A win in the group I Criterium de Saint-Cloud sets up Passion for Gold as an early favorite for the French classics next year-and also validates Medaglia d'Oro as a sire who can produce top colts along with his abundance of black type fillies. 2 days ago
With Claiborne bloodlines on the top and bottom, Fayette Stakes (gr. II) winner Blame has a pedigree many generations in the making. Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Inspiring hope for small breeders is juvenile standout Jackson Bend, whose durability and precocity combined are traits this Florida homebred inherited from both sides of his pedigree. Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A multi-generation affinity of his female family with Mr. Prospector-line sires might have championship repercussions as Lookin At Lucky prepares for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile this fall. Wednesday, October 07, 2009
It seems appropriate that the once-perennial leading commercial sire, Storm Cat, bow out while the Thoroughbred market redefines itself. Wednesday, September 23, 2009
By first-crop sire Afleet Alex and from the successful family of Sunday Evening comes Dublin, winner of the historic Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. I). Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Stamina influence Tiznow again matches with a speed-oriented Turkoman-line mare. Whitney Handicap (gr. I) winner Bullsbay joins Colonel John as elite runners bred on the cross. Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Funny Moon's big win in the grade I CCA Oaks exemplifies an American breeding pattern of miler speed over stoutness. Wednesday, July 29, 2009
A female-line descendent of the top sire-producing mare Selene, Sariska adds the group I Irish Oaks to her impressive record. Here is an example of a stamina-oriented damline infused with raw speed. Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Montjeu has enjoyed considerable success as a sire of Classic horses. Irish Derby winner Fame and Glory adds to his sire's tally-while also tying in this year's theme of German bloodline influences. Wednesday, July 01, 2009
The German Thoroughbred is a stouter, more stamina-oriented version of the breed in England, France, or the U.S. The possibilities for outcross - and just plain high quality - make German bloodlines sought after in the West. Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Canadian-bred A.P. Indy colt Eye of the Leopard just broke his maiden in mid-May, but his classy pedigree makes him a good bet in upcoming Canadian Classics. Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Thanks to Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra, respectively, both Birdstone and Medaglia d'Oro have achieved the distinction of becoming Classic sires with their first crops. But how much of a boost will it really give them? Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The first Saturday in May is a red-letter day on the American racing calendar Derby Day. But it is also an important day in European racing as the European Classic season kicks off with the Two Thousand Guineas. This year's Guineas was won by Christopher Tsui's Sea The Stars (IRE) and was quite as memorable for the connections of the winner as for the winner himself. Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Leading Kentucky Derby candidate I Want Revenge is an outcross within 5 generations, partially due to the Argentinian breeding of his dam, but also because of Stephen Got Even's unusual pedigree. Wednesday, April 08, 2009
When White Beauty arrived into the world in the spring of 1963, what she portended to breeder Herman Goodpaster was trouble. At the time, The Jockey Club did not accept "white" as a color for registration, and there was serious doubt as to whether a pure Thoroughbred could be white. Friday, March 13, 2009
What a Pear has just served notice that Stardom Bound will have competition in the sophomore filly division this year. Monday, March 02, 2009
The recent debut of Nicanor, full-brother to Derby winner Barbaro brings up the question, 'How often do siblings come even close to measuring up to a top horse's talents?' Friday, February 13, 2009
Laragh's victories, most recently in the grade I Hollywood Starlet Stakes Dec. 13, have helped seal her sire Tapit's position as the leading freshman sire and juvenile sire of 2008. Laragh has won on synthetic surfaces and turf and could be equally dangerous as a sophomore on dirt in 2009. Thursday, December 25, 2008
Old Fashioned won the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) impressively and seems ready to add to his family's already sterling reputation. The son of Unbridled's Song is out of Collect Call, who decends from the family of notable producer Maggie B.B. This family has produced eight champions. Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Chocolate Candy's record-setting win in the Real Quiet Stakes could be a sign of bigger things to come in 2009 from the son of Candy Ride (ARG). Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Broodmares could wear the same warning as mutual funds: past performance is not an indicator of future results. Several top-selling broodmares that had produced multiple graded stakes winners before being sold never repeated their success for their new owners. Thursday, November 13, 2008
Crowded House raised his profile as a contender in next year's European classics when he won the Racing Post Trophy (Eng-I) on Oct. 25. The question is whether his sire Rainbow Quest can add distance to the colt's speed-oriented female side. Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Champion steeplechaser Good Night Shirt is doing his part to reenforce the value of the Domino male line, which has survived over the past 50 years by the slimmest of margins. Thursday, October 30, 2008
Whobegotyou is the best runner to date by Street Cry, who shuttled for four years to Australia. The top-notch sprinter performed like a superstar in The Age Caulfield Guineas (Aus-I) is now poised to show what he can do at distances longer than a mile. Whobegotyou is inbred to Mr. Prospector and Riverman, both within four generations. Friday, October 17, 2008
It's a bit of a guess who will handle Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface the best on Breeders' Cup World Championship Day. Dream Empress seems in a good position heading into the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) because she has won over a synthetic track and has won at 8 1/2 furlongs. And, she is by Bernstein, who is proving to be a talented sire on two continents. Friday, October 10, 2008
Dynaformer has sired grade I winners on dirt and turf, classic winners on both sides of the Atlantic, and produced a three-time steeplechase champion. The son of Roberto now expands the bounds of his proven versatility further with Rainbow View, a juvenile filly who could become a champion on two continents. Thursday, October 02, 2008
Four of Starsburg's top progeny were sired by Mr. Prospector-line stallions, so going back to this sire line when choosing a mate for Starsburg's unraced daughter Our Seattle Slew seemed like the right move. It was, having produced Seattle Smooth, who beat the top-rated sophomore filly Proud Spell in the Fitz Dixon Cotillion Stakes (gr. II). Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The classic American cross is speed over stamina, but Charitable Man has a pedigree that flips this model upside down. The son of Lemon Drop Kid is still getting the job done, having just won the grade II Futurity Stakes. If he keeps improving, Charitable Man could become his sire's first male grade I winner. Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Hobeau Farm owner Jack Dreyfus as been three-times blessed with Delightful Kiss, recent winner of the Turfway Park Championship Stakes (gr. III). The colt is a fourth generation homebred, a graded stakes winner, and now a Breeders' Cup Marathon contender. Friday, September 12, 2008
First Defence is one of those horses whose pedigrees scream speed. The son of Unbridled's Song began displaying that potential with a 6 3/4-length romp in the Forego Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 30. After surviving an early speed duel with opening fractions of :22.53 and :44.61, he pulled away in the stretch to win in a final time of 1:21.55. Friday, September 05, 2008
On Saturday, March 29, two young horses captured an initial graded stakes win at Gulfstream Park and marked themselves as potential elites among the sophomores of 2008. Everyone, of course, by now has heard about Big Brown, runaway winner of the Florida Derby (gr. I) and now a likely favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Wednesday, April 02, 2008
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