Don't get me wrong, I will be rooting for Nicanor, but I just don't think he has the speed.

But Rockland is beautiful!  I never saw a pic of him before.  And I do love Smarty.

NICE PICS !, Thanks for Rockland Pic, Do you know if he is alright ?, No works since his race on 1/31/09.

   I will tell you this, Nicanor just has that look. I cannot explain it, but He Has IT. This guy will do incredible, I just have that feeling....

Thank you, Amanda.  I love both these colts.  Rocky is a wonderful boy, too.  May they both stay healthy and sound and may they both accomplish whatever they are able to.  In the

second photo, Nicanor looks like Lentenor (head and neck set) in other photos on this blog.  What is the latest with LVR?

i dont think nicanor will be any where near barbaro... i think letenor has the best chance between the two of them... got two more horses coming!

Thanks for the pictures.

Is there any idea when His next start will be?  I am really hoping that March 7 sounds like a good day. Crossing fingers until then. Nicanor is in my heart even if he never wins a Graded Stakes Race.

Thanks Amanda!

He certainly does look like Lentenor in the 2nd photo, methinks he is already looking a little more knowledgeable, on the track and in his stall, through his eyes. Nice pic of Rockland too, may they both say healthy!

What a change in Nicanor's demeanor.  Looks like he is really maturing. Finally putting it all together and beginning to understand that he is a racehorse.  

Oh! I love Rockland. Was a huge SJ fan when he was running. Thanks for sharing that picture.

I really hope for the best in Nicanor I do agree i don't think he has the speed.  On that second photo he does look like Lentenor. Good Luck Nicanor

I would love to see this horse be a quality racehorse, however he has shown very little in his works and showed little in his one race. Granted he is a beautiful specimen, but as it has been said before, this is not a beauty contest. I do wish him the best, but I remain doubtful

I hope they point Nicanor to the Preakness it would be fitting if he won that one but even if he never wins a race he will always be loved stay healthy beautiful boy as for Rockland he is a beauty he will go far he looks just like his dad.  

Thanks Amanda, Also, I am looking at either race #1 @ Gulfstream on Sat. 3/7/9, 7 Furlongs on dirt OR Race #10 @ Gulfstream also on Sat. 3/7/9, 7 1/2 Furlongs.  I will Say the shorter race on Sat. and earlier in the day Suits Nicanor a little better, but all speculation on my part.

Thank you Amanda, knew he had to be ready for another work out soon. Kept watching for any news. Mr. Matz is taking it easy with him, judging by the time he posted. That's okay by me, bring him around slowly and in good health. I think his start date will be more in the latter part of March. Just happy to know he's progressing. Waiting for the birth announcement, hoping all goes well.

Nicanor looks pretty impressive, but his works aren't much to talk about time-wise.  I'm looking forward to seeing his next race, it would be so wonderful to see him excell!!

I was one of the fans of Nicanor that had high hopes for Him.  Part of me doesnt want to give up on him another part feels he doesn't have the speed.  But no matter what i will follow him like i did with Barbaro and i will do the same with Lentenor.

I would have to agree that about 7Furlongs will suit him well.I think is you could set him up in a race that has an early pace that is fast he will close well with a clean break and trip.

Hi Amanda,

Thanks for the photos of Nicanor and Rockland. I've never seen Rockland before. He is gorgeous as well.

Also glad to see that Nicanor has his work look and his kind good natured look in the stall.

Thanks for the update. I really think Nicanor is starting to mature a lot more after his first race. He had a bad start so I'm not keeping that against him. I'm hopeful for him. I honestly think he will do much better as the year progresses and will probably be even better next year (if he runs as a 4yr old).

Greg, I share your gut feeling about Nicanor.  Many of us do.  He showed us something on January 31.  Re his works:  Michael works all his horses like that.  Moderate works.  I think he may want to save the speed for the track.

Thank you, Amanda for this blog.  It is a wonderful outlet for those of us obsessed by this "band of brothers."  I admit to being utterly obsessed by them.  

It's good to know that Nic is doing okay and that he's recovering nicely from his injury.

Rockland looks a rather lot like his sire. He sure is a looker!

Nicanor is such a beautifal hores. I think he might be a late bloomer. I think he will get better with age. and do great things. Oh and how are things going with La ville rouge.

Rockland looks just like his old man-let's hope that is a good sign.

Best thing for Nicanor is to get another race into him ASAP. He needs to learn his trade and get some experience. Sooner he learns those things, the more confidence he will have.

Clearly he does not have Barbaro's talent. But he may turn out to be be a really good older horse.

But like Barbaro-he is absolutely beautiful.

Rockland IS a beautiful horse and at a racetrack, is very well behaved.  Apparently, Michael feels he has to be careful around him because Rocky will bite without hesitation.  An article published recently mentioned that.

Lentenor will be better than Nicanor. But neither will be a Barbaro.

I agree that he has the look BUT I don't think he will be stellar in his 3 year old career. I think he will be a bit of a late bloomer, much like Cigar was

I think Nicanor is a nice looking athletic horse but does not have Barbaro's talent or spark which was apparent very early on- Matz himself has said he is still looking for another horse like Barbaro, even after he had Nicanor. Maybe Nicanor can be a nice performance sport horse in eventing or show jumping (Matz could train him for this too!). As much as I would love for him to win and succeed, I am not holding my breath for a racing career.

These pictures and the ones previously posted of Lentenor, really show that Nicanor & Lentenor both have Dynaformer's head, but they have LVR's eyes. I think Barbaro's head was more delicate, not sure thats the right word, like his dams. No question, they are all beautiful. I would take any one of them home. This is the first time ive seen a picture of Rockland, he's a very nice looking colt. Can you tell me whats going on with Ice Road ? With all this news of Unbridled's Song (i just love him) babies on the derby trail, i think there are 4 of them,  he's one i havent heard about.

Good to hear he is starting to take his training seriously again after his injury. Hopefully it won't be too long before we see him on the race track again after a few more good works!

You can't really go off of Nicanor's first race, as he had a horrible bad start and got injured going out of the gate.  Of course he wasn't going to run his best.  Give him a few races, let him figure everything out, THEN make proclamations on whether or not he will be a good racehorse.  Not every horse starts out as fabulous as Curlin, Barbaro & Big Brown.  Some horses take a few tries before they put everything together & figure out the task they're supposed to do.  He also may not run his best during workouts without competition.  Most racehorses are very competitive and run better with competition then they do in solo works.  

