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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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pioneerof the Nile Growing Sire's Status

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Pioneerof the Nile, winner of the CashCall Futurity (gr. I), is one of three Empire Maker sons whose recent performances have helped grow their sire's reputation among breeders. The others are Daiwa Prevail (JPN) and Summer's Empire.

Peppers Pride Stays Hot to the End

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Peppers Pride extended the modern day American record for consecutive wins to 19 when she won at Zia Park on Dec. 14. It may have been the amazing New Mexico-bred filly's final performance and was certainly one of her best.

Deep Roots Give Briecat Her Speed

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Brilliant speed isn't the trait you'd expect from the offspring of Briecat's sire and dam. Her sire Adcat won his best race at nine furlongs. Briecat's broodmare sire Marlin won a grade I race at 1 3/4 miles, the 1997 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap. And yet, here is Briecat, who won the Bayakoa H. (gr. II) in near track-record time.

New York-breds Shine in Stallion Stakes

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

The sires Performing Magic, Hook and Ladder, Freud, American Chance and Regal Classic were represented by winners in the New York Stallion Stakes series.

Second-Crop Sires Shuffle in 2008

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

The sires with their first 3-year-olds racing in 2008 have seen some reshuffling among the leaders by progeny earnings, particularly compared with the rankings of this sire class as freshmen.

Mr. P Sire Line Rules at Breeders' Cup

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Mr. Prospector line stallions were represented by eight of the 14 Breeders' Cup World Championship winners. Ten of the 14 winners are inbred within five generations, while four were outcrosses.

BC Pedigree Profile: Zenyatta

For whatever Vertigineux lacked as a racehorse, she has more than made up for as a broodmare. The first three foals produced by the daughter of Kris S. have all become stakes winners, including Zenyatta.

BC Pedigree Profile: Street Boss

Street Boss is completely different horse than he was in 2007, when he couldn't seem to break through with a big win in allowance company. This year the son of Street Cry has won six of seven starts, with two wins in grade I races. He has become the third exceptional racehorse to blossom out of his sire's first crop.

Danzig Inbreeding Yields Successes

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Grade III winner Strait of Mewsina is one of several stakes winners inbred to Danzig. The son of Spartacus gets one influence of Danzig through his grandsire Danehill, and the other the influence through Chief's Crown, his broodmare grandsire. While male line/male line inbreeding generally has a lower-than-opportunity success rate, the inbreeding of Danzig has produced 20 stakes winners.

Improving Family Produces Sky Diva

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Sky Diva is at the crossroads of an improving sire and an improving family. Sky Mesa started slowly but now runners from his first crop have become graded stakes winners and his second crop of juveniles running this year already includes five stakes winners. At the top is grade I winner Sky Diva. The filly's family has also been improving over the past four years.

Lord Shanakill Adds to Sire's Tally

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Speightstown is one of seven freshmen sires that have already been represented by a group/graded stakes winner so far this year. Lord Shanakill, winner of the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (Eng-I) is one of Speightstown's top runners and the second group winner sired by a son of Gone West out of a Theatrical mare.

Promising Filly Runs Like a Sweet Song

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Doremefasollatido is delivering on the great breeding and tremendous unfulfilled promise her sire, Bernstein, showed on the racetrack. Though a group stakes winner, Bernstein never became the promising racehorse he appeared to be at 2. He has made it up as a sire, quickly. Bernstein's first crop had 38 foals, 38 starters, and 31 winners (19 2-year-old winners).

A Jewel in the Gold Medallion

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Medaglia d'Oro only started once at 2 but his offspring are displaying plenty of early talent. Out of 10 winners through Sept. 16, he has four stakes horses and two stakes winners, including the graded stakes winner C.S. Silk.

Male Line Cross Yields Vineyard Haven

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Generally speaking, crossing the sire by a certain male line with a mare from the same male line produces below average results. But here is Vineyard Haven, the results of such a cross, who beat some rising stars in the Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. I).

Mani Bhavan Extends Storm Boot's Legacy

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Newly minted graded stakes winner Mani Bhavan continues the legacy of her sire Storm Boot, the first son of Storm Cat to be represented by a stakes winner.

Deep Family Roots Drive Spirit One

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Spirit One's dam, Lavayssiere, retired from racing with scant credentials to be a top mare. She did not have one black type winner in her family as far back as six generations. And yet, here she is today the dam of three stakes winners including Spirit One, who recently took the Arlington Million (gr. I). You have to dig deep to find the source of Spirit One's genetic potential.

Black Mamba Thriving on U.S. Soil

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Black Mamba has grown from a promising young filly in New Zealand into a grade I winner in the U.S. who now may be headed to the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships in October. The daughter of Black Minnaloushe is the first black type winner out her dam Sneetch.

Monzante Catching His Stride

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Monzante, who has been showing the promise of taking a major victory for some time, got it done July 20 in the Eddie Read Handicap (gr. I).

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.

Azul Leon Puts Lion Heart On Top

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Lion Heart, currently the freshman sire leader, and Friends Lake, who is ranked eighth, got big boosts from their recent graded stakes winners Azul Leon and Screen Your Friends, respectively. The talent both of these sires showed as juveniles appears to be passing along to their offspring.

The Big Chill

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Dismissed at odds of 40-1 for the Suburban Handicap (gr. I), Giant's Causeway's son Frost Giant prevailed with a determined effort that recalled the battling style of his sire.

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).

Belmont Stakes Still Made History

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Okay, so no Triple Crown, again. But the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) still made racing history. Da' Tara became the first male-line descendant of Man o' War to win an American classic since War Admiral took the Triple Crown in 1937. Tiznow, the sire of Da' Tara, is an extension of the Man o' War line through Cee's Tizzy, a son of Relaunch.

Divine Park Growing Sire's Legacy

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Divine Park, recent winner of the Met Mile, continues to prove the great potential possessed by her sire Chester House. When the Juddmonte Farms stallion died of cancer, his oldest foals were yearlings. Each subsequent crop to race has improved with his third and final crop, now 4, including 11 stakes winners to date. One of them is Divine Park.

Similar Inbreeding, Jay Peg & Big Brown

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Danzig within the third generation and inbreeding to an influential dam is a pedigree pattern shared by Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown and international group I winner Jay Peg, a son of Camden Park. Jay Peg has won eight of 13 starts as a freshman and sophomore, including group I victories in his native Singapore, South Africa, and in Dubai.

Danzig Line Rebounding

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Big Brown's victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and Hard Spun's second in the Derby last year are the latest indicators that the Danzig line is asserting some authority in America's premier dirt races. Want more proof? How about last year's older male champion Lawyer Ron (a son of Danzig's son Langfuhr)and the emerging sire Exchange Rate, who got two grade I winners in his first crop.

A Big Boost From Synthethic Surfaces

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Two years ago, Big Booster was a $35,000-$39,000 claimer running at Belmont Park. Today, he has the honor of being a grade II winner, having just taken the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita Park. The move west and several goes over the synthetic turf reinvigorated Big Booster's racing career.

Intense Concentration

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Monba's success could be tied to an intensifying of the influences of La Troienne. The Derby contender's pedigree is rich in the blood of Raise a Native and Buckpasser.

Recapturetheglory Going Long

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Unlike his sire and champion sprinter Cherokee Run, Recapturetheglory seems to improve with distance. There is not a lot to predict stamina on either side of the Illinois Derby's winners pedigree, but on the dam's side there is a source of stamina that may manifest itself on Kentucky Derby day.

'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).

War Emblem Battles On

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

The travails of War Emblem's stud career in Japan have been fairly well documented. Less realized, however, is that the results from his few representative runners have been extremely good, and that in 2008 he is already sire of three 3-year-old black type winners.

Big Truck Growing into His Potential

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Even though he had Tale of Ekati in his barn, trainer Barclay Tagg suggested Big Truck might be his most promising juvenile. The potential Big Truck possessed finally turned into performance in the Tampa Bay Derby, which he won with a gutsy drive against Atoned. Tagg believes Big Truck can handle the Kentucky Derby distance of a 1 1/4 miles. His pedigree raises some doubt.

Inbreeding Propels Spring Waltz

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Silver Charm has not been as dazzling a sire as he was a racehorse. Still, the son of Silver Buck is proving he can produce top-notch runners, such as Rampart Handicap (gr. II) winner Spring Waltz. The 4-year-old filly is apparently drawing her racing prowess from the same genetic well as her sire -- inbreeding to the great mare La Troienne.

