Baby bubbles is gonna have a sibling

Baby Bubbles is going to have a brother or sister! This is Diablo's baby girl, Bubbles, who finally got a name. We had such a good experience breeding to Buffalo Ranch's stallions last year that I wanted to do it again this year. I stepped it up a notch and chose Laredo Blue.

If you are paying attention this year-- and I am not even sure I am, so I can hardly blame you for losing track of all this--you know things did not go as easily as they should have in the breeding shed for us. Diablo foaled in May, and we passed her foal heat but she had an excellent breeding while we were in Bonaire. All systems were operating beautifully--but it was a big ol bust. No pregnancy. Then she struggled getting herself another follicle, and it took enough time to get her ready to roll that I was sure she was not going to get the job done before breeding season ended. Luckly she got it together at the tail end of June, and we bred her again.

We were a little delayed preg-checking her, but on July 17, she checked 22 days in foal with a perfect little wiggle, heart beating away already. That puts her due at the very tail end or first couple days of June. Then we will give her a year off to back up her potential foaling dates.
I absolutely love this horse. I loved him before I really knew who he was, he just looks like a man to me. When I first saw his breeding, I laughed--because it just goes to show how predictable I am. I cannot say he will bring a lot of diversity to the program here--Haidas Little Pep and Doc Wilson are already pretty well represented in our herd. I do not care, I think he is gorgeous.
His record is not too shabby either. He won over $300K, and damn near won the Non-Pro Triple Crown, but took reserve in the Derby instead of winning it.
His first foals show this fall, and God willing, they will turn out to be as good as I think they will be. We will have a hot commodity on our hands then--so cross your fingers that all goes well, and she has a healthy athletic baby.
It is going to be a long foaling season next year, with the babies fewer and further between. We are expecting only four, starting in early April and running through June. That will be a different experience. We have two re-breeds to use nexy year--one to Peppy Plays for Cash and one to Snorty Lena, so that leaves us a lot of decisions to make.

For the time being though, I am going to enjoy the anticipation of what wonderful foals will be showing up in 2010.