HRNSW Racing Wrap
Arizona Blue Retired And In Foal
New South Wales trainer John Heath has confirmed his star trotting mare Arizona Blue has raced for the last time and is expecting a foal in October this year. Heath had planned to take an embryo from Arizona Blue and continue to race but niggling issues led to the decision to retire her.
“My idea was to take the embryo and put it in another mare but she was tying up in her work and wasn’t competing at her very best on the racetrack so we decided to let her become a mother,” Heath said.
“We have gone to an American stallion called Crazed, he raced Deweycheatumnhowe and won a million dollars in his career, in fact we got two straws and have put Arizona Blue’s mother in foal to him as well and she has had a positive test as well so we have spent a bit of money but we think the mares are worth it.”
Arizona Blue raced 47 times winning 21 races and more than $236,000.
“At her very best she had speed that would have seen her compete on the Grand Circuit and win, she was a very special race mare and hopefully she can breed on.”
“She would have to be the best horse I have had, I trained State Raider, he wasn’t as quick as her but I didn’t give him too many starts before I sold him to America but in time I think he would have gone to the top but there is no doubt in my mind that Arizona Blue was very special.”
Heath is nearly certain that he will keep Arizona Blue’s first foal however has left his options open should she have a colt.
“I am 99% sure that we will keep her foal but in saying that if she had a colt and he was marketable then we might think about letting him go, however if she has a filly she will be staying with us for sure.”
Arizona Blue’s biggest win was the 2009 Victorian Trotters Derby when she accounted for Let Me Thru and Down Under Muscles.
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