I did like what I saw in the race, I was impressed that he managed to get to fifth with his injury.  I still maintain I don't believe Edgar Prado is the right jockey for this colt.  Prado is very aggressive and I think Nicanor needs a more gentle and patient hand while he figures things out.  Nicanor strikes me as being more sensitive than hig older brother was.

He can't do any worst then his first race.He is not going to be in the Preakness, that is not reality.If he does win this year they will retire him to stud, no way will they run him as a 4 yr old if he's any good which remains to be seen.He certainly cannot be compared to his brother. If he throws in a clunker like his first race -will there be another excuse?

Rockland looks so much like his daddy-- maybe he has some of his talent when he makes it to his first race.  Is he as small as SJ or a bit bigger?? such a handsome boy!

As for Nicanor, even if he doesn't do well as a racehorse, I'm sure there will be a draw for him as a stud.  He is a full brother to Barbaro and has no inbreeding (as I remember) to Northern Dancer.  As much as I love the Dancer (I am Canadian, after all, LOL), I would like to see more stallions make it to stud that are like Barbaro and Nicanor.  We need to dilute some the Thoroughbred blood and the influence that the Dancer has put on the breed.

I have to echo Rechelle's sentiment (my kindred spirit).... Edgar Prado is the wrong jockey for Nicanor at this time.  Nicanor is a sweetheart, whereas Barbaro was a fire-breather.  Please, until Nicanor figures it all out, do not put Edgar back on him.  I know it is an unpopular sentiment around here.  I have seen Edgar fry a lot of horses.  Nicanor needs soft guidance at this time until the light bulb comes on.

FYI, Rockland has raced 4 times, 2 wins, 1 third. FYI, Northern Dancer IS in Nicanor's Blood. Inbreeding is pretty much part of the sport, You could probably say the dancer line is in ninety percent of all TB's, some more then others.

It is great to hear that Nicanor is back to his old routine.  I have to say that I am very impressed with Nicanor and his connections for a couple of reasons.  To me Nicanor showed that he had a litle ability in his debut.  Even though he got hurt in his race he still managed to show the speed that he might have or might have even more we don't know yet how good or maybe he may not.  But to me it seems that if Nicanor was not worth it I think Michael would have waited a lot longer for them to race Nicanor.  I think Michael might have seen something in Nicanor's first race because he already is getting him ready for his next race in early March like how he said and that has to mean something.  Other than that we will see if Nicanor has talent or not, but I know I am not counting him out yet he seems to have a kind of aura about him that his big bro once had.  Anyways thanks for the updates on Nicanor Amanda.

it funny,  NICNOR is a claimer at best.

lol

Rockland is a ok horse now, but nothing special.

like the photos. still keeping my fingers crossed for nicanor to show what ablity he has, but i trust his trainer to take the right course.

Nicanor is surely a beautiful horse. Rockland is not as good looking but then, horseracing is not a beauty contest. Thanks for the pictures of both horses. I'll continue to wish Nicanor the very best. Perhaps he is a late bloomer like some of the other great horses of the past. Even if he never goes on to race, I am hoping the public will still have access to him in other ways. My family and I would really like to have the opportunity to visit him someday.

So excited to hear about this workout.  It is quite a bit faster than the last one and I think he is getting back into shape.  He will get back to where he was previously.

His work out was a full 3 seconds faster than the last posted over the same distance.

I just dont know though. He doesnt seem to have the heavier build barbaro had. Nor the maturity Barbaro showed off the bat.

its all in the air.

Amanda.  Thanks for the pics and the news.  A YEAR??????  I never knew that.  Wow that is a long time to be preg.  So with that in mind she could very well be another couple of weeks or more aye?  :)

Nicanor is so handsom and so is Rockland.  

the Phantom

He had a very good excuse.  It was valid.  He got injured and thank GOD he had Prado on him.  That is why he is better and on four legs not in the dirt.  MM doesn't need to make up excuses.  He is way above that.  

The Jacksons will see that Nicanor lives a great life even if he never wins a race. Hopefully he will, but only time will tell.

First time I've ever seen Rockland. He is also a beauty and

I will keep a watch on him.

Sounds like people are finally facing the reality that Nicanor may not possess the ability of his brother. I think too much expectation was placed upon him. It's like siblings in a human family - not all are endowed with the same talents. He may develop with age & he may not. One thing we can all agree on, a long & happy life for Nicanor & Lentenor.

Thanks Amanda for the update and the lovely photos of Nicanor and Rockland who looks like butter would not melt!  But they say he bites!  Looks can be deceptive can't they! But he is a handsome colt and will hopefully do very well! Great to see "Smarty" doing well with his early runners!  Hope he gets some champions!

Hope Nicanor improves for his first race and has a postive experience next time he races.  He does look like he would be better at 4 and his connections seem like the types who may give him the chance to stay in training and not be over race him this year.

Stay healthy and well Nic and Rock and Godspeed!

God Bless

Best wishes

Abbie

Nicanor looks like a great hunter prospect. Great show horse.

Amanda, several of us would like to know about Ice Road and Jerboa, neither of which has worked out in months.  Are they still in Michael's barn?

This is Nicanor.  This is an important read.

Bold Ruler, son of Nasrullah was a headstrong sort who despised rating, which cost him any chance in the Kentucky Derby.  He used up too much energy fighting the jockey, and finished 4th.  But in the Preakness the jockey let the free-running colt have his own way, and he won.  Bold Ruler is the sire of Secretariat.  Nicanor is a free-running colt.  Let him have his own way.  Don't rate him.  It won't work with this colt.      

Kayte, I so agree with you.  Barbaro and Nicanor are not excessively inbred to the ND line.  In my opinion, Nicanor reminds me of Bold Ruler; the Ruler had a mind of his own.

I agree too with Greg.  He just has that look of intelligence.

I rarely post on this blog but have followed it from day one. A lot of you are still trying to compare Nicanor to Barbaro. Nicanor is Barbaro's brother period. Throw out Nic's first race and hope for the best in his next race.  As for Edgar Prado being aggressive, what are you nuts? Did you watch Nicanor's race? Nic pulled Edgar along till he caught up to the pack. That wasn't Edgar being aggressive that was Edgar holding on until he could settle Nicanor down. Once Edgar got Nic under control he realized he had no horse left and eased up. So Nicanor isn't Barbaro so what let the kid learn the game of racing at his own pace who knows he might just surprise us all.

