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
Alan Porter recaps the 2009 Breeders' Cup with pedigree observations about the sire lines, dominant female families, and inbreeding of the 14 winners. Tuesday, November 10, 2009
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
A globetrotting sire and an all-American dam have strikingly similar pedigrees that combined to produce recent graded winner April Pride. Breeding analyst Alan Porter discusses how his "parallel pattern" theory is evident in the filly's pedigree. Wednesday, October 28, 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
That this is an exceptional crop of second-year sires is not exactly news any more. Still, the point was hammered home again October 10 when two second-season horses were represented by grade I winners. Thursday, October 15, 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
With dual scores in the British Columbia classics, Toccet's progeny have made the stallion a hot second-crop sire. Thursday, October 01, 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
It seems 2009 would be a year for filly phenoms, and they're all the result of young, distance-loving sires. Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Oasis Dream (GB) was considered a mildly-successful sire after his first two crops reached the track. An explosive year including the emergence of recent group II victor Monitor Closely (IRE) guarantees Oasis Dream more respect in Europe and internationally. Wednesday, August 19, 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
The weekend brought a couple of new players to the 3-year-old scene and also underlined just how strong the second-crop sires are. Thursday, August 06, 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
Already in the news for his move to Lane's End, Candy Ride also figures in to the first progeny black type for an 18-year-old mare and the first stakes win as a breeder for Bob Baffert. Tuesday, July 21, 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
California homebred Grazen's first graded win is more proof that Benchmark is the true heir to Alydar's male-line legacy. Thursday, June 25, 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
Similarities in the pedigrees of Summer Bird (by Birdstone) and Gabby's Golden Gal (by Medaglia d'Oro) provide some insights into the bloodlines of their young sires. Wednesday, June 10, 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
It would have been hard to predict that Bribon would achieve his most prestigious victory at age 6 on American dirt when he made his juvenile debut in a seven-furlong event at Saint-Cloud in France. Thursday, May 28, 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
If one was inclined to follow the form book literally, there had to be few better bets in a stakes race May 9 than Mythical Power in the Lone Star Derby (gr. III). Wednesday, May 13, 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
Well Armed's runaway victory in the Dubai World Cup was due to a combination of factors, including his improvement with age and an affinity for 10 furlongs on dirt. Thursday, April 02, 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
Foals from the first Elusive Quality crop conceived after Smarty Jones's heroics have come to hand earlier. Even though they've only just turned 3, five of their number are stakes winners. Prominent among them is Fountain of Youth winner Quality Road. Thursday, March 05, 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
Holy Bull winner Saratoga Sinner is the first stakes winner from Harlan's Holiday's 2nd crop. Wednesday, February 04, 2009
On January 18, 2009, Smarty Jones became a "grandpa" when his 3-year old daughter Jonespartyofwon produced a filly in Pennsylvania. Is breeding a filly as a 2-year-old a good idea? Thursday, January 29, 2009
Whywhywhy is now back with a bang, with Nownownow capturing the San Fernando Stakes (gr. II) and another son, Ikigai, capturing the Mr. Prospector Stakes (gr. III). Thursday, January 22, 2009
Speightstown's sophomores are off to a quick start with Haynesfield taking the Count Fleet Stakes and Gemswick Park scoring a game victory in the Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) in the first weekend of the new year. Friday, January 09, 2009
Germany has preserved a number of bloodlines that are all but extinct elsewhere, providing a potential outcross for the Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector lines that have come to dominate breeding in the rest of the world. Among them is the male line of 1935 English Triple Crown winner Bahram, the direct ancestor of this year's BMW Deutsches Derby (Ger-I) winner Kamsin (GER). Friday, July 18, 2008
Prior to the weekend, Mistical Plan had tried for grade one glory on five occasions. On four of those she had failed to hit the board, and in the fifth, she had gained a third, but had been beaten nearly nine lengths. On Saturday, at the Summit of Speed, Mistical Plan cut back to six furlongs and produced the performance of her life to take the Princess Rooney Handicap. Thursday, July 17, 2008
The achievements of such Australian standouts as Choisir (AUS) and Takeover Target (AUS) have taught Royal Ascot regulars to have a healthy respect for the form down under. That lesson was underlined when Haradasun (AUS) captured the first race of the 2008 Royal Ascot carnival, the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-IT). Thursday, June 26, 2008
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