Ever a Friend Improving with Age

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Only three months ago, 5-year-old Ever a Friend was claimed for $62,500 at Hollywood Park. Now Mike Mitchell's gelding by Crafty Friend looks like a bargain considering Ever a Friend just won the $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (gr. I). It was Ever a Friend's second stakes win since Dec. 31.

Cool Coal Man Makes It Two

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Another Triple Crown contender by a son of A.P. Indy is hot on the Derby trail. A couple of weeks ago it was Pyro, a son of Pulpit. Now it is Cool Coal Man, a colt by Mineshaft who recently won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) against a field of top challengers. He is extending the success already seen when A.P. Indy is crossed with Fappiano-line mares.

Regional Sires Bustin' Out

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Many top stallions began their stud careers in the regional markets, like City Zip, whose national profile is improving because of runners like General George Handicap (gr. II) winner Bustin Stones. City Zip began at Contemporary Stallions in New York and now stands at Lane's End Farm near Versailles, KY. The son of Carson City has sired nine stakes winners and a total of 21 stakes horses from his first 141 starters.

Porter on Pedigrees: Pyro

Racing journalists and for that matter journalists in general are noted for their weakness for a bad pun, and the impressive Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) winner Pyro has already given rise to more than a few. Therefore, I must ask the reader's indulgence, or at least credit for having made nothing more than a Freudian Slip, when I say that my first thought on looking at Pyro's pedigree was that the family has been "on fire" in recent years.

Realizing a 20-year-old Prediction

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

More than 20 years ago in Ken McLean's book "Tesio - Master of Matings" he predicted that the combination of Nijinsky II and the similarly bred Storm Bird would one day be a potent one. At the time, Storm Cat -- Storm Bird's most important stallion son -- had yet to cover a mare. McLean also predicted these sires would be most effective when they had receded to the third and fourth generations of a pedigree. What has come to pass is a cross that has produced 120 stakes winners, of which 60 are graded stakes winners and 20 are grade I winners.

Trick's Pic Reinforces Nick

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Favorite Trick has proven not to be as strong a sire as he was a racehorse. But a strong pattern, which can be found in his grade III-winning daughter Trick's Pick, shows that the right mare can bring out the best of his pedigree. The pattern is so strong that it appears in six of Favorite Trick's 11 stakes winners.

Successful Inbreeding to Siblings

I have long been intrigued by the potential upgrading effects of inbreeding through brothers, sisters, three-parts brothers and sisters, and other close relatives.

Giant Moon on the Rise

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Giant Moon displayed a lot of heart in winning The Count Fleet Stakes over a stubborn Spanky Fischbein and shows he should be a key contender among the East Coast 3-year-olds this year. One thing that shouldn't be a question regarding Giant Moon is his potential to stay the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) trip.

Harlan's Holiday's Next Generation

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Harlan's Holiday, who currently ranks second on the leading freshman sires list, is one of several grandsons of Storm Cat who are proving themselves as sires. His top runner to date is Into Mischief, winner of the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) at Hollywood Park on Dec. 22. Harlan's Holiday has also been represented by stakes winners Tasha's Miracle, Bear Holiday, P.S.U. Grad, and Harlan's Song.

Country Star Delivers on a Promise

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

If Empire Maker's career as a runner left his connections to speculate on what might have been trainer Bobby Frankel described him as the best he had trained, many lengths better than he was able to show his career as a stallion is rapidly beginning to shape as if to fulfill that unrealized potential through his offspring. One of his standouts is Country Star, who broker her maiden in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) on Oct. 5. Three weeks later, Country Star staked a claim to the juvenile filly championship with a track record-breaking win in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I).

Successful Inbreeding to Siblings

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Alan Porter has been intrigued for a long time by the potential upgrading effects of inbreeding through brothers, sisters, three-parts brothers and sisters, and other close relatives. Naturally, the top international group I winners Ramonti and Good Ba Ba attracted his attention because they are two interesting examples of inbreeding via siblings.

Romance Is Diane: In Excess Success

Romance Is Diane is the latest credit for California sire In Excess, who has long been the leading contender for the unofficial title of ?best North American sire standing outside of Kentucky.?