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[URL=http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=2663521 ]Scamper and Clayton[/URL
quote: Barrel racer Charmayne James knew scientists had figured out how to clone mice, sheep and cats. So six years ago she decided that if any creature deserved to be cloned, it was her gelding Scamper, the retired 10-time world champion.
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Well we all know what is going to happen next. We all might as well start getting our offerings and sacrifices ready for when the Scamper clones take over the planet.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Last I knew Penny Cherney still did own his rights.
What's confusing me on this one is the owner doesn't want to show or race (it would be barrel racing) him, but in breeding his foals couldn't be registered with the AQHA (quarter horse) registry. It seems to me there is something more than sense going through her head, or I'm just stingy with money.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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It would be fun to see all the great race horses though history race eachother, though it wouldn't mean much.
There's so many variables that go into being a great athlete, no matter what species you are. Genes are a very important part (perhaps the most important), but the rest of it separates the "great" athletes from the "good" ones.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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I had a long post written up. I don't know that either of them would be doable. I'm sure that Scamper's owner saved for cloning when he died. Secretariat and MOW have been dead so long it doesn't seem likely any DNA is available without exuming bodies and that gets Kentucky upset enough.
Last I heard he hadn't had any foals though yearly they try different fertility treatments. John Henry also on that site would be pretty cool too, as he was a gelding.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I don't know much about race horses, but I did see a special on Secretariat (I think he was one of ESPN's 50 greatest athletes, the only non-human on the list).
It said that after he died, they discovered that his heart was something to the effect of three times the normal size. A quick check with Wikipedia confirms this.
So long as that's genetic, I'd say Secretariat's DNA is worth that of every other horse combined.
The Wikipedia article mentions that they buried him whole (rare for horses), and I am sure that there would be plenty of genetic material to dig up, if the owner was convinced to do so.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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Knowing some of the things this owner has done, I'm not entirely sure she would clone him for the money.
And obviously a clone would be different than a progeny, but I don't think his foals had the heart.
Sadly it's more or less a moot point, the horse couldn't be registered in the jockey club, so couldnt' race the derby or have foals who can. What would the point of a Secretariat clone be then?
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Haven't they shown, though (like with Dolly sheep) that the genetic clone is not a healthy, etc. as the original? Didn't they have problems with that?
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(plus, I would want to clone BOTH Secretariat and Man O'War to have them race to each other so I could bet against Xavier on which one was the fastest horse that ever lived!)
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You joke, Farmgirl, but I would bet that the action on such a race would be tremendous. I'd put $10 on it, and I've never bet on a horse in my life.
I'd imagine someday you'll have the clones-allowed leagues, and the no-clones-allowed leagues.
I'd put money on the clones-allowed league being the more popular one eventually.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Xavier: You joke, Farmgirl, but I would bet that the action on such a race would be tremendous. I'd put $10 on it, and I've never bet on a horse in my life.
I'd imagine someday you'll have the clones-allowed leagues, and the no-clones-allowed leagues.
I'd put money on the clones-allowed league being the more popular one eventually.
Does this remind anybody of the "All Drug sanctioned Olympics" in Bogota Columbia parody on Saturday Night Live?
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Cloning human athletes for college sports, and maybe the major leagues if the unions can be bought out.
"Today in bike racing Lance Armstrong broke his own record, not by winning the Tour De France more than 7 times, but by coming in 1st-10th place. The 11th Place Lance, sponsored by McDonalds, was quoted as saying, "Well this sucks."
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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MPH, at this point the Jockey club requires the parents of a horse to be registered actually phiscially mate. No artificial insemination, invitro, or surogate mares are allowed. That rules out cloning too.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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