I need to respond to some people. I have been reading along and following Nicanor since he was born. I really like that Michael knows what he is doing and takes his time with the colts as needed.

Brian - How can you say that about his works. They are works and if you read they say breezing, not running. That shows me it is not intended to be all out speed. I was impressed how he came out of the gate slow and managed up to the middle of the pack before Edgar realized something was not right and eased up on him.

Ruffian - I would love to see Nic become as good as Cigar. If I remember correctly, Cigar was a awesome horse. I think that Nicanor has a lot of wins in him still.

Phamtom - I doubt very seriously that the Jacksons would retire Nicanor to stud after one year. They obviously are not like Mike Ivarone who only thinks of money. Wouldn't it be funny if Big Brown turned out like Cigar.  If you remember, Cigar never sired a foal.

Let me just say I am a very experienced horsemen and I can't believe all of the doubters, some race horses downright stink in their works and really get it during a real race, thats where it counts, afternoon not mornings. He is young and only 1 race in, give the guy a break already, if he won geez, you'd all be behind him 100%, We all like winners right? LOL. You either like him for what he is and does or you don't, simple. Time will tell what's in store for Nick, and Nick only knows. either way I'm behind him 100% HorseRacing is a very risky for the horse and the owners, at least Nick's connections care what happens to him, if he was in the hands of a JIP trainer and owner he'd be raced into the ground by now. Just Love Nick for Nick, UNCONDITIONALLY.

My what a family resemblance there, I see all brothers and mom.  Nicanor is AWESOME.

Rockland is stunning...

Both horses are very handsome.I have tons of faith in Nicanor lets be optimistic he will do great things.

After reading the above notes one would guess that Nicanor is not well liked by most of you.

BriGuy,VaHorseWomen thank you for your comments. They were needed  

Thanks for posting Rockland's picture, he looks just like his father! I have always said Lentenor is the one to watch. I would watch for Stardom Bound for this year's Derby winner!

Just remember that many horses do not do well on their first time out. When people say Nicanor won't amount to anything, it is like a sea of grass telling an oak seedling that he won't amount to anything.

In my opinion....

I think Nicanor can do anything he sets his mind to do. I agree with Mary, Nicanor is a free running spirit. Nicanor may prove me wrong, but I do hope Nicanor proves those of you who have no faith in this colt wrong.

And for those of you who prefer to see Nicanor as a show horse, I am sure he could do that as well...maybe Nicanor could do that gig part-time, when he is not on the race course.

that first picture, looks like all fours off the ground...just like someone else that we are in love with. lots of love precious baby.  mdfanofracing, i would also love to hear if anyone has an update on nickys stablemate, ice road, another beautiful horsey!!          

Ragsy, VaHorseWomen, Well Stated, It is funny reading some posts, "Ignorance is Bliss",  they say, So when I read some comments I always think of that quote. I could go on and on about what Nicanor's first race taught him and Michael(To Be Competitive, The Crowd, The Gate, Jockey, The other Horses, Grabbing his Quarter,  etc.). In hindsight, the injury, contact with horse in gate # three, the stumble, the burst from last to 5th in a blink of an eye, etc. This probably could have been the best thing to happen to Nicanor, In time, The amount of experience from this first race is more then just a perfect race with no adversity. And as Michael said, "It looks like Nicanor learned alot from that race" says it all. Also, as far as his times in his works, Experienced Horse people here realize, His times mean nothing as far as how fast a runner he is, They are to gauge so MANY other aspects of Nicanor's ability, too many for me to list, but most people will get what I am saying., So with all that said, I Trust Michael, Peter, Roy & Gretchen, Edgar, and of course Nicanor !, When History is written about this Family, We can say, "WOW, we saw History unfold before our eyes from day one", Mark my word......

Va HorseWomen

Boy do I ever agree with your post.  Nicanor couldn't be with a better team.  He has it made as well as Lentenor and Babynor and all of the other brothers of Barbaro.  They get to be horses.  

Always happy to read any and all updates.  I love the Thoroughbreds and racing, but I REALLY LOVE THE PICTURES!  Thank you.

Here are some great pictures of Nicanor(from ABR, Alex Brown Racing). Sign into Facebook to get them I believe ! Picture six of nine is my favorite, he is getting a bath, looks like he is smiling !), Enjoy....

amanda, I don't think I put link in previous post, if not, could you add this :

www.facebook.com/group.php

Greg J & Va HorseWomen:

RIGHT ON !!!!!!!!!!

Mary:

I agree, I stated earlier in one of the blogs that it was Nic's idea to turbo boost up to the pack, NOT Prado's. LOL He will learn to rate a bit, but I think Prado will know when to "let him go" next time. The best is yet to come, in opinion!

For all those who are commenting about Nicanor being a showhorse.  The youngest you'll see a showhorse be is normally 7, for serious shows.  Nicanor has too good a pedigree, he won't be a showhorse.  He'll go to stud after racing and if he isn't a good sire, he'll most likely live out his life either with the Jacksons or at the Hall of Champions.  

For SQ: IEAH is putting Stardom Bound in a race on April 2.  They are quite well known for not turning a horse around that quickly for another race.   They bought a colt that they are trying to prep for the KD.  3yo fillies should not run against the boys, IMHO.  Let the girls face the boys when they are older.  I am not so opposed to SB racing the SA Derby, since it is on a track that is proving safer than conventional dirt (first BC in how many years that had NO catastrophic breakdowns?).  I wouldn't hold my breath that Stardom Bound will be in the KD.  Iavarone won't want to risk his star filly being injured or worse.

Horsenut, you are right.  I'm sure that Prado will know when to let him go.

Kathy, it was a beautiful sight watching Nicanor run like that; he was really blazing along. He is our free-running colt.

please, don´t you think is more more more interesting to track the kids of INSIDE INFORMATION, BETTER THAN HONOUR, HEVENLY PRIZE,SERENA´S SONG,MY FLAG, FLANDERS and many other champions and outstanding producers...  it´s just a suggestion... we always want to know about those colts and filles... pleeeeeease!

