Thank you for the great color on the race, and the beautiful pictures of Nic.

Way to go Nicky!  He will learn, I read one article that Jose said he seemed playful in the stretch watching the other horses. He has proven he will be a wonderful horse. I would love to see him be in the money every race and race well into his 5th or 6th years. Hey Michael!  Don't you think the Lone Star Derby would suit Nicanor.  I traveled to Gulfstream for His second race, and very well plan to see him race again someday. Thank you Nicanor for the Joy of following a Horse that I love.

Well done NZicanor! Maybe blinkers would help him next time out?

Great work Nicanor. You look wonderful in the pictures. I'am looking forward to your next start. All the best love Alex from Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.

Way to go, Nicky! Every race you get better and better--maybe your next race will be the one that introduces to the winner's circle! Enjoy your break and the trip up North, wherever that takes you :)

We love you Nicanor. We'll be patient with you. Maybe up North will be better for you. You still have our hearts. Love ya big guy.

I said this a long time ago, blinkers may help Nicanor.  I laughed when I read what Lezcano said, that Nicanor was just playing around looking at the other horses.  Nicanor is such a good horse, just immature, I guess.

Thanks for the wonderful pictures and the info on how the people were reacting to him. We have to remember he's not Barbaro.  But we love him just as much. We're still in your corner Nic. Just glad you came thru without any injuries and are safe. You'll get it going and when you do, the sky will be the limit. You're still learning.

I think Nicanor is showing talent. Had the race been longer he would have been first. You can see by the video he was playing and there was still plenty of horse at the end. He has showed depth, grit and a willingness to run. To compare him to Barbaro is unfair. I believe under the steady hand of Matz he will continue to improve and have a bright future.

Barbaro was incomparable and a horse that comes once in a lifetime. Nicanor, Lentenor and the recent colt all carry Dynaformer/Rouge pedigree and will probably all be good racehorses. That is all we can ask. I will continue to follow all of their races and hopefully, their progeny.

I am deeply grateful to the Bloodhorse and the racing community for sharing Barbaro's family with the fans. Rarely, are racehorses' early careers chronicled and I believe this increases fan loyalty not only for the horse but for the sport.

I look forward to Nic's next start!

Getting There Nicanor!

     Thought he looked great, composed.He is getting that experience he needs, I still think he will be a force to reckon with once he gets the hang of it. He has the PEDIGREE(Turf next time?), BUILD(Still filling in), HEART(He needs to realize that he HAS to be in front of that horse in front of him at finishing line, lol), All in All, He is going to be a STRONG horse down the road, and this was a great race for him again, two second places, I will take at this time of his career, So everyone that is disappointed in him not winning, relax, "Good things come to those that have patience", Nicanor will get there, I think it is smart that M.Matz is moving him to Keeneland for next race, I believe he is showing he has the stamina for a longer race(1 1/16 or 1 1/8). He is just green, It kinda looks like he is having fun out there, As his jockey(Jose Lezcano said after the race...

“We had good position coming around the far turn, but he was just playing around looking at the other horses.  Coming down the stretch he was a little green.  I think he’ll become a nice horse.”

So, Once he starts to rate and gets more focused(Blinkers, Maybe?), He will do GREAT, Patience everyone...

At least I had the exacta box($50), I knew Kent would be a factor(He beat Nicanor last time on "Custom for Carlos", Who, By the Way, Came in third in the Swale, A Grade Two Stakes Race!), Also M.Matz Had Hennigan come in second by a neck also!, And lastly, Congrats to Roy & Gretchen Jackson(Lael Stables), Mr. Tagg(Trainer), P.Lopez(Jockey) for their Beautiful Winning Chestnut Filly, "Dwelling Place" for Winning race 7(MSW) at Gulfstream !!, Nicanor will Follow her lead.......

Ofelia Well Said...

   You are completely right!, It is unheard of for us to see a horse grow up right before our eyes from day one! So the connection for most of us here is magnified that much more, I believe, We owe thanks to Barbaro, The Jacksons, M.Matz, And all other connections I am forgetting(Of Course, Bloodhorse and Amanda!)

This Story, When all is said and done, Will have a Happy Ending, Many, Many Years down the road..

Kudos to All...

Hi Nicanor,

I still believe in you. As you grow, I believe you will understand better where you are suppose to be. You will do just fine.

