Grand Circuit stakes winner Royal Charm recently welcomed the arrival of her first foal, and that foal was also a first of a different sort.
Royal Charm, who most notably knocked off some of the top trotting fillies in harness racing with her upset win in the 2016 Elegantimage Final, foaled a filly on Tuesday, January 15, and that foal was also the first foal of 2019 for trotting stallion Father Patrick.
Royal Charm and her first foal, a Father Patrick filly
Owned by David McDonald of Cornwall, Ont., Shelly MacMillan of Waterloo, Ont., Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, Que., and David K. Reid of Sydenham, Ont., Royal Charm banked $384,182 in her on-track career before retiring to the broodmare ranks. Her next mating comes with another one of harness racing's most sought-after stallions.
"She foaled in New Jersey at Fair Winds Farm," MacMillan told Trot Insider. "She's been at Oak Knoll but because she's being bred back to Muscle Hill this year we didn't want to have to ship her and a brand new baby to New Jersey in January.
"In late November we made the decision to ship her ahead of the baby and just have her safe."
MacMillan looks forward to the future for her newest horse, especially when taking into consideration that a Father Patrick sister to Royal Charm sold this past fall at Harrisburg for $300,000.
"I think it's obviously a pretty good cross. We're pretty excited," stated MacMillan. " I said she's already in training to go to Mark Steacy's stable...she's whipping around the paddock already, she knows what she's supposed to do with her legs."
Fine looking filly. Congrats
Fine looking filly. Congrats