Phantom , i agree what excuse will they use next time if he quits or finishes as a also ran. For the record stardust, nic was out jogging 2 days after the race  -so how bad of an injury could it have been, certainly not enough to stop him from running. Prado knows the horse quit and knows who pays him and chose his words carefully  . The video shows nic crossing the finish line running and no limp on his return to the barn.Matz was under pressure to get the horse to a race and knows he's nowhere near Barbaro in talent.there area lot of 3 year olds who are much better and worth watching.

Tish,tish just go ahead and watch those better,worth while 3 year olds....

Nicanor is a good 3 year old to watch while he is not Barbaro, he is delightful to watch!! After all, Nicanor does not know that Barbaro is his brother,nor does he know the accomplishments of his older brother, only us u--- people know that..GO NICANOR!!!!!!!!Smoooch to you.

Hey 2 timer, Do you know anything about Horse Racing ?, You have said the same thing more then once, excuses, jogging two days later no limp, yada, yada, yada....Please, Educate yourself, Thanks:

Nicanor's Injury:

Over-reaching, or “grabbing a quarter”, is defined as the toe of a hind foot hitting the back of the front foot on the same side. There are many degrees of over-reaching varying from the hind foot barely brushing the back of the front foot or barely making contact with the shoe of the front foot to the more severe injuries that involve lacerations of the bulb of the heel and even tearing a large portion of the bulb of the heel completely off. Less commonly the back of the pastern area may even be involved. When a racehorse breaks from a starting gate during their early training and as they gain racing experience, they learn where to place their feet to keep from interfering. When they are involved in any type of unexpected contact with other horses as they break from the starting gate, it throws the placement of the limbs completely off and contributes to the cause of over-reaching. Another scenario involves a horse that breaks so hard that the ground “breaks out from under him” and contributes to an over-reaching injury. Sometimes, When this occurs the injury to the bulb of the heel can be fairly minor (a small insignificant laceration) or it can be very severe and cause a lameness producing injury that can take many weeks to heal, or even jeopardize the future racing career of the individual. Even when the laceration is small, it can affect the racing performance of the individual, especially if their pain tolerance is fairly low. This is especially true if it becomes inflamed and sore to palpate. While not severe enough to cause an observable lameness, it often seems to become a mental thing with the horse and they are very aware of the injury. a small injury to a quarter can definitely contribute to a poor performance of an individual. This is especially true of an individual that has a low pain tolerance. So… it probably wasn’t just an excuse !, OK, I really hope this educated you, and if you really looked at the video of the race , you can clearly see this happened, So Please, Try not to repeat yourself again, because NOW you are a little more educated on the injury....Thanks...

Wow.  Quite a conspiracy story you have got going.  Matz was under pressure to start the horse (even though he completely removed him off the work tab for 7 months, not to mention he already has a Derby win.)  Plus he is lying about the quarter crack (to me it is quite obvious he stumbled out of the gate from the replay, and bumped the 3 horse). And: Prado lied because he knows who pays him--r u kidding?  Prado's cut from Matz or Lael is nothing compared to his overall earnings cut.  That guy will be booked for as many mounts as he'll ever want--Pletcher alone could keep him enriched forever.  And the excuse from the owner, right makes sense, brilliant, most Rockefeller heirs care alot about impressing an internet blog, by making up injuries, to justify a horse's performance in a Maiden Special Weight.  Finally, what does jogging a horse on grass or turf to assure he is not lame 2 days after a grabbed quarter have to do with anything? It is common practice.  The horse may or may not be good, but either way, the connections are going to tell you how it is.

Ragsy, what's so delightful about watching a hyped up horse quit in a race when he got into the heat of the battle???What's so good about him besides being Barbaro's brother, you wouldn't even bother posting a blog.Kentucky Derby time, Nic won't be on anyone's mind.I prefer to watch this year's crop of 3 yr olds who have talent and will be factor's in the triple crown.I know most real knowledgible racing fans feel the same way.Beer drinking Billy Carter had a famous brother but was Billy worth anything besides a laugh?

Whew, Thanks Brettzky99, I was waiting to hear about the Grassy Knoll next ! , lol.....

Greg J and  brettzky99,its not common practice to joga injured horse especially with the trainers today  its worth repeating . He was a stiff in the race , I don't buy the injury excuse for his poor performance he was out jogging 2 days later so if it was so painful why did matz have him out so fast.  they wanted another Barbaro but reality set in after 1 race.yea I know about racing and here is a tip don't bet this horse next time out.In New York they would have booed him off the track.

As for Prado its called being politically correct.If he told the truth he'd lose mounts.lets see what the next excuse will be?The horse was  all hype like the green monkey.Don't like to read the truth skip my opinion and smile , the repeating apparently doesn't sit well with daydreamers.

Once again I will reiterate my thoughts.  Love Nicky Knocks, win or lose and will take whatever he can give to racing. Still think he will be a much better race horse at 4-5 than now, might have more of his dad's genes to perform better later.  Some can berate him if you choose, that is your opinion only but I think he will show us all down the road that he is a GOOD horse.  Win or lose I really don't care as long as he is safe and happy at what he is doing.

brettzky99

Perfect words.  They have no reason to make anything up.  They happen to be in the honest range.  :)

Greg J.

Right on.  Good eduaction there.  Keep it coming on a positive note.  :)

Glad to see Nic is working again. He may not be Barbaro or anything great but he is himself. I love him for who is is and always will. I wish him the best and onlt hope he proves himself to all the nonbelievers.

Hi Brettzky, glad to see you are back!  We've missed you.  Your knowledgeability and opinions are worth putting up with 2timer, if that is the price we pay for coming here to this blog.  Welcome back. Now, please go to Lentenor's video and tell us what you think.

All of a sudden, I saw this horse blazing up the inside rail and in an instant I realized that it was Nicanor. I stopped breathing at that point and watched him move through the crowd effortlessly (thanks Edgar) and honestly thought he was going to run on up on the outside to take the lead.  When he didn't (because Edgar had eased him up), I was very disappointed but felt there must have been a reason.  Afterwards, I was very encouraged and excited by what I saw.  Mary, I totally agree with you. I think he has it in him and in time, it will come through.

brettzky99, I agree with you.  Nicanor's connections have no reason to lie.  It's not about money; they already have a lot of that.  Remember "Man In Havana"; the trainer told the Jacksons' that the horse didn't like to run, so they gelded him and now he is simply a pleasure horse.  So if Matz were to tell the Jacksons' that Nicanor did not have the talent, then the Jacksons' would take him off the race track.  They did it with Man In Havana, so if you think about this rationally, it is obvious that they would do the same with Nicanor. Prado worked with Nicanor before his maiden race and was honest with his assessment of the horse and the race.    

