The first foal to make an appearance, son of Daylight Lassie and Nicanor.
Image Credit: Amy Burk
All April Fool’s jokes aside, it’s true: the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has two new foals!
Our first little one, a bay colt, made his grand entrance into the world at 1:00 a.m. on April 1st following many nights of anxious anticipation from students in the Equine Reproduction class and the broodmare work crew. The foal, who has a heart shaped marking on it’s head, is the son of mother Daylight Lassie and father Nicanor, a racehorse that has earned over $147,000 throughout his career and is brother to 2006 Ketucky Derby winner Barbaro.
After all this initial excitement, the waiting game began again with students staying in the Animal Science building into the early morning hours to ensure that they would not miss the second expected equine bundle of joy.
Said students didn’t have to wait long as Runaway Pearl went into labor early in the morning on April 3rd, this foal born to a renowned dressage stallion, Contucci; making this union the first between a UMD Thoroughbred and a Maryland Warmblood sire.
Both newborns and their mothers are resting in the Animal Science Horse Barn and will be up for some visitors while spending time in the pasture later this week.
In case you miss them, the foals will also be frolicking in the paddocks on Ag Day!
A special thank you goes out to Shamrock Farm and Hilltop Farm for the breedings of their extraordinary stallions.
