06/07/06 Clones to continue mule racing

No one really knew what to expect and that's why there was so much interest. Last weekend cloned mules Idaho Gem and Idaho Star made their racing debuts in Winnemucca, each winning a heat race. Post Falls owner Don Jacklin was delighted with that and Gem's third place finish the next day in the futurity. . JACKLIN "He's got a lot to overcome now. He's got to get his act straightened out but he's got great potential. I think the biggest thing is that we proved that they are healthy, they are strong, they were athletic, they can compete." And look for Idaho Star to continue racing. Albuquerque owner Roger Downey says Star will race next in Stockton, California. DOWNEY "Well, he had a good race and a bad race, he's had two races. Two or three more races we will clearly have a fix on where the animal is." After that Downey says he'll consult with the University of Idaho to decide the future of the mule he calls 'the Kid.' While the racing goes on so does the human health research at the U of I, which is a direct result of what scientists learned from their mule cloning work. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott