Heartlines Ranch is dedicated to breeding and developing superior equine athletes using a unique breeding philosophy. Based on the research done by Marianna Haun, author of The X Factor, and equine cardiologist Dr. Fred Fregin, Heartlines is striving to build a broodmare band that will always produce horses with heart.
The large heart is a consistent characteristic in champions, allowing them greater stamina and quicker recovery. Secretariat's heart was the largest on record, approximately 22 pounds at autopsy (as compared to the usual 8.5 in a racing animal). Aside from size, it was without abnormalities. Even more exciting than this is the fact that the genes for fantastic heart can be passed to offspring on the X chromosome with minimal dilution. As a matter of fact, Mighty Mouse has a daughter by Pioneering who expresses the Secretariat gene. The filly, Cotton Anne, is a winner for her owner, Penny Chenery, the owner of Secretariat. She is currently in foal to Eclipse Champion Stevie Wonderboy.
Colts receive an X-chromosome from their dams only while fillies inherit from both parents. This is the philosophy on which Heartlines is built.
Among the broodmares, there is Bull Diva, a daughter Holy Bull, who is out of a half-sister to Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm. She had a beautiful colt by Open Forum this year. Others are by Phone Trick, Atticus, Miner's Mark, El Gran Senor, Boone's Mill, Night Shift, Mr. Greeley, Chief's Crown, Blushing John, Judge TC, Mountain Cat, Chief Seattle, Leestown, Moscow Ballet, Fappiano, Dehere, Deerhound, Silver Ghost, Defensive Play, Morning Bob , Seeking the Gold, Regal Classic, Sky Classic, Smart Strike, Honor Grades, St. Jovite, and Hansel. This spring, among the foals, was the first daughter and second foal from Kentucky Derby winner, Giacomo. She is a gray, like her sire, and looks just like him. He has an enormous heart so his daughter, Count Fleet Beat, should have all the heart she needs to win any race. Another foal was a beautiful colt by classic winner Birdstone out of our Seeking the Gold mare; he is named Seeking the Trophy.
Other broodmares include the final foal of My Charmer, the dam of Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew; a half-sister to Seattle Slew, her name is Charmer's Gift; she was foaled when My Charmer was 24 years old. She has a beautiful big two-year-old chestnut colt, Another Slew, by millionaire Hap, in training. There is also Patchiano, a Fappiano daughter out of the storied Hay Patcher, dam of top sire, Broad Brush; her son, Eloquick, by El Corredor is showing promise at the track and will make his first start soon. Patchiano's daughter, Miss Lady Di by Dehere, who passes Secretariat's heart, is also in the herd and has produced a very handsome colt by our stallion, Maverick, and will start training soon. There is also a talented two-year-old daughter by leading sire, Tiznow, in training; she is out of Batik, a daughter of the European sire, Night Shift; he has proven to be a great broodmare sire, and carries a large heart, one of the first identified in the large heart research. Batik has also produced a lovely yearling by Maverick. The two-year-old, Tiz Shayne, has been measured and expresses Tiznow's large heart..
Heartlines Ranch plans to raise future winners by carefully breeding speed on the top to mares with with those vital "heart genes"; in this way they can ensure their babies will run all day and into the night!