well, different branches of the Tabella Beth line account for 2 of the 11 runners in the forthcoming 2019 Auckland Cup Group One, including fav Self Assured and Star Galleria. And of course Champ Lazarus ($4 mill+ won) is from another different line tracing to Tabella Beth. 

 

 

Two lots in coming 2020 National Standardbred Yearling Sales represent this 100% colt success line of the famed Tabella Beth family, being Lot 48 and Lot 59. And both are colts 

 

One reason this dam line doesn't sell so well at yearling age is this total dam line does not produce big or bulldog looking yearlings. Indeed most from this great dam line are average sized or less; nice looking, of great temperament, generally correct, but usually not standout types as yearlings. But they inherit speed. I only recall one yearling from this dam line ever exceeding $100k as a yearling – and it was not champ Lazarus. He sold well short of 100k.

 

NZ and Aust three year old of his year, Stars And Stripes, from another branch of  this same dam line tracing to Tabella Beth, was passed in at the yearling sale for being insignificant, and then sold for under 10k at the later mixed sale – only to soon become the champ of his young age.

 

People on yearling sale day seem to forget tiny horses, like Lordship, Courage Under Fire, Petite Evander, Caduceus, He's Watching etc…and perhaps could to do well to re-check the height of Bettors Delight!

 

And for the buyers; what chance both these yearling colts to be sold in February 2020, will go on to become race-winners – probably as close to a 99% chance as one could find in any yearling sale?