Such hate for Nicanor, some of the people here are not too nice...looking forward to that new addition guess,no news is good news.. Nicanor when I am sitting in a chair at the Kentucky Derby, you bet,I will be thinking about you, maybeee,with a beer in hand my sweet fella....

Hey some of you critizise edgar for not doing what is right but you have to remember that nicanor hit his foot on the gate a horse that hits his foot on the gate usually takes him awhile to get back up and i find it kindof odd when you critizise edgar when you said he was the best jockey for nicanor.  I don't think he has alot of speed his numbers are all over the board but there is one thing you have to remember practice is just practice it don't count for anything.  As for Lentanor i am not going to tell you how i really fill aobut that horse untill he runs but so far so good i think also if you put that much pressure on nicanor you will have the same disappointment you have with nicanor.  And as for Rockland i know alot of people think he is good but did you see his performance in the holy bowl i realize he has had two first place finishes prier to that but the kentucky derby may not be on the radar it just depends on what he does in the next few weeks i kindof think this is funny that this is a nicanor blog and we are talking about rockland that should say something.  Is everyone so despret to find the next diamond in the rought.  I am sorry i just don't agree with whats happening right now.  I wish nicanor all the best but he won't run next year.  

Matt H., Just a heads up, This is a blog about Nicanor and his Brothers, and sometimes other tidbits of info, yes,  but you say that it is funny that this is a Nicanor blog and we are talking about Rockland and you are hinting that we have given up on Nicanor, First off, Amanda posted a picture of Rockland, FYI, Nicanor and Rockland were once Stable mates, So it was relavant for the picture, Also, A few people have mentioned what a good looking colt Rockland is, and out of 85 posts, I don't think any are about Rockland in depth, except one, which I let someone know about Rock's racing record. So NO, I don't think any of Nicanor's follower's are looking for the next diamond in the rough, I believe a Big Majority of Nicanor's followers will follow him His whole lofe, not just win or lose.....

Ragsy  and Greg J

The thing I really don't understand is why in the world would someone come to a blog dedicated to Nicanor and the the brothers of Barbaro and put down the horses, trainers, jockey and owners.  That makes ZERO sense.  A healthy debate as Amanada so often states is OK but this is really not OK.  This is Nicanor's blog and he is the horse that we all love.  I can't speak for anyone else but even if he was gelded I would love him just as much.  I happen to have an attachment to ALL of the Barbaro family of horses and the FOB's.  The hell with winning.  He is loved just because he is who he is.  He is a very special horse.  If he wins great, if not, hey that is fine too.  We will still all love him.  Or most of us anyway.  Prado keeps in on four legs and MM keeps him healthy and he couldn't have a better set of owners.  WE know that if something were to happen to him he would have the best doctor.  They love their horses.  

Love you Nicanor.   :)

We talk about Rockland because M.M. also trains Rockland and Rockland has been one of Nicanor's workout buddies. And we also talk about Rockland because there is the occasional dry period when we don't hear a lot of or about Nicanor.

Oohs and Ahs for Nicanor...

Glad you are feeling better big guy. Hang in there and show everyone how good you are...

Brettzky99/Greg J;

I think 2 time player must be doing a study for pyschology class on how long it takes for one to respond to buttons being pushed and repeated comments. Why else would he be here? Maybe he will actually learn something about how people don't have to have complete perfection in their lives to enjoy something?

Kathy.  I love Rockland and the connection.  Those two horses are probably really good buds.  And MM is worth looking at ALL of his horses.  He is a down to Earth loving man that truly cares about the horse.  He has done some amazing things in his life.  The Olympic Games, the plane crash, on and on.  I adore the way he takes care of his horses.  

I would like to see a win for Larry this year at the Derby but I am scared to death that something again may happen.  I don't think he would ever get over another breakdown.  OF an FF are the picks for Larry.  I somehow feel that SB (if she is in the Derby) will take that race.  It still is too early though.  I also like CC.  Just too many horses and too much time to the Derby to really tell. Look at Casino Drive. He was going to run the Belmont with Prado and try to upset KD and got hurt the very last minute.  Anything can happen.  These are horses.  Race day at the gate is when it really counts.  :)

Now I've heard it all.  Trainers today?  Ok, well since you know something I don't, as of yesterday it is not unusual for a horse with a quarter crack to jog on grass or turf 2 days later.  Secondly, the trainer openly has stated that he is no Barbaro, and also that his resemblence to Barbaro is marginal, and that he is closer to his half brother out of La Ville Rouge.  As for the owner, they don't need another Barbaro, but I'll give you a tip toward their strategy.  If you TruNick Dynaformer across  Carson City mares, you arrive at a sliglty above opportunity mating 1.65, not spectacular but decent, where as 1.50 is  at opportunity.  So the mating would produce winners at slightly higher rate than Dynaformers aggregate percentages.  Also, you weight it a touch higher since Dynaformer's recent crops have been more successful than his earlier crops.  Essentially, by duplicating the mating four times, you have a more than reasonable chance of having another graded stakes winner.  Obviously not certain, but a  very reasonable chance.  Secondly, since there really hasn't been a Dynaformer son, who is an outstanding stallion, perhaps there is Stud potential (even though there is the detriment of not having available many Mr. Prospector mares).  That is why Headley Bell keeps sending LVR back to Three Chimneys .  A graded stakes winner with breeding rights, pays for the full family, and if it doesn't they are woth 9 figures anyway.  They know they don't have or need another Barbaro, but the duplicate mating will statistically pay off in the long run--so it doesn't make a difference if Nicanor "quit" in a MSW or wasn't injured, or was forced to start---whatever the conspiracy is.  As for Prado losing mounts--please advise as to where Jimmy Hoffa is---lunacy.

