Halfway Home and Rounding Third
In order to give some insight into what buyers might expect from how the freshmen sires of 2016 are doing, we’ve come up with some statistical compilations to project where they might be long-term.
Pedigree Analysis
BloodHorse.com Pedigree Analysis Articles
When Tapit Met Galileo
Taking a journey into prognostication, we've hypothesized what might happen were mares by Galileo to meet up in the breeding shed with Tapit or his sons.
You're Not the Only Star in This Family!
Freud is the most successful stallion to have entered stud in New York and stayed there, but he cannot escape comparisons with his full brother Giant's Causeway.
Here Come the Freshmen - Part 2
In our first installment we focused on the new stallions with a half-dozen or more yearlings in the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale. Here we will look at 11 other stallions—those that had 50 or more foals in their first crop.
A Song in an Everlasting Garden
If your brain can sniff out what you remember about Songbird's third dam Torsion Belle, whose four black-type horses appear as siblings to Songbird’s second dam Beaty Sark (by Deputy Minister), a few bells might have started to ring.
Here Come the Freshmen
Here we go again, folks. The first yearling sale of 2016 will take place July 12 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky’s base in Lexington, and of the 347 cataloged, 122 (35%) are by 23 stallions that entered stud in 2014.
How a Sire Line Develops
There are two overriding theories of how breeders decide on a mating for racing, and possible future breeding success: Paper Pedigree Analysis and Physical Analysis.
Belmont Stakes Winners as Sires
Examining a widely held hypothesis that Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winners are not taken as seriously as potential commercial stallions as winners of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) or Preakness Stakes (gr. I), or both.
America's Galileo
The legacy of El Prado, who has emerged as a serious sire-line contender through two sons whose race records and stud accomplishments could not be more diverse.
The King Who Did Not Get the Throne
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Triple Crown series of 1966 when one horse almost swept the prize, but another horse who never ran in any of those races was named champion 3-year-old male.
Red Sailed into the Sunset
Examining the family of Red Sunset for a look at why Thoroughbred families die.
Pedigree Analysis: The Cup Starts to Fill Again
When compared with all the other stallions that retired in 2011, Kantharos came out on top on our weighted average projections.
Freshman Sires of 2016: Conclusion
Judging by how they looked at Gulfstream and Ocala, the seven by Hansen left little doubt that he will help establish Tapit as an emerging sire-of-sires.
Classics Preview: 2 Champions and 1 Contender
We have a unique opportunity to examine both the completely opposite pedigree patterns and remarkably similar biomechanical structures of three leading classics candidates.
Freshman Sires of 2016: Part 2
Unbridled was the product of a rather atypical son of Mr. Prospector in Fappiano, whose size and length and driving power came from his broodmare sire, Dr. Fager.
Freshman Sires of 2016: Part 1
Six stallions that are male-line descendants of A.P. Indy are represented in the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Florida juvenile sale.
Pedigree Analysis: Rock Sand
When Rock Sand swept the English Triple Crown series in 1903, many thought him lucky not to have faced Zinfandel.
Pedigree Analysis: Colonel John
The unpredictable nature of this business is illustrated by Colonel John, a top-class runner whose fee dropped to $7,500 for 2016 and suddenly has a pair of colts on the Derby Trail.
Pedigree Analysis: Almahmoud
Almahmoud, a fairly successful producer in her own lifetime, has become one of the great influences on the modern Thoroughbred.
A Big Weekend for Giant's Causeway Sons
Looking back to the weekend of Nov. 21-22, when no less than five sons of Giant's Causeway were represented by stakes winners in North America.
Pedigree Analysis: Affirmed
In spite of his tremendous accomplishments as a racehorse, Affirmed went to stud in 1980 with modest expectations compared to those being heaped on American Pharoah.
Sister Act: Idlewild and Aerolite
William 'Scott Billy' Buford, left a significant legacy through the sisters Idlewild and Aerolite.
Pedigree Analysis: Scat Daddy
Scat Daddy, a son of Johannesburg, and a great-grandson of Storm Cat, was represented by his seventh and eighth Northern Hemisphere 2-year-old stakes winners of 2015 in Surfside Tiara and Get Jets.
Pedigree Analysis: Blitey
Blitey was as well-bred as a mare could be and still have a rather offbeat pedigree.
Al Kazeem Back to Stud in 2016
Four-time group I winner Al Kazeem will stand for £12,000 (US$18,280) for the 2016 season after proving subfertile when initially retired. The 7-year-old will enter stud at owner/breeder John Deer's Oakgrove Stud.
