broken mini rex markings/patern

Question
Hi Dana, me and my wife have been breeding rabbits for about 3 years now. We are currently getting into trying to show rabbits and have some very good quality animals we have worked hard to get. The broken Mini Rex is my favorite variety and I have been working on them for a while but I still cannot seem to get it right. I have read tons of articles and I cannot really find what I am looking for. Most of my rabbits have broken in their line somewhere, they seem to not throw as much pattern as I want though. Ive been trying very hard to get good showable patterns but they are rare. My plan is, through things I have learned and read, I want to get a solid black female with no broken in her background and breed her to a black charlie to try and get a booted(black) and then re-breed the booted black which now has broken in its background with the charlie to hopefully get well colored, well marked broken black kits. What is your advice on adding more color to the coat since they already have nice type and fur.

Answer
Dear Josh,

I am not the right person to ask about breeding for particular characteristics, not because I don't know about it, but for the reasons outlined here:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/breeding.html

The color pattern on a "broken" rabbit is one of those traits that is not only genetic, but also affected by random developmental events during embryogenesis.  The same cells that give rise to the pigmented cells of the skin also migrate inwards and their descendant cells develop, among other things, into the neurons that innervate the intestines and other internal organs.  The timing of these cell migrations is not genetically determined, and each individual will have a unique pattern of skin pigmentation because of this.  Both environment and genetics play a role, and there is a great deal of random chance involved in the ontogeny of these color patterns.

In short, it may not be possible to get exactly the patterns you are seeking.  

Dana