Re: the first matings of Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta: "Never before in modern times have the careers of two female racehorses overshadowed male contemporaries for consecutive years. And chances are, any success by their offspring will be attributed to the mares’ genetic prowess while the failures will surely fall on the backs of the sires. That in itself constitutes a seismic shift in attitude."

"The results have varied from the expected (graded stakes winners are the best prospects for producing high-quality runners) to the surprising (fast maiden winners produce a surprising percentage of high-quality runners). We also discuss listed stakes winners as producers (they appear to be over-valued and overbred by breeders), and non-winning mares (it’s hard to justify having them in a high-quality broodmare band), and six other categories of racing class as well."

Freddie Head pays tribute to the champion mare.

"Miesque, the first two-time winner of a Breeders’ Cup race and the dam of major sire Kingmambo, was euthanized on Thursday at age 27 as a pensioned broodmare due to the infirmities of old age at the Oak Tree Division of Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky."

"Though Hasili was a stakes winner on the track and had a solid pedigree in her corner, nothing in her form could have indicated the impact she would have on the sport once she entered the breeding shed."