Gala Award: Not Your Typical Turf Pedigree
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Gala Award does not have a pedigree that one would normally associate with a turf specialist, and his connections are now considering races such as the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.
Alan Porter
Kobe's Back Sprints Onto Derby Trail
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
The impression that Kobe's Back was an early season 2-year-old flash in the pan was dismissed when he won the San Vicente Stakes.
Samraat Brings Back Memories of Funny Cide
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Eleven years after Funny Cide became the first New York-bred to win the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), two more horses bred in the Empire State stamped themselves as legitimate classic prospects.
Into Mischief Confirms He's a Sire to Watch
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Lecomte Stakes winner Vicar's in Trouble is keeping the spotlight on his sire Into Mischief.
Noble Moon Full of Classic Promise
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
In just his third start, Noble Moon impressed with a determined two-length victory in the Jan. 4 Jerome Stakes.
Mr Speaker Hopes to Follow in Orb's Footsteps
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
If Mr Speaker is to follow in Orb's footsteps, he will have to make the switch from turf to dirt at some point, and according to his trainer that switch may come as soon as his next start.
King Kamehameha Son Dominates in Hong Kong
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Few Japanese runners in international competition have been more impressive than Lord Kanaloa, who won 13 of 19 starts overall.
Rise Up Scores for Late Sire Rockport Harbor
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Rise Up took Rockport Harbor to the head of the juvenile sire standings with his dominating victory in the Delta Downs Jackpot.
Bernardini Making Headway Down Under
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Bernardini's first Australian crop has produced not only multiple group I winner Boban, but also four-time group scorer Toydini and stakes winners Meidung and Solemn.
Kingston Hill Proves Merit of Mastercraftsman
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Mastercraftsman leapt to the top of the freshman sire list Oct. 26 following the victories of Craftsman in the JRA Killavullan Stakes and Kingston Hill in the Racing Post Trophy.
Astaire a Model for Close Inbreeding
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Astaire wasn't bred by trainer Jim Bolger, but he is by the Bolger-trained Intense Focus, and the Irish conditioner would surely approve of the inbreeding found in Astaire's pedigree.
In Trouble Signals Man o' War Line Survival
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
If the Man o' War line is to extend far into the current century, it will almost certainly rely on the success of Tiznow as a sire of sires.
Toormore: Another Good Horse for Arakan
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Toormore is the third group winner sired by Arakan, and the second out of Danzig line mare.
Sweet Success for Street Cry Line
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
One of the more interesting features of the last 10 days or so has been the hot streak for young sire sons of Street Cry.
A Date for Delta: Mating Royal Delta
Alan Porter analyzes potential stallions for champion mare Royal Delta using statistics from the Key Ancestors report. read blog
A Joyful Grade I Trio for the Ramseys
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Few owners in recent times could have been more committed to the stud career of a stallion than Ken and Sarah Ramsey have been to Kitten's Joy.
Justin Phillip Perseveres for Grade I Prize
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Justin Phillip made his racecourse debut Aug. 19, 2010 at Saratoga. Some 28 races later he gained a first grade I victory in Saratoga's Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I).
Princess of Sylmar is a Grade I Warrior
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Majestic Warrior has made impressive strides this season, second among second-crop sires by earnings, and leading with six individual stakes winners.
Ghostzapper's Starship Rising in 2013
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
It's not surprising that Ghostzapper's offspring would do best when given time, and it's more than likely that this was the reason for his perceived initial 'failure to launch.'
Close Hatches Makes First Defence
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Leading commercial sire Unbridled's Song is still looking for his true heir as a stallion, and he may have found it in First Defence.
Porter on Pedigrees: Palace Intrigue
Porter On Pedigrees
Alan Porter dives into the family of Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice.
Sahara Sky Taps Pleasant Bicoastal Success
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Conceived in Kentucky, foaled in Florida, and trained in Southern California, Sahara Sky made another cross-country journey to secure his first grade I victory.
Flotilla Sails to Transatlantic Success
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Flotilla, one of two 2012 Breeders' Cup winners for sire Mizzen Mast, returned to win the 2013 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-French One Thousand Guineas.
Forty Tales Were Revealed in Derby Trial
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
If Forty Tales is to achieve further fame it is far more likely that it will be as a sprinter rather than in the Classics.