It is just a joy to watch Nicanor, not just as a racehorse, but as a symbol of what was - he and his brothers (and any future brothers and sisters) will carry on what was started by their big brother Barbaro! Stay safe Nicky.

You did good, Nicanor, and we're so proud of you!

Were you looking for your ol' buddy, Carlos?  You probably saw Kent and wondered where Carlos was, huh?  LOL

Take care, and we're rooting for you all the way.

As he moved to the outside of the winning horse, he perceptibly slowed in momentum and began looking to his left--toward the other horse. I thought immediately that blinkers might be helpful. He almost looked like he believed he was "working" with the other horse. Nic needs to continue to train until he realizes the considerable ability he apparently has. Matz is the perfect person to be training him as he matures.

nicanor in time you will live up to your greatness that you have, in you In the meantime just be safe you are in good hands love Darlene.

You know, I'm reminded every time I look at him that he's not his brother. Barbaro...I watched him for eight months. Every day. Several times a day, unfailingly, I checked up on him. Checked to make sure there wasn't the "Barbaro died" sign on Bloodhorse. Every day. I paid the same diligence to Fog, and I can still remember every line of his handsome face as well as Barbaro's, but, there was something about Barbaro. I like to think the tenacity is a genetic thing, but no. Nicanor and Lentenor are not Barbaro. THEY are alive. And hopefully will remain that way for a long time. It's obvious to me that they aren't their big brother. It might sound a little harsh, and it was silly of me to get so attached to Barbaro, but I find that I don't care. I believed in that horse -- and I have the same belief in his little brothers, but in no way do I confuse them. I hope that they have all inherited the fighting spirit, and to be frank, I don't care where it takes them. Lenny could become a Dressage horse and Nicky could retire tomorrow and I'd still admire them.

Same way I admire any of the Fog's family I see, same way I admire War Emblem's babies, Vindication's babies. No, they aren't their famous family. But they're all I -- we -- have. And it's such a novel thing, to be able to follow them...as an 'outsider', at least in that I live nowhere near a track, it gives me a window in that I really appreciate. I take in all I can, Barbaro's little brother or not.

That being said, I think he's getting there. I think the winner of yesterday's race looked really strong. I'm not sure that Nicky would have caught him -- but I sure saw him try! Or well, if he wasn't trying, I sure want to see him try next time! I imagine it'd be spectacular. I really liked that race, though. He gives me chills, to see him run. It's like -- he has it, but he can't quite get it out yet. I see it in the little things in each race, and it echoes somewhere along the lines of "that is a GOOD horse!". He looks like he can only improve. I hope that he continues to get better and better...can't wait to see his next race.

Thank you so very much for sharing with us!

I watched the race and it did look like Nicanor still has a lot of play in him.  I watched him in the starting gate and he seem to be looking around as to say "we are  fixing to have some fun here".  Nothing wrong with that, he will get it in time.  While I am still learning about race horses(thanks to this Blog), I have owned Quaterhorses in the past, some were quite playful, late to mature.  There is some dominance in all animals and at some point Nicanor will decide he does not want to run just to keep up, he will want to be the leader. In the meantime, I just enjoy watching him, anticipating the moment it will happen.  I agree with above, at first I was reading and curious because of Barbaro, but now it is about watching from the time Nicanor was a baby and seeing him grow each and every day and what steps are taken to get him where he needs to be.  Proud of you Nicanor, job well done!!!!  

Good Job Nicky.  

You are so pleasent to watch.  Stay healthy and safe and practice a little bit more.   It takes practice to be a champion.  :)  You really already are in my book.  

We have to remember that Nicanor is running against the best maiden 3 year olds in the country.  He is not running in maiden races at Philly Park or another small track.  He is learning and getting more experience with every race and he will eventually win his maiden race.  It just takes patience.  

Considering only his third race I think he's making progress for certain.

I, too, am grateful to Bloodhorse for giving us this look at a part of horseracing we rarely see without subscribing to expensive services.  I know, because I am also following a horse, Maltese Falcon by Tiznow (another of my all-time favorites) who was a high-priced yearling and two-year old, but did not make it to "The Show."  I admired him at the Saratoga yearling sales--which I used to attend when I lived in NY, even though I could never have afforded to bid--and have followed him as well as I can ever since.  We are all proof that bettors and non-bettors can be just as excited and proud of the efforts of horses who aren't making headlines as of the horses on the Triple Crown Trail.  Thank you again, Bloodhorse, for acknowledging the fondness and interest people have in Barbaro's brothers.  (The videos of races are terrific, too.)  Your expert use of the Internet helps make the process of racing more "real" and is attracting and educating new fans.

