Page 51 - Speedhorse December 2019

“I was raised on the Oklahoma/Arkansas border, grew up at Blue Ribbon Downs,” he says. “I grew up in the Quarter Horse world, and so it’s fun for me to get back involved again. I’ve been away from it a long time, but when I was a kid, you had Bugs Alive In 75, Rare Jet, a swayback horse called The Shogun that used to run at
Blue Ribbon. Dad loved Quarter Horse racing and he’d take me to Trinity Meadows and Ross Downs in Texas. We’d go to Ada and the match races at Tahlequah and Henryetta and up in the mountains in Arkansas. It was fun. So tell the Quarter Horse folks that if they’re ever in Central Kentucky, stop by the farm, say hi, and take a look at Mitole and see Into Mischief. We think they’ll love them as much as we do.”
We’ll know in due time. It will be four years before any of their Quarter Horse progeny will be two year olds.
“I was a little worried about how this would be accepted, what people would think about us offering Mitole and Into Mischief,” Robicheaux says. “I thought we needed it, I’m humbled that they chose me, I’m very excited about it. I want to do a great job for Spendthrift. I thank everybody for the response I’ve already gotten, for trusting us. I think it’s the right call. I think the industry needs it. I’ve had people call me and say, ‘Ryan, watcha think?’ Or they say, ‘I don’t know much about it, but I want one of them.’ And some people have said, ‘Well, I don’t know which one
I want to breed to, just give me both of them.’ That’s fine with me – let’s do it.”
The horses will not be Louisiana-bred, because the stallions do not stand in the state.
“But that’s not what this deal is about,” Robicheaux says. “We’re expanding our brand. I’m breeding mares for people that I never have before. Juliana Hawn Holt is breeding a mare, McColee is breeding a mare, Dr. Blodgett and Johnny Trotter are breeding a mare. And these are not just some ol’ mares from the backyard. They’re breeding Champions, Champion producers, All American winners. Fly Baby Fly is going to Into Mischief, and Champion Volcom Bay is going to Mitole.
“We need to make more of an effort to reintroduce Thoroughbred bloodlines back into our breed to increase endurance, longevity and a badly needed out-cross for our Quarter Horse mares. Into Mischief and Mitole are two once in-a-lifetime opportunities to do that.
“This a game changer,” Robicheaux concludes. “My Dad said it could be life changing. You’ve got to change with the
times, and keep moving forward. It’s hard, but sometimes you’ve got to take the blinkers off. If not, you’ll get left behind. At least try, and if we’re wrong, hey, we’ll change back.”
“. . . if Into Mischief passes on his heart and will to win to Quarter Horses like he’s done in Thoroughbreds, he’ll change the Quarter Horse breed.”
SPEEDHORSE, December 2019 47