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Home / Equine Research Bank / Biol Lett / Breeding racehorses: what price good genes?
Biology letters2007; 4(2); 173-175; doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0588

Breeding racehorses: what price good genes?

Abstract: Horse racing is a multi-million pound industry, in which genetic information is increasingly used to optimize breeding programmes. To maximize the probability of producing a successful offspring, the owner of a mare should mate her with a high-quality stallion. However, stallions with big reputations command higher stud fees and paying these is only a sensible strategy if, (i) there is a genetic variation for success on the racecourse and (ii) stud fees are an honest signal of a stallion's genetic quality. Using data on thoroughbred racehorses, and lifetime earnings from prize money (LE) as a measure of success, we performed quantitative genetic analyses within an animal model framework to test these two conditions. Although LE is heritable (VA=0.299+/-0.108, Pr=0.002), there is no genetic variance for stud fee and the genetic correlation between traits is therefore zero. This result is supported by an absence of any relationship between stud fees for currently active stallions and the predicted LE for their (hypothetical) offspring. Thus, while there are good genes to be bought, a stallion's fees are not an honest signal of his genetic quality and are a poor predictor of a foal's prize winning potential.
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Publication Date: 2007-12-20 PubMed ID: 18089517PubMed Central: PMC2429926DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0588Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper explores horse breeding in the racing industry, particularly focusing on whether the highly-priced stud fees of successful stallions lead to offspring with better racing traits. However, the study findings indicate that although good genes can be purchased, a stallion’s stud fees do not reflect his genetic quality for successful offspring.

Study Objectives

  • The objective of this study was two-fold; firstly, to verify if there is a genetic variation for success on the racecourse and secondly, to determine if the high stud fees are an accurate reflection of a stallion’s genetic quality.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers conducted quantitative genetic analyses using an animal model framework.
  • The study involved thoroughbred racehorses and utilised the lifetime earnings from prize money (LE) as a measure of success.

Findings and Results

  • The results showed that LE is in fact heritable, with a variance of 0.299+/-0.108 (Pr=0.002). This means that some variation in racing success is passed down from parent to offspring.
  • However, interestingly, there was no genetic variance for stud fees. In other words, the cost to breed with a particular stallion does not determine the genetic quality of the offspring or their chances of racing success.
  • Further, the genetic correlation between the traits was zero, which suggests no relationship between a stallion’s genetic traits and the stud fees.
  • This conclusion was supported by the absence of any relationship between currently active stallions’ stud fees and the predicted LE for their (hypothetical) offspring.

Conclusion

  • The results of the study concluded that while it is possible to purchase beneficial genes for racehorses, a stallion’s stud service charge does not accurately represent his genetic quality. Therefore, the stud fees levied by successful stallions are not a reliable predictor of the racing potential of the resultant foal.

Cite This Article

APA
Wilson AJ, Rambaut A. (2007). Breeding racehorses: what price good genes? Biol Lett, 4(2), 173-175. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2007.0588

Publication

Biology letters
ISSN: 1744-9561
NlmUniqueID: 101247722
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 4
Issue: 2
Pages: 173-175

Researcher Affiliations

Wilson, Alastair J
  • Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK. alastair.wilson@ed.ac.uk
Rambaut, Andrew

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Breeding / economics
    • Breeding / standards
    • Commerce
    • Genetic Variation
    • Genetics, Population
    • Horses / genetics
    • Models, Genetic
    • Sports
    • United Kingdom
    • United States

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    Citations

    This article has been cited 2 times.
    1. Sharman P, Wilson AJ. Genetic improvement of speed across distance categories in thoroughbred racehorses in Great Britain.. Heredity (Edinb) 2023 Jul;131(1):79-85.
      doi: 10.1038/s41437-023-00623-8pubmed: 37244934google scholar: lookup
    2. Arango-Sabogal JC, Mouncey R, de Mestre AM, Verheyen K. Date of birth and purchase price as foals or yearlings are associated with Thoroughbred flat race performance in the United Kingdom and Ireland.. Vet Rec Open 2022 Dec;9(1):e43.
      doi: 10.1002/vro2.43pubmed: 36185419google scholar: lookup
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