Aloha West and Kentucky Horse Farms During Foal Season

It is so very interesting, and you never know, working with nature. This is my thought as we anticipate going to see for the first time, a foal by our stallion ALOHA WEST. Our hope is high for ALOHA WEST was an exceptional racehorse, reaching the pinnacle of success in winning the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. 

And as an individual, as an athlete, ALOHA WEST, who stands stud at our Kentucky horse farm, Mill Ridge, is strong, not overly big with a strong hip, good balance, and a very good expression in his eye and his head. He is what you believe a sprinter should look like, but it is part of the puzzle because, in his pedigree, his family tree, his sire or father (HARD SPUN) is a large horse that could race a distance rather than more of a sprinter. But his mother, the dam side, is by a sire that was a sprinter (SPEIGHTSTOWN) and has a further blend with his family that suggests talent and richness of pedigree, family. Thus, when I look at ALOHA WEST and consider him as a stallion for future matings with our mares, I reflect more on his mother’s side and the contributions this will offer in this creation of a future athlete.  

ALOHA WEST and BASHFUL’s Foal

So, imagine the anticipation when you see the first foal of ALOHA WEST. In this case, it is not only the first foal, but it is with a breeder who is very accomplished with their own gifts of breeding and raising racehorses to compete at the highest level, Carrie and Craig Brogden and their Kentucky horse farm, Machmer Hall Farm. You know they too are very thoughtful and experienced with mating their mares and in this case the mother named BASHFUL is a young mare, born in 2015 or nine years old. She was a useful racehorse, making three starts winning two of those and earning $65k. That goes into the thought process on the mating as well as that she is an attractive individual since she sold as a yearling for $330k and that too goes into the process, this mating process. Her mother comes from a good line of successful runners and successful producers so my expectations as my associate, Daniella, and I drove to Paris, Kentucky where Machmer Hall Farm is located were taking all of this into consideration. 

BASHFUL and her foal by ALOHA WEST

Matings on Kentucky Horse Farms

A reminder, we in this Thoroughbred business are at the mercy of nature, daily. And while we might have the best of intentions with trying to breed, raise, and race these thoroughbred athletes, we know there is only so much we can do in this process. Mating your mare is the first step, and in the case of this ALOHA WEST foal that we are getting ready to inspect, we are hopeful with the breeders in the Brogdens for they have a history of breeding and raising very successful horses and are very professional in everything they do. Yet, we are also realistic because of nature and because this is the very first foal born to ALOHA WEST and there is that unknown of what his offspring might look like. 

I often say with a prospective mating, if you put enough quality ingredients in the formula, such as we have with this mating; sire-ALOHA WEST, mare-BASHFUL and her talent and family and farm- BROGDENS/MACHMER HALL you position yourself to get lucky. And that is just what we find when we walk out to the paddock to see BASHFUL and her 4-day-old colt by ALOHA WEST. He is a good-sized colt, with good bones, tall, and with a strong hip. He is very alert and has a very nice head with lots of expression. And you can see the love and devotion of mom, BASHFUL as she nurtures and dotes on her new baby. 

Yes, nature has been kind to us in this first foal and allows us to dream for the future of ALOHA WEST and his shareholders (part owners) and the breeders who supported ALOHA WEST in his first year at stud. Yes, this foal allows us to dream of the future with ALOHA WEST and to share with breeders the quality of this foal. 

Yes, it has been a very good day, indeed!  

Headley and Price

ALOHA WEST