Stardust, you love a horse because he's Barbaro's brother and don't care if he wins a race-you sure not  a true racing fan. where does it say this is a blog for those who love nic only? all of us giving a opinion about his ability or lack of it has just as much right as your opinion.apparently your a nic groupie -as i said just because he is Barbaro's brother doesn't make him anything special. As for your not caring his not winning a race or not i'm sure the trainer and owners have a different view-like they'd love for him to win.That may not happen and all the hype is ridiculous.I don't hate the horse, owner's or Prado just stating my opinion of the horse from a racing viewpoint.

Does anyone remember that song,guess its pretty old but, "its sometimes a diamond, some days a stone sometimes the hard times will not leave me alone"  just a few words from the song.  Made me think of this blog.

Stardust, I just love what you say and also, believe what you say.  

One thing about Rockland, why does he bite people and the trainer, I just hope he did not bite Nicky,and teach him bad manners...

I am for Nicky for better or worse along with all of the Jackson babies, Love forever for those fella's

Nicky is so special to me, followed him since birth and would love to follow him throughout his life now thats love,love,love....thats what makes the world go around.

isnt that right Stardust..why I do believe I would have Nicanor withdrawals.

Skip my posts if you don't want the truth insinuates providing facts.  The horse quit is a valid opinion, I guess, although many would disagree since he stumbled, bumped, and was reportedly injured, and would consider the race a throwout.  The connections not telling the truth, seemingly much less valid, since the connections aren't typically pegged with that charecter, and have nothing to prove (since they already produced rhe most decisive KD winner in 60 years) but whatever, ok.  They wanted another Barbaro--that's a real tough one, since Nicanor was foaled in 3/2006, therefore concieved 10-12 months earlier, before Barbaro was ever raced, by at least 6 months.  Not to mention since Barbaro had not yet won the Derby or even raced it is pretty safe to assume they booked LVR a year earlier, like anyone else would have to , given Dynaformers always full book.  Barbaro was a yearling at that point. Your opinion of the race how you saw it is your opinion, but why would you expect anything else you provided to be considered?

FYI, Frolic's Dream makes her first start for Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables in the Davona Dale Stakes. They purchased her a couple weeks ago, Her race is this Sunday, Hope she does well......

Ragsy  Yeah I would be having serious withdrawls without these beautiful horses.  Heck, I think of Barbaro every day. He is all over my livingroom with pictures and nick nacks.  Nicanor and Lentenor are both just as loved as Barbaro is.  Oh an LVR.  Well of course her.  

A true FOB stands by our horses. They are the our/the nations horses because they have the ONE owner in this country that is wonderful enough to share them with all of us. They all have all of our love and support and donations for that deadly desease that killed Barbaro!  We are going to finish the 7th race that Barabaro left us with through all of his connections.  

Because of Barbaro, we now have safer racing, and so many things good are coming out for the horses.  With Nicanor, him being the full brother to Barbaro is good enough for me.  I loved that horse before he was born as with Lentanor and of course the new one any day now.  Yeah I am a FOB.  Do I love racing?  Not unless it is safe for the horses.  I don't love the breakdowns and I don't love the things that are not good.  

With all of us and there are a lot of FOB's, we will win this race that Barbaro started.  The result will be good for ALL horses whether they are race horses or not. :)

HI Greg.  Like your post.  Thanks for the information.  :)

OMG, how I wish Nicanor's next race could be a decisive win!  Truth is, that won't shut 2timer and the others up[ -- they'll still have their theories as to why it was a fluke that he won and be back here to annoy us all.  Let's just ignore him -- no interaction = no reason to post.  He feeds off our reactions to his posts.

I like Frolic's Dream pedigree.  Good balance between the Native Dancer and Nasrullah lines.  She won her first 3 races, but came in 3rd in her 4th race.  

Nicanor didn't quit as some are suggesting.  He was done by the 1/4 pole, but that is not the same as quitting.

He used all he had when he made an early move to catch the field after he was left at the gate.  He had nothing left.  Horses usually only have one move in a race, and he used his in the first half mile.

Prado didn't ease him before he was done.  Prado was riding him hard, but wrapped up on him when he realized he had nothing left to give.  All that talk of easing him when he realized he had grabbed himself is just being politically correct.  I bet the first time Prado realized he had grabbed himself was when he got off and saw some blood.

Will he make a decent racehorse?  Who knows.  Things are not looking very promising, but I'm sure he will be given every opportunity to succeed.

Ragsy, Rockland likely bites because he is a colt.  There is a reason the vast majority of colts are gelded!

Don't really care if you consider or not #99, read my blogs nowhere did I say the owners weren't telling the truth,Matz and Prado used the politically correct posture in thier statements.  The fact is they hoping [and most of you reading this to]he would  be just like Barbaro in ability after enjoying the great sucess of Barbaro. Yea the bumping,stumbling, etc more excuses, he got into the heat of the battle and folded like a tent- quit quit,quit a FACT! Same old song must really shatter the daydreamers fantasy  illusions.He was a also ran who faded .OOH that fact hurts uh daydreamers.Give him 2 more races if he doesn't win or show some talent it'll be retirement at least he has the potential to a very good stallion based on bloodlines.I wonder how many of you will actually place a bet on him to win next time?Remember this is a blog which people give their opinions and if he does win I'll gladly eat crow!

RhondaH,

  If you think the Jackson's are not in the horse racing business to make money. Then why did they keep Barbaro alive so long? To make money from his breeding! They knew he would never race again.

I concur with brettsky, stardust and most everyone else.

Sorry, 2 X, I follow them, right or wrong, daughters, sons, etc. I still keep tabs on Genuine Risk's only breeding offspring, and he never raced. Most of his foals have headed for the polo matches. So....

Nic decidedly has a different look! I, like most of us, think he's grown up quite a bit.

Thanks, Amanda, I was wondering what Rockland looked like.

And, thanks, Greg. I have added Frolic to my virtual. Had wondered about her. And, yep, I'm pulling for SB for the Derby, if she's entered. I tend to pull for the fillies, like GR and WC. Miss them both. I don't believe that the girls can't do it! Believed that in '75, too. The big R would have nailed FP, MD and A to the rail!

Of course, if the fates twist something and Nic ends up there, or Frolic, I am going to have a really hard time. I'll go hoarse! :) Exciting times!

Thank you, very much, Amanda and Bloodhorse, for this blog. You guys rock!