Java's War Was Declared in the Blue Grass
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Java's War demonstrated he was a legitimate Derby threat with a thrilling last-to-first victory in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Storm Cat: Sire of a Lifetime
Alan Porter reflects on Storm Cat's passing and his dominance in an era of dominant stallions. read blog
Black Caviar's First Mating
- By Alan Porter
Today brought the news of Black Caviar's retirement from racing. The big question now is which stallion will have the privilege of serving the great mare in her first season at stud? read blog
Lines of Battle Advancing to Louisville
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Lines of Battle is likely to be the only starter in the Kentucky Derby to have won at in excess of nine furlongs.
Will Take Charge Following Family Tradition
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Less than a year after Take Charge Indy first made his mark on the classic scene, his half brother Will Take Charge set forth his Derby credentials.
Rydilluc Breezes Into Classic Contention
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Although he was unplaced in his only dirt start, on the score of pedigree, one wouldn't have many concerns about Rydilluc handling synthetic or dirt surfaces.
Rolling the Dice in Northern California
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Dice Flavor, who scored an impressive victory in this year's El Camino Real Derby, has yet to start on dirt.
Revolutionary Win for the Blushing Groom Line
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Making his 2013 debut, War Pass' son Revolutionary produced a remarkable performance, weaving through traffic to score a last-to-first victory in the Withers Stakes.
Oxbow's Decisive First Steps
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Oxbow took decisive first steps on the road to the Kentucky Derby with an 11 1/2-length victory in the Lecomte Stakes.
Into Mischief Propelled Into the Lead
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Into Mischief closed out 2012 as the third leading freshman sire, following late-season stakes wins by his sons Goldencents, Vyjack, and Sittin At the Bar.
Logotype Beyond Stereotype
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Lohengrin was not represented by anything of particular note from his first crop, but in his second crop he has not only Logotype, but also Gottfried.
Robe Tissage a Case of Quality Over Quantity
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
From time to time there are results that make us wonder, what if? One of those moments came Dec. 9 when Robe Tissage scored an upset victory in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (Jpn-I).
Overanalyze Rebounding Toward Classics
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Distance concerns were, to a degree, dispelled by his determined triumph over the Remsen's nine furlongs.
Freshman Sires Score
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Nov. 11 saw new stakes winners from a trio of freshman sires, two of whom were represented by their first black-type winners.
Exchange Rate Continues With Reckless Abandon
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Reckless Abandon, son of Exchange Rate, cemented his standing as Europe's top sprinting 2-year-old.
Power On Display in FrontRunner
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
There is a clear explanation for the turnaround that saw Power Broker transformed from thrice-defeated maiden to grade I winner, as the FrontRunner was the colt's first start on dirt.
Wise Dan: Formidable on Any Surface
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
With his smashing victory Sept. 16 in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Can-IT), Wise Dan underlined that he is a formidable performer on any surface.
Executiveprivilege a First Samurai Exception
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
First Samurai is regaining considerable momentum this year, and sits third on the table of leading sires of 2-year-olds and fourth on the third-season sire rankings.
Lady of Shamrock Brings Luck to Scat Daddy
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Lady of Shamrock's four stakes wins in 2012 have helped her sire Scat Daddy lead the second-crop sire list, just as he led the freshman sire list in 2011.
Fort Larned Is Best of E Dubai, Bayakoa Blood
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
The sharp end of a very open older horse division was added a new major player the first weekend in August when Fort Larned won the Whitney.
Silver Max: A Monster on Turf
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
While the leading dirt runners of the 3-year-old division have fallen by the wayside, Silver Max steadily has been establishing dominance of the second-season runners on the turf.
Mucho Macho Man Honors Holy Bull
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
On the same weekend that Darley announced the retirement of Holy Bull from stud duty, his grandson Mucho Macho Man paid due tribute with a stunning victory in the Suburban Handicap.
Twelfth Time a Charm for Love Theway Youare
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Love Theway Youare is an example of the cross of Arch over mares by Storm Cat and his sons that has now produced four stakes winners from only 17 starters.
Union Rags Dealt Stamina in Genetic Shuffle
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Leading up to the 2012 classics, many speculated that Union Rags could be the horse to end the long wait for a 12th winner of the U.S. Triple Crown.
Peter Pan Preps Mark Valeski for Future
Connections were rewarded for their patience when Mark Valeski, making only the sixth start of his career, produced a decisive victory in the Peter Pan Stakes.
Hierro Preps for Later Classics
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
This year's sloppy renewal of The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial lacked a Kentucky Derby hopeful but may have produced a classic prospect in Hierro.
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