Daniel Sammartino, the owner of Doña Sofia, spoke about Sonny Perdue's visit, saying that "It was very important for us to have Secretary Perdue here, it was a huge compliment to our work thus far. It is an acknowledgement that we're doing something right, and I am very proud."
About cloning and the work of Kheiron labs, Sammartino commented: "I always said that biotechnology found me rather than me finding it. When I stopped working in a business proper, I was shown a cloning project and it caught my eye very quickly. We founded a world-class cloning lab and, after a lot of work and effort, I can say that we are, nowadays, the most important horse cloning lab in the world because of our product, our effectiveness and our sanitary efficiency. Almost 100% of clones are healthy at birth." He also said "We eventually got into the synergy with breeding, and that is where Doña Sofia came into play. First it started with traditional breeding, with four of the best bloodlines from Argentina and the US, and then via clones. Out of the 100 clones that Kheiron produced at their start, Doña Sofia owns about 50, and we'll soon have another 20 or 30."
It was a simple formula that allowed them to put the breed together: "Many players weren't convinced about cloning, so we partnered up with those who wanted to give us the genetic bloodlines, while we took on the cost of cloning. We split the clones, and that is how we ended up with a strong base of breeding clones."
The next step for Kheiron and Doña Sofia is an alliance with Valiente and the Cambiaso family: the American organization will be able to use Doña Sofia's horses in the Argentine tournaments they play (the San Jorge Open and the Jockey Open).