I never post but read a lot....As far as breeding Fair Play was bred to Mahubah 6 times only one Man O'War....Nicanor may come into his own yet, I wouldn't count him out. Look at horses like Forego ran awful as a 3 year old but after that watch out... Why does making it as a 3 year old be the end all to a career? I understand had Barbaro not broken down there was talk of taking him to Europe as a 4 year old...So why the rush the shed...

JMHO

Greg J, are you a relative of the Jacksons?  If so, that's good.  Good to have an insider's opinion and thoughts.  If not, you certainly are a fan of the connections and a consistent supporter.  And that's good, too.  We need more of you on this blog and fewer trolls.  The truth is, none of us really knows what Nicanor's potential is and we'll all have to wait and see.

Thanks, Greg. Wondered what was going on with her.

Nicky has a totally different look about now. His face looks more alert and more determined. Maybe I'm projecting human traits here, but I swear I'm seeing this.

Nice picture of Rockland. He does look a lot like his dad.

Thank you, Amanda, for the pictures. They were great!

I love the pictures! Rockland looks so much like his daddy; the same look to their eyes. Is he as small as his daddy, or is he bigger? He looks to be fairly small from the picture, but then again, it's hard to judge size from a picture, lol.

I love seeing the photos.  Do you have any more of him racing or in his stall, all of his fans eagerly await photos of him.  The photo of Rockland was also great to see, more of those would be appreciated by his fans also.  For all of us who can't get to see them in person it is nice to be able to see their photos.  Love your column, thanks for all the updates.    

I have a question for brettzky99, Was curious, If Matz & the Jacksons didn't think Nicanor had some serious potential, Why would they Nominate Him for the triple Crown Races and now, I just Noticed, The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on April 11?, To me that says that they think He has that potential ?, Or is this just normal for trainers and owners to do?, Your input would be welcome or anyone for that matter, thanks...

Nicanor or any horse, will be as good as Barbaro. But Nicanor has a shot at winning the Kentucky Derby, Prekness (winces) and the Belmont Stakes.

TEAM NICANOR!

TEAM EDWARD!

While i enjoy most of your comments, some of these postings are ridiculous. I know its already been said, but why even bother coming here if your going to make disparaging comments about Nicanor and his connections ? Apparently these people only care about winning. That's not the spirit in which this blog was created. Win or lose we want to hear about it. good or bad, we want to know. I  would like to thank Amanda for all her hard work providing us with that information.

First of all, We come here to read about Nic and everything related to him, because he is our connection to Barbaro. Do we all know that NIcanor is not Barbaro, yea, im pretty sure we do. However, Just because Nicanor is not performing the way Barbaro did at this age does not mean he will not mature into a great horse. He is still a very young inexperienced colt with quite a lot to learn. I have to agree with Horsenut23 that the negative comments for the most part, are made to get a rise out of the rest of us, or they just dont get it. Personally, i dont care if Nicanor or Lentanor or the new foal EVER win a race, I will still follow them because of the connection to Barbaro.

Second, talking about the Jacksons, Mill Ridge, Alex Brown, Peter Brett, Leal Stables & their horses or the other horses in Mike Matz's barn,or even someone elses barn is just the natural progession of conversation. Most are in some way connected to Barbaro. For instance,  I sure hope Showing Up does well at stud.

I would like to think that the people who make the negative comments about Nicanor etc, are just young and misguided and not really that shallow.

Just receied a workout notice for Jerboa, so she's fine, apparently.  Has she been injured?  Where has she been?

I think Nicanor has huge potential.

But hey, get him out there!

Let's see him!

I'm sure I agree with holding back on the horse this way and lightly racing him.

Hmmmmmm, let's see, would I have been good at my job that way???

I'm not saying blow the horse out, but get him out there.

Hey Matt....just what is the Holy Bowl? And PLEASE, PLEASE use spellcheck....I don't see where anyone has given up on Nicanor because they make a few comments on Rockland. Lighten up

Notice how Rockland looks away from the camera, but Nicanor still poses. Nicanor has a more grown up look, but he still poses.

I can't wait for Nicanor to get back on the track and race another race. What do the stars say??? How about next weekend stars? I certainly hope so.

And Amanda, I know when you know, we'll know, but maybe LVR needs to walk in a mall or something to get things going. I was hoping for my birthday, but oh well, It looks like, the new foal will be another March baby.

mdfanofracing

Well said.  You would be great to help with the wedding plans to. Got any extra time???  We are planning a huge wedding over at LVR's blog.  

You are so right.  Why come here to say bad things about Barbaro's brothers and the human contacts.  Makes no sense.  I read a fraction of the post and just scroll by.  Not worth my time.  I like having good days.  

We all (or most of us on these blog) are here because we love Barbaro.  We love Nicanor and Lentenor because they are full brothers.  Heck we loved them from before they were born and watched them grow up.  

Again.  Thank You Amanda, Roy and Gretchen for letting your horses be our horses.  We will forever be greatful and still working on that 7th race.  Speaking of that 7th race...

AMANDA.  I cannot get any braceletts.  I need about 30 of the.  I won't do get them without the money going toward the Barbaro fund.  :)

Who's given up on Nicanor??  Certainly not any of us who've loved him from the beginning.  Still, we can recognize talent and beauty in another horse.  Just because one horse has those attributes, doesn't mean that another one can't have them also.  There are a LOT of talented 3 year olds this season.

A Barbaro Lover

Well it is obvious that you are on the right blog.  :)  I can clearly see that you love these horses and connections.  Win or lose who the heck cares.  They are special horses no matter what they do.  

There was a photo of him on the Fair Hill Training Center Site and one on ABR some time ago.  The ABR photo was captioned the "very large colt, son of Smarty Jones".  He appeared to be a large colt at the gate of one of his first races.  He's very beautiful and such a good boy.  I remember watching the gate tender reach down and pat him as if to say 'you are a good boy'.

I feel so sorry for Nicanor, who can't catch a break from those who, for whatever reasons, want to put him down for being Barbaro's brother.  Nicanor had no control over his Sir and Dam. He's just trying to be a horse and there is a whole contingent of us who love him.  What is wrong with that?  Why do the rest of you feel the need to put him, and us, down for it??

