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-— — m, _ _________ BLOODLINES ByLeonRasmussen According to the only extensive research done on the subject, only 2.6" per cent of the thoroughbreds produced are inbred in the third generation. Thus, in the United States, where approximately 10,000 foals arrive each year, only 260 of these will be inbred in the third generation, i. e., will have the same ancestors name appear twice within the first three removes. Considering this, isnt it most remarkable that the past two Kentucky Derby winners, Tim Tarn and Tomy Lee are both inbred in the third generation, Tim Tarn to Bull Dog and Tomy Lee to Hyperion. Not only that, but Tomy Lee is inbred in the fourth generation to Swynford, as well. The subject of inbreeding is a touchy one, but I believe the practice is considerably more maligned than it should be. Whenever an inbred horse turns out to be "goofy" or unsound or undesirable in some other manner, the inbreeding is promptly blamed. When an outbred horse is just as zany, or as unsouncTor what-have-you, no mention is made of his breeding, pattern. , The screwball inbred horse is like a juicy divorce casfc involving two prominent personalities — hev makes the headlines. Reviewing the history of the breed, both in competition and in production, one discovers one case after another of inbred horses showing exceptional talent on the race track and then exerting a tremendous influence upon retiring to stud. Their achievements, both in racing and breeding, would appear to far outstrip their opportunities. Intelligent inbreeding must be worthwhile, for while it probably involves more risk than outcrossing, its rewards, in many instances, far outstrip the hazards — and, truth to tell, there is no extensive, honest evidence to prove that inbred horses are greater problem horses than outbred horses. Two of the best mannered colts ever to step on a race track are Tim Tam and Tomy Lee. Both are extremely intelligent, both are of exceptional ability and both possess an inspired brand of courage. If one or the other or both were "daffy," the inbreeding would be offered as the cause, but in citing their brilliance and ideal temperaments, the possibility that the inbreeding might be in some measure responsible "is rarely, if ever, mentioned. Since nature does tend to the average, it follows that this trend must Last Two Derby Winners Examples of Inbreeding Tim Tam and Tomy Lee Both Well Mannered Practice Is Maligned More Than It Should Be be fought by inbreeding to individuals of superior influence, free of inheritable unsoundness and "hot," irascible dispositions. The incidence, and coincidence of Tim Tam and Tomy Lee, the most closely inbred horses in their respective Derbys, winning that classic, and a. perusal of the spring issue of "The British Race-horse," combine to offer more telling evidence on behalf oj[ intelligent inbreeding. In this issue of the worlds-finest bloodstock magazine, the pedigrees of 30 of Great Britains better horses of 1958, including two-year-olds, three-year-olds and older horses, are given. Of these 30, fourteen, or nearly 47 per cent, are inbred in the fourth generation or closer. Horses with the same ancestor beyond the fourth generation are not considered~inbred. Inasmuch as a cross-section of 1,000 pedigrees taken at random by Sir Charles Leicester shows that about 43 per cent of the horses produced are inbred in the fourth generation or closer, the 14 horses among the 30 better ones in Great Britain in 1958, representing 47 per cent, again shows the inbred horse exceeding his opportunity. In the United States, where less inbreeding is practiced, inbred horses would probably show to even better advantage, although this is purely an opinion and is not backed up by facts. Among the two-year-olds in England in 1958, the first three on the Free Handicap, Tudor Melody, Ma-sham and Carnoustie, are all inbred in the fourth generation. Tudor Melody is inbred to Gainsborough in that remove and also to Pharos. Masham, second this year in the classic Two Thousand Guineas, is inbred to the famous matron, Lady Juror, in the fourth generation, and Carnoustie, winner of the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot and the important Rouse Memorial Stakes at Goodwood, has Phalaris twice in his fourth remove. Rosalba, the highest ranked filly on the Handicap along with Lindsay, and co-topweight with Tudor Melody when invoking her five-pound sex allowance, is inbred to Gainsborough. Incidentally, Silver Spoon is also inbred to Gains borough in the fourth generation. Lindsay, winner of the Cheveley Park Stakes, is inbred to Phalaris. Billum, winner of the Dewhurst Stakes, is the most closely inbred colt among the leading two-year-olds, the son of Arctic Prince being inbred to the celebrated Nearco in the third generation and thus, considering the proximity of his nearest duplicated ancestor, bred on the pattern of Tim Tam and Tomy Lee. The most closely inbred filly among the leaders is Fortunes Darling, a double stakes winner who is inbred to the influential matron Lady Juror in the second and fourth generation. Ink Spot, another high ranked juvenile, in inbred in the fourth generation to Bland-ford. Among the three-year-olds, Alcide, topweight among the colts on the Free Handicap and rated five pounds superior to the Epsom Derby winner, Hard Ridden, is inbred in the third and fourth removes to the noted matron, Malva. Thereby, Alcide, winner of the St. Leger, has the half brothers King Salmon and Blenheim H. in his second and third generations. The colt Pall Mall, successful in the Two Thousand Guineas and Queen Elizabeths first homebred classic winner, is inbred to The Tetrarch in the fourth generation and there is another cross of the gray "spotted wonder" in Pall Malls fifth remove. Another of the sophomore leaders, Miners Lamp, winner of the blue riband Trial Stakes at Epsom and the Princess of Wales Stakes at Newmarket, is inbred to Phalaris in the third and fourth removes, while Guersillus, first home in the Newmarket Stakes, has Blandford twice in the fourth generation. Turning to the older horses, John McShains Bally- moss, .Europes "horse of the year" through triumphs in the Coronation Cup, Eclipse Stakes and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, has Gainsborough as an ancestor in the third and fourth generation, while the Queens Agreement, winner of the Doncaster Cup, is inbred in a similar , fashion, only to Blandford. Thus the record shows that in England in 1958, Ballymoss, the leading older horse, Alcide, the leading three-year-old colt; Tudor Melody, the leading two-year-old colt and Rosalba and Lindsay, the leading two-year-old fillies were all inbred in the fourth generation or closer. » The case for intelligent inbreeding would appear — " from the record — to be a good one.
