Meet the Rare White Foal at Rockridge Stud
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Located just two hours north of New York City and east of the Hudson River, Rockridge Stud is an idyllic Thoroughbred farm that celebrated a remarkable new arrival on January 24 when Pincesspatseattle foaled a rare white Thoroughbred colt. The leggy son of Honorable Dillon became an instant internet phenomenon when the farm released photos of the colt days after he was born.
Our white foal by Honorable Dillon is taking the internet by storm! He is pretty darned adorable. pic.twitter.com/9WCUQa1qZg
— Erin Robinson (@rockridgestud) January 28, 2016
America’s Best Racing took a trip to Rockridge Stud to meet the colt and his dam (the name for an equine mother) and talk to farm owner Lere Visagie about the pair.
Many Thoroughbreds are gray colored, but very few are registered as white. The difference is subtle: with a white Thoroughbred, the entire coat is predominantly made up of white hairs whereas with a gray the majority of the coat is a mixture of black and white hairs. Additionally, gray horses are born chestnut (an orange-red color) or nearly black and lighten to gray with age. Roan horses can grow more white hairs over the years but keep their bay (a brown color with black legs) or chestnut coloring throughout their lives.
Rick Bailey of the Jockey Club Registry explains that white Thoroughbreds are incredibly rare: in fact, the statistical likelihood of having a white Thoroughbred foal born is just 0.0095 percent. In history, only 170 white American Thoroughbreds have been registered with the Jockey Club. In New York, where Princesspatseattle gave birth, there have been only three: Arctic Storm Cat, Clarence Stewart, and White Flight.
Occasionally white and other unusually colored Thoroughbreds who have succeeded on the track; below are just a few examples of some very noticeable racehorses:
I don't think I have ever seen a horse quite as stunning as Top Notch Tonto! pic.twitter.com/XXLtXCGgsx
— Josh Pearson (@JoshPearson_10) October 31, 2015
Time to pull your socks up, old boy! TOP NOTCH TONTO is at Ayr tomorrow before heading to the QEII on #ChampionsDay. pic.twitter.com/gqpvy7XeX5
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) September 18, 2015
Here’s a horse like no udder… Silvery Moon races in France and Germany, his owner even has silks to match! pic.twitter.com/avHUMkXK8n
— SAJC Morphettville (@SAJockeyClub) August 3, 2015
Constellation was out of this world in Sunday's Ruthless! Story: https://t.co/Jd2i2paAno pic.twitter.com/uuNiRz1P3T
— NYRA (@TheNYRA) January 18, 2016
Chief White Fox, a rare registered white Thoroughbred, in the @keeneland paddock today before the 4th race. pic.twitter.com/KqV2wmND7r
— Penelope P. Miller (@PenelopePMiller) October 29, 2015
Wear the Mask, a rare white Thoroughbred, won at Mahoning Valley today. I saw him in person when I visited pic.twitter.com/I3EmSEsKZw
— Doug McPherson (@LDMcPherson) March 9, 2015
Lightning strikes twice!! Steve with The Opera House and her High Chaparral filly born at 2 am.#cracker pic.twitter.com/dVlvxmUbGX
— Windsor Park Stud (@WindsorParkStud) September 24, 2014
BUCHIKO the talking horse races this Saturday in the Kitayama Stakes 1800m Dirt Kyoto #chat #chat #chat pic.twitter.com/wqQSYvvmd7
— G (@LongBallToNoOne) January 25, 2016
Temple Stakes champion PEARL SECRET looks a picture in the parade ring here at @HAYDOCKRACES. pic.twitter.com/l3GHSbdVlK
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) September 5, 2015
Eternal Idol, a rare palomino thoroughbred who just ran 6th in his 1st start. #CaliforniaBlond http://t.co/SgRoMtrB6U pic.twitter.com/TgaEg1RhkM
— FlossyGurl (@Flossy_gurl) July 1, 2015
Via @DougONeill1 "Passionforfashion, a two year old Old Fashioned filly; causing a sensation." looking fwd to see her pic.twitter.com/AzgBPFnEdz
— NarrowRator..com (@narrowrator) June 11, 2015
Hip 293, the white Silver Mountain filly Polar Foxx, a 2yo filly o/o the Airdrie Apache mare P D F Snow Drift. #FTFeb pic.twitter.com/NWDnqqGvZM
— Joe Nevills (@DRFNevills) February 8, 2015
IMAGINING schools for the GR I Sword Dancer at SARATOGA. @DRFLivingston @IradOrtizJr @DRFRusso pic.twitter.com/EBa5gwdxTG
— Debra A Roma (@NYdroma) August 28, 2015
The two-week-old son of Honorable Dillon and Princesspatseattle has a long way to go before he begins his foray into the world of horse racing; for now, he is content to spend his days napping and playing on the rolling hills of Rockridge Stud under the watchful eye of his mother.