Monday, 17 September 2007: With her preferred partner Encosta De Lago still stranded at Eastern Creek, three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva was covered by Fusaichi Pegasus at the weekend.
 | Tony Santic
Photo by Racing and Sports | |
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Makybe Diva produced a Galileo colt last month and owner Tony Santic had intended to send the daughter of Desert King to Encosta De Lago this year.
But with the EI outbreak turning the 2007 breeding season on its head, new plans had to be made.
Santic was in a more fortunate position with Makybe Diva than many other breeders have been this season.
With the mare based at Coolmore Stud, he still had the option of having Australasia's greatest prizemoney earner covered by one of the high class stallions not affected by the EI drama on the Jerrys Plains farm.
Dehere, Tale Of The Cat and Fusaichi Pegasus were the stallions under consideration, with the Kentucky Derby winner getting the nod.
“Encosta De Lago was the first choice and obviously it would have been nice to go to him, but with him not likely to be out until November – if at all – we then decided on Fusaichi Pegasus,” Santic said.
“He has been going pretty well this year and with Haradasun doing what he's done this year, he was our second choice.”
Makybe Diva was covered on Saturday night at Coolmore.
