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Dublin Elicits High Hopes for Young Sire

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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).

Icon Project: Yet Another Filly Standout

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

It seems 2009 would be a year for filly phenoms, and they're all the result of young, distance-loving sires.

D'wildcat, Smarty Jones 2YOs Take Saratoga

Strong pedigrees link Saratoga's first two juvenile stakes winners of 2009 - but will genes be enough to keep Backtalk and D'Funnybone in stakes contention after their 2-year-old campaigns?

Monitor Closely Adds to Dream Year for Sire

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

Bullsbay Confirms Tiznow/Turkoman Affinity

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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.

Second-Crop Standouts

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

Funny Moon Bred on Miler-Over-Stamina Model

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

Funny Moon's big win in the grade I CCA Oaks exemplifies an American breeding pattern of miler speed over stoutness.

Misremembered Scores for Breeder Bob Baffert

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

Sariska's Pedigree Combines Speed, Stamina

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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.

Sophomore Standouts Best Elder Rivals

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter Holiday weekend racing featured 3-year-old sprinters Munnings and Zensational, who both captured prestigious graded wins over older horses.

Fame and Glory Across the Pond

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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.

Grazen Is New Benchmark for Alydar Line

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

California homebred Grazen's first graded win is more proof that Benchmark is the true heir to Alydar's male-line legacy.

Emergent German Thoroughbred Bloodlines

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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.

Classic Parallels

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

Belmont Contenders: Pedigree Profiles

Insight into the pedigrees of this year's Belmont contenders is only a click away. This easy-to-read report includes pedigree analyses from Alan Porter and Avalyn Hunter. Order your copy today and separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Royally-bred 'Leopard' Eyes Queen's Plate

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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.

Bribon Breaks Through

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

'Big Horse' Boost for First-Crop Sires?

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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?

Preakness Contenders: Pedigree Profiles

Insight into the pedigrees of this year's Preakness contenders is only a click away. This easy-to-read report includes pedigree analyses from Alan Porter, Avalyn Hunter, and Tom Hall. Order your copy today and separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Mythical Power on Display

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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).

The Stars Aligned

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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.

Kentucky Derby Contenders: Pedigree Profiles

Insight into the pedigrees of this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders is only a click away. This easy-to-read report includes pedigree analyses from Alan Porter, Avalyn Hunter, and Tom Hall. Order your copy today and separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Porter on Pedigrees: Godolphin's Derby Duo

Alan Porter takes a closer look at Desert Party and Regal Ransom, the pair of Dubai-based horses in this year's Kentucky Derby.

Mahubah's Corner: Unrivaled

For Sunday Racing Co., life could not be better. The partnership heads into the Derby with a colt that was not only sired by one Derby winner but is half-brother to another - talk about pedigree. And that colt won his final pre-Derby race impressively April 19 to establish himself as the probable favorite for the big race.

Porter on Pedigrees: Papa Clem

One of the great uncertainties in evaluating the prospects of this year's Kentucky Derby contenders is weighing all-weather form. And it has been brought into particularly sharp focus by the efforts of two horses that have run behind the West Coast's dominant 3-year-old, Pioneerof the Nile.

Taking Revenge

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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.

Armed and Ready

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

Mahubah's Corner: Hold Me Back

With his victory March 21 in the Lane's End Stakes (gr. II), WinStar Farm's homebred Hold Me Back answered one big question but raised three more. Whether he has the class to be competitive with this year's better 3-year-olds is no longer in doubt.

Porter on Pedigrees: Friesan Fire

In the metal-working technique called "brazing," two metals with disparate properties are joined by a third that is sufficiently similar to both to create an effective union.

A Horse of a Different Color

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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.

Continuing Down a Quality Road

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

Mahubah's Corner: What a Pear

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

What a Pear has just served notice that Stardom Bound will have competition in the sophomore filly division this year.

Mahubah's Corner: Sibling Rivalry

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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?'

Porter on Pedigrees: Saratoga Holiday

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Holy Bull winner Saratoga Sinner is the first stakes winner from Harlan's Holiday's 2nd crop.

Breeding Two-Year Olds

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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?

Isn't It Obvious

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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).

Just for Speight

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

Kamsin Typifies Modern German Breeding

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

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).

All According to a Mistical Plan

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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.

Haradasun - Australian Champion at Ascot

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

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).

Pedigree Analyses of Belmont Contenders

Insight into the pedigrees of this year's Belmont contenders (including surprise entry Guadalcanal) is only a click away. Pedigree analyses done by Alan Porter and Avalyn Hunter have been compiled into one easy-to-read report.

'Brown' Drawing Big Bandwagon

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Where have we seen this before? A modestly-bred Danzig-line horse, after leading throughout to score a devastating win in a grade I classic trial on his second start of the year, becomes a favorite for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).

U.S. Cavalry Charging into Maturity

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's latest star, U.S. Cavalry, showed maturity and grit when capturing the Turfway Prevue Stakes on Jan. 5. The gelded son of Officer has yet prove whether he can handle longer distances, but his pedigree suggests the potential is there.

Saoirse Abu: A Message in the Wind

Saoirse Abu has become a legitimate contender for a Cartier Award as European champion juvenile filly with victories in the Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes (Ire-I) and the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Ire-I).

Don't Use

The Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) wasn't the most prestigious race run in the U.S. over Labor Day weekend in terms of graded standing, but with a $1 million purse, it certainly was the richest. In a close finish, the race went to Timber Reserve, who emerged as another notable "second season" 3-year-old by equaling the stakes record.

Blushing From Success

Few horses live up to their name as well as Blush With Pride. Already one of Blushing Groom's best racing daughter with four graded stakes victories, the daughter of Best in Show has gone to excel as a producer, especially when crossed with the Northern Dancer line.

Juvenile Pedigree Analyses

Written by Lenny Shulman

State of the Breed at KTFMC

Seth Hancock, Alan Porter, John Veitch, and Ric Waldman are constantly asked for their opinions on Thoroughbreds and breeding. On March 6 they shared those opinions with the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club in Lexington. About 280 members and their guests listened to the visitors and panel moderator Ed Bowen.

Family Matters: Point Given's Pedigree Analysis

From Thunder Gulch's second crop, Point Given appears poised to make a run at the 2001 Derby, giving the Mr. Prospector line another strong player to extend the dynasty. If successful, Thunder Gulch would join Unbridled (Grindstone) as the most recent Derby winner to sire a Derby winner.

Family Matters: A P Valentine Pedigree Analysis

It's been 24 years since Seattle Slew became the 10th Triple Crown winner and 17 years since a son of his (Swale) won the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). The Derby arguably is the toughest of all races to win, and any horse who attempts to handle the 1 1/4 miles the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs against as many as 19 rivals needs a competent trainer and jockey, along with the proper blend of speed and stamina, and a good deal of racing luck. With all that in mind, it's time to take a look at one of Seattle Slew's grandsons, A P Valentine, and see how he fits into the Derby picture.