Tapit Leads by 2015 Book Quality
For the third year in a row, Gainesway's Tapit leads all North American sires by Comparable Index (CI) of mares bred.
Pedigree Analysis: Soaring
Soaring's daughters as a group were speedy mares. When put to staying sires, however, they imparted a dash of quality speed, putting a finishing touch on Darby Dan's legacy of classic stamina.
Kitten's Joy to Stand for $100,000 in 2016
Leading turf sire Kitten's Joy will stand for a fee of $100,000 for the third straight year in 2016, Ramsey Farm announced Nov. 5.
Calumet Farm Sets 2016 Stud Fees
English Channel tops the Calumet roster at $25,000, followed by Oxbow ($17,500) and Red Rocks ($12,500).
Pedigree Analysis: Empire Maker
Empire Maker has returned to what appears somewhat of a transitional time in the U.S. stallion colony.
Pedigree Analysis: Frosted
Frosted is a son of Tapit, the first sire from the Seattle Slew line to benefit consistently from inbreeding to Seattle Slew.
Pedigree Analysis: Bloodroot
Bloodroot's title as the inaugural Kentucky Broodmare of the Year added one of the last of many laurels to the career of her breeder Edward Riley Bradley, who died in August 1946.
Pedigree Analysis: Ben's Cat
Sired by half brothers and out of full sisters, Ah Day and Ben's Cat share three of their four grandparents, and the differences between them may have a lot to do with that quarter they don't share.
Eleventh Keeneland Session Shows Gains
Topped by a $170,000 colt by first-crop sire The Factor, the Keeneland September yearling sale's 11th session posted gains as the auction continued to stay in positive territory overall.
Pedigree Analysis: Super Saver
Super Saver represents the male line of 1969 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Majestic Prince, a branch of the Raise a Native sire line that has been overshadowed by the much more numerous Mr. Prospector tribe.
Colonel John Colt Tops Keeneland Book 5
Keeneland's September yearling sale wrapped up its one-day Book 5 session Sept. 24 in Lexington with similar figures to last year's Book 5, and overall figures are still rolling ahead of last year's returns.
Pedigree Analysis: Beholder
As well as brilliance, Beholder has also showed rare versatility, scoring at 5 1/2, six, eight, 8 1/2, nine, and 10 furlongs.
The Importance of Racing at 2
Juvenile racing has held a controversial place in American racing since the late 1800s.
Pedigree Analysis: Caro
Caro stands at the head of an American sire line being kept alive by his great-great-grandson Uncle Mo, the current leader of the freshman and 2-year-old sire lists.
Smart Strike Stallion Sons
30 years after Tasso became the first grade I winner sired by a son of Mr. Prospector, another son of Mr. Prospector, Smart Strike, is emerging as a sire of sires.
Pedigree Analysis: Spinaway
Spinaway's family continues to produce runners of the highest class, so the race that carries her name at Saratoga is a wonderful way to keep her memory alive.
Pedigree Analysis: Busanda
Busanda is remembered as the dam of 1966 Horse of the Year Buckpasser, a four-time champion broodmare sire whose name is a familiar presence in pedigrees.
Pedigree Analysis: Doubling Down On Danzig
Discussion of inbreeding tends to become particularly animated when a really dominant stallion begins to be duplicated in pedigrees.
Pedigree Analysis: Nasrullah
A son of the brilliant Italian champion Nearco, Nasrullah was one of a cluster of important sires from his immediate family.
The Continuing Influence of Blushing Groom
Blushing Groom's influence is in the pedigrees of five recent graded stakes winners.
Pedigree Analysis: Noble Bird
Just a week after the completion of an epochal Triple Crown series, the Stephen Foster threw up a new star in Noble Bird.
Pedigree Analysis: Olympia
Olympia entered stud in 1951 at Danada Farm in Kentucky and proved a prolific sire, getting 40 stakes winners (12%) until his retirement in 1967. His progeny tended to have ample speed like himself.
Triple Crown Connections
Triple Crown winner War Admiral's name appears eight times in American Pharoah's pedigree.
Pedigree Analysis: Solow
Looking at his pedigree, it's not too surprising that Solow's connections -- trainer Freddy Head and owner/breeders Wertheimer et Frere -- would have expected Solow to require a test of stamina.
Tom Bowling, The Wild Horse
When Tom Bowling was a foal in 1870, a visitor remarked the colt would never stay a mile. Brilliant, quirky, and downright dangerous, he grew into one of the greatest runners ever bred in America.
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