Idaho Gem

Last updated

The mule Idaho Gem (born May 4, 2003) is the first cloned equine and first cloned mule. [1]

He is the result of the collaboration of Dr. Gordon Woods and Dr. Dirk Vanderwall of the Northwest Equine Reproduction Laboratory at the University of Idaho and Dr. Ken White of Utah State University. Two more healthy mule clones were born in succeeding months as a result of Project Idaho, Utah Pioneer on June 9, and Idaho Star on July 27. The project was largely financed by Post Falls, Idaho, businessman Don Jacklin, who also served as president of the American Mule Racing Association. Idaho Gem and Idaho Star were transported to trainers in 2005 to prepare them for racing in 2006. Idaho Gem and Idaho Star both won their first races on June 3, 2006, separate trial races for the Humboldt Futurity during the Winnemucca, Nev., Mule Races, Show and Draft Horse Challenge, June 3 and 4. In the June 4 futurity, Idaho Gem finished third and Idaho Star finished seventh. Idaho Gem won his next race at the San Joaquin Fair in Stockton, June 21. His time of 20.724 seconds over the 350-yard course was the fastest time by a 3-year-old mule through the end of July, the halfway point in the mule racing season. Idaho Gem also collected two seconds in photo finishes with the racing mule Out of My League. The total margin of victory between the two mules in the two races was .043 seconds. Through his first six races, Idaho Gem collected two firsts, two seconds a third and a fourth.

On June 4, 2006, Idaho Gem finished 3rd in the Winnemucca Mule Race. This was the first competition between cloned and natural-born mules.

As of 2009, Idaho Gem was owned by Jacklin, who was preparing to have him trained for gymkhana events. The mule was reported to be in good health. [2]

Related Research Articles

Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses. Furthermore, modern breeding management and technologies can increase the rate of conception, a healthy pregnancy, and successful foaling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mule</span> Domestic horse–donkey hybrid

The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two possible first-generation hybrids between them, the mule is easier to obtain and more common than the hinny, which is the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affirmed</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Affirmed was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the eleventh winner of the American Triple Crown. Affirmed was well known for his famous rivalry with Alydar, whom he met ten times, including Alydar coming second in each of the three 1978 Triple Crown races. After Affirmed won the Triple Crown, there was a 37-year wait until American Pharoah swept the series in 2015.

The Futurity Trophy is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skijoring</span> Winter sport involving being pulled on skis

Skijoring is a winter sport in which a person on skis is pulled by a horse, a dog, another animal, or a motor vehicle. The name is derived from the Norwegian word skikjøring, meaning "ski driving". Although skijoring is said to have originated as a mode of winter travel, it is currently primarily a competitive sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alysheba</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Alysheba was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won two legs of the Triple Crown in 1987. A successful sire, he produced 11 stakes winners.

Manikato (1975–1984) was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse of the late 1970s and early 1980s. He established new track records in three races and was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. Manikato was the second Australian horse, after Kingston Town, to win $1 million in stakes, and, by today's standards, won 20 races which are currently (2012) classed as Group One (G1) races.

The Appaloosa Horse Club, located in Moscow, Idaho, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Appaloosa breed. The state of Idaho adopted the Appaloosa as its state horse in 1975. More than 630,000 Appaloosas have been registered with the Appaloosa Horse Club since its founding in 1938. The Appaloosa Horse Club is an international breed registry which records and preserves the breeds' heritage and history. The club is one of the top international equine breed registries, and is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and enhancing the Appaloosa breed.

Dark Star was an American thoroughbred racehorse and sire. During his racing career he won six races, most notably the 1953 Kentucky Derby, in which he defeated Native Dancer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Gem</span> Australian Thoroughbred racehorse

Royal Gem was a versatile Thoroughbred racehorse that won 23 races ranging from 5 furlongs to 12 furlongs. He was later a successful sire in the United States.

Winnemucca Mule Races, Show and Draft Horse Challenge is held at Winnemucca, Nevada, each spring and serves as the first leg of the American Mule Racing Association's triple crown. On June 3 and 4, 2006, the race became the first known athletic event involving animal clones. On June 3, the mule clones Idaho Gem and Idaho Star won their first races, trials for the Humboldt Futurity. In the Futurity on June 4, Idaho Gem finished fourth and Idaho Star finished seventh among the field of eight starters.

T.V. Lark was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was named the American Champion Turf Horse of 1961 after winning the Santa Catalina, Los Angeles, Hawthorne Gold Cup and Knickerbocker Handicaps and the Washington, D.C. International Stakes. He was also the leading sire in North America in 1974.

Plaudit (1895–1919) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. A descendant of the English Triple Crown champion, West Australian, he was bred by Dr. John D. Neet, owner of Kindergarten Stud at Versailles, Kentucky. Plaudit is best known for winning the 1898 Kentucky Derby.

The All American Futurity is a race for two-year-old American Quarter Horse racehorses run at Ruidoso Downs Race Track in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico on Labor Day. It is the last leg of the AQHA Triple Crown that has only been won once, by Special Effort in 1981. A $4 million bonus was once offered to the horse that could sweep all three Triple Crown races. It started in 1959, with a purse of $129,686.85. It has always billed itself as the richest race in American Quarter Horse racing; in 1978, the purse was over a million dollars and in 1982, the winner's portion of the purse totaled over a million dollars for the first time. The 1980 edition was carried live in prime-time on CBS. The 2024 version of the race will have a purse of $3,000,000 with the winners share being $1,500,000, making it one of the richest races in North America.

Gordon Woods was an American veterinary scientist who co-created Idaho Gem, the world's first cloned mule. Idaho Gem was the first clone born in the horse family.

Burley Elijah Parke was an American jockey and a Hall of Fame trainer in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.

Summer Tan (1952–1969) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse

The field for the Kentucky Derby is limited each year to 20 horses, with two 'also eligibles' in case of a late withdrawal from the field. To determine eligibility, Churchill Downs developed the Road to the Kentucky Derby, which gives points to the top four finishers in specified races. The 2016 season consists of 34 races, 19 races for the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and 15 races for the Kentucky Derby Championship Season. Earnings in non-restricted stakes act as a tie breaker. Gun Runner finished first in the standings thanks to wins in the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby, then finished third in the Kentucky Derby. Nyquist, who finished second in the qualification standings, won the Derby.

Moonist was an American Quarter Horse who was known for winning multiple Grade I races, including two Champion of Champion qualifying races. He was the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Champion three-year-old of 2014 and Champion aged horse of 2015. In 2016, Moonist was undefeated in four starts before dying due to a bout of colic.

Bolt d'Oro is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. At age two, he won his first three starts, including the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner Stakes, before finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He started his three-year-old campaign by winning the San Felipe Stakes by disqualification and finishing second in the Santa Anita Derby. One of the early favorites for the 2018 Kentucky Derby, he finished twelfth in that race.

References

  1. ↑ "Gordon Woods dies at 57; Veterinary scientist helped create first cloned mule". Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. 2009-08-25. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
  2. ↑ Loftus, Bill (2009). "Where are Idaho's cloned mules now?". Programs and People. University of Idaho . Retrieved 21 March 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.