Greg,

While I can only speculate like everyone else, it would seem that the connections opted for the early nomination fee merely to hedge against having to pay the $6000, if the horse ever got to that level.  Personally, I still don't know whether Nicanor is talented or not, and I am not sure if the connections do either.  I think it is positive for racing that people like those on this board, follow this horse, and wish him well based on emotional sentiment, irregardless of whether I or anyone else thinks the expectations are real.  It is one of the things that racing needs more of.  There are some diligent posts on why the expectations should be more realistic, and that is to be expected.  However, in my opinion, to say the horse is a stiff or the like, based on what is known is fine, if you want to get a rouse out of a blog--but to try and back it up with actual analysis is not realistic--he is cutting work times comparable to top and bottom 3 year olds, and was cited as a faulted start in his maiden dubut, you just don't know.  Hard for me to think of a Roberto line, crossed with a Carson City mare, ever to be a stiff.  I can't remember the name, but watched a daughter of Carson City win a 6F sprint at Fairgrounds on Hrtv last week.  Reminded me of watching him in New York almost 20 years ago.

A little skepticism is healthy and let's face it, without it, how you gonna know if what you see is a snake or just a crooked stick? Believe what you know and see or believe you're lying eyes? After everything that has been written and said about Barbaro, it's incredible that people still malign the Jackson's and the way they handled Barbaro. He was their beloved horse, he was a Derby winner, who in their right mind wouldn't want to save him for the breeding shed or as in his case, save him because of who he was. Haven't these uninformed people ever heard of Chelokee? I think the record indicates Michael Matz would be fighting to save Barbaro even if he didn't belong to the Jacksons. there's an article in the bloodhorse.com page about Frolic's Dream. What does Mr Jackson say? "We're always looking for something good and are just hoping for some racing luck and a nice broodmare". What's so sinister about that statement? Sounds like normal, decent people to me. The kind of people we want to believe are in the racing industry. The kind of people we know cared for Barbaro and will always be mindful of the best welfare for the horse.  I hope they have good luck with Frolic's Dream, I hope they have good luck with all their horses, especially Barbaro's brothers. They have my love and best wishes because they earned it. They have my respect and gratitude because they earned it. They earned it by just being themselves. Decent, honest people. Seems to me everything that's being discussed here is germane and informative. I want to know who Nicanor works with, who his paddock buddies are and how they are all doing. It doesn't hurt to be broadminded about other horses, as long as one remembers, this is all about "Tracking Barbaro's Brothers". Sure, I want Nicanor to win the Derby, I want all barbaro's brothers to win the Derby. What's wrong with that? If not a Lael horse, then a filly. Stardom Bound or how about Rainbows View? She's a beautiful Dynaformer filly and although she's in Europe, she's still family! Wouldn't that be great for the old warrior! Love and good wishes don't cost a thing, let's give it up people. Give it up!

Dona

Well said.  Can't really add to that.  :)

Amen, Dona, amen!  There is a mean-spiritedness that has crept into this blog which needs to re-examine its motives.  Just hope it is something other than the need to be right and lord it over the rest of us who are here because we care about these horses.  Life is too short for that kind of attitude and one has to wonder why these folks find it necessary to express themselves the way they do.  

Dona,you stated your feelings so well in the above note and I am certain most all of us feel exactly what you said.

Rainbow View is such a beauty I would like to see her win and of course I like Stardom Bound.

3 cheers to Dona!!

Stardust and all who are against 2-year old racing:

Churchill Downs Inc has just announced a series of new rules and policies to enhance the safety and welfare of horses and jockeys.

One rule is that a horse must be a full 24 months old before it is eligible to race.

I don't think the Jacksons' care about the $6,000 fee.  That's not a lot of money.  They did it because the colt is talented; the owner knows it, the trainer knows it, and the jockey knows it.    Please watch the race again.  He lost the race because he was injured at the gate and then to rub salt into the wound, he fought Prado hard all the way.  Next time, he'll break well from the gate; Prado will let him go if Nicanor refuses to be rated, and he'll win the race.  You can bet on it.  Look at this way, when an animal is injured slightly and is able to fight back, he will.  He will instinctively do this.  Nicanor fought back.  The End.  

Thanks Brettzky99 for your input, Dona, Perfectly said !, and Mary I agree 100 percent, Also, I am expecting an announcement that Nicanor will be entered this weekend for his second race(Fingers Crossed). I am looking at either race #1 @ Gulfstream on Sat. 3/7/9, 7 Furlongs on dirt OR Race #10 @ Gulfstream also on Sat. 3/7/9, 7 1/2 Furlongs.

JAJ

I heard that last night.  It is going to be happening at more and more tracks as well.  We are fighting for these horses and we do not quit!  We are carrying on the race that Barbaro started.  :)

Even though Equibase has not yet announced it, it appears that Nicanor had a workout this morning. Time was 48.40 on dirt and it was done handily. I saw it on the stats at the Fair Hill site under DRF.

It's great to hear from you again.

Mary

One thing we do know for sure is that Prado will do the best for Nicanor.  On race day, he will do whatever it takes to keep him safe and if he is going to win, Edgar will cross the wire first.  It all depends on the day and how Nicanor feels.  Anything can happen between now and then.  We do know that he is in the BEST of hands.  :)

Dona: Well said! thank you!

Ragsy

Rainbow View or  Stardom Bound would be great wins (either of them).  I would rather have Rainbow View hit it but I love SB too. I also like CC.  Who knows? :)

The tragic race event witnessed by many pertaining to the injury and the fight for Barbaro's life left a indeligible impression. The fact that so many are interested in the plight of his siblings is just short of amazing. I have been a participant of the race game on the wrong side of the fence long enough to know these types seldom pan out. That is the intrigue of thoroughbred racing and pedigrees. Though I have seen many breakdowns and race career ending injuries and deaths, a couple have struck me emotionally. I recalled the first event that left me shaking was the injury to Ruffian, though I was a Foolish Pleasure fan, it was a sad day. The second time left me in a rage because I thought the jock gave a terrible ride resulting in the injury to Forli at Arlington Park in Chicago. The other and probably not last was at either Hollywood Park or Santa Anita when a horse whose name I can't recall, (And it bugs me) actually leaped to the finish line to not be beaten showing the heart of the magnificent athletes. It was in a feature race. Can anyboby out recall his name? It was between 1975 and 1990. Back to the pedigrees of siblings of champions, in the old racehorse railbird axiom, "If you watch those horses, you'll probably miss the rest of the race".