What's in a name? Plenty!

Toni M. Kirwan has taken the proverbial sow's ear and turned it into a silk purse. The Yardley, Pa. resident has bred a remarkable string of runners descending from a mare who had no black type through her first five dams, and is a perfect example of a pure breed-to-race enthusiast who is reaping the rewards of the Pennsylvania Breeding Fund.

It all started with P. J.'s Blitzen, a Double Edge Sword mare that Kirwan raced in the mid-1980's. P. J.'s Blitzen was a hard-knocking competitor, making 96 starts, winning 17 times, and earning over $230,000 at a time when purses at Mid-Atlantic tracks were still relatively low. Although she was advised not to breed P. J.'s Blitzen, Kirwan and a partner bred her to the stallion Citidancer in 1993, and hit paydirt when she foaled Sun of a Blitzen, a stakes winner and earner of more than $350,000. To the cover of Compelling Sound, P. J.'s Blitzen produced the filly Blitzen's Echo in 1998, who never won a stakes but earned $85,000.

Again, against the advice of several bloodstock agents, Kirwan decided to make Blitzen's Echo a broodmare, and her first three foals have all done extremely well on the track. Making an art form of naming her thoroughbreds, Kirwan christened the first Blitzensfoxyvixin, a filly by Partner's Hero born in 2004. She was second in the Wonders Deelite Stakes and has won six races and more than $285,000. Blitzen's Echo's second foal, a colt by Yankee Victor dubbed Blitzenkissinqpid, has won five races to date and over $165,000. Her third foal, a colt by Disco Rico named Blitzensdiscogetem, was second in the Send More Money Stakes and has earned over $100,000. Kirwan's only setback to date occured with her fourth foal, a colt by Gators N Bears named Blitzenshoneybare, who suffered a catastrophic injury in his career debut. The mare's fifth foal is a yearling filly by Tekken (IRE) named Blitzenstekkldpink.

Two weeks ago, Blitzen's Echo foaled a colt by Buzzard's Bay whom Kirwan has yet to name. "I'm still trying to decide on a good one," she said. Kirwan said she gives her horses the long, distinctive names (most pushing the 18-letter limit) so she can always hear the track announcer calling them during a race. And what a mouthful they have been thus far! In 2008, Kirwan's homebreds earned her a whopping $111,472 in breeder awards.

As far as future breeding plans for Blitzen's Echo, Kirwan said she would like to go back to Gators N Bears, as she is still mourning the loss of the promising Blitzenshoneybare. In addition to Blitzen's Echo, Kirwan also has the broodmares Dawn's Diva, who is in foal to Sunriver, and Indy USA, who is in foal to Chelokee. We wish Kirwan continued good luck with her small Pennsylvania thoroughbred operation, and offer her success as perhaps inspiration for others who might want to dip their toe into the breeding waters.