Sorry - too little sleep last night.  If I said "Maltese Falcon" in my previous post, I meant "Maltese Tiger."  Sorry -- it is not the first time I have made that mental mistake!! :-(

We all concur that Nicanor needs blinkers, that he's just playing in his races (well, if that's true, then he could probably beat any top three year old hands down). Note that Custom for Carlos finished third in the Swale, after nearly losing to Nicanor. I wonder how Nicanor would have done. I think he could have been at least second.

I also think that if Nicanor is just playing with these horses, then he has tremendous talent that could serve him well in stakes races. He probably would have given those in the Florida Derby a run for the money yesterday.

I'm willing to bet that with blinkers, and focus on his races, we'll see a superhorse out there, rather than one who makes these other horses look like ponies while playing. Nicanor certainly has the talent, and I suspect that at any level of racing, even now, he would beat any horse. In other words, the level of the race, quality of the race isn't the issue. Both seconds have been near misses with both horses all out to hold off Nicanor who is running the way he wants to, as if the race is a leisurely workout.

My theory is this. If Nicanor were to run in the Preakness, he'd finish second. If he ran in the Belmont, he'd finish second. I have heard of behavior problems where horses refuse to pass other horses. Nicanor seems to think the races are workouts and he isn't even extending himself. Well. then, why not run him in a stakes race against Quality Road and see if that's a workout he needs.

After seeing Nicanor yesterday and reading these comments on the board, we have the best three year old colt hands down who is still green, and runs the way he wants to. This is almost comical. The question then becomes, how fast is this colt? The second question is this-how does one convince Nicanor to win? Maddening to watch this colt toy with these horses! Well, so toy with stakes races.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but Custom For Carlos, who defeated Nicanor in his 2nd start, finished 3rd in the Gr2 Swale - makes Nicanor look a whole lot better.

Jim Freer, your words were lovely.  Brought tears to my eyes, in fact.  I have so enjoyed this experience of following Nicanor; that he is still a playful boy makes me smile.  He is a talented fella who doesn't realize what he has and , at some moment, he'll get it and the lightbulb will go on.  I say, WATCH OUT FOR THAT MOMENT!

Nicanor needs to run longer races.

i agree with the person who said we as his fans need to be patient. young horses are like kids, it takes time for them to learn new things.

Nicky-Knocks am proud of you.  Still wet behind the ears but hey wait until you turn 4....Dynaformers bettr with age. Guess it is trial and error to figure out exactly how to go about accomplishing a maiden win but the time will come when you put it all together.  Blinkers, maybe a solution or  more practice with the home boys to show you need to be on the lead, not watching from behind. Could grass be a better bet, who knows but whatever you and Michael will figure that out and then we will see the real Nicky.  You still will get my bet every time you race.

You know I am going to go out on a limb here as I occasionally get chewed on, but Nicanor appears to be the child horse who is still playing. Nicanor may be four before anyone knows his full potential. And not that I know jack about racing, but if Nicanor has a Beyer score of 93 in his second race and he was just having a romp, can you imagine what he will be like once he figures out he is suppose to be in the lead? Be gentle, as I don't know jack.

Nicanor appears to have gained muscle and fitness considerable.Bloomingly so to speak. He can certainly improve and if he is at least second in his next race, could possibly be in a major stakes race after that.

Even if the 'superhorse' doesnt appear he will have a career somewhere as a stallion, undoubtably so,.

"Playing around" does not mean playing games with other horses.  It means goofing off, being distracted or not focusing.

Who know why he is not focusing.  It probably has to do with his lack of experience.  From the trainer's accounts, he seems to be a slow learner, but that doesn't mean he won't learn it all in the end.

I wonder if the crowd and their cheering didn't play a part in it.  I have no idea.  The jockey and the trainer have the best idea of what is going on with him.

Yes, there are horses who don't want to pass other horses and run on the lead.  They are happy to run along with the herd.  I don't think Nicanor fits that profile--he seemed quite willing to lead in his second race until he tired and lost the lead.

I thought his race was a really good one.  I saw him back off the bridle a little in the stretch and then get back to running, and he made up some ground.  He looked much more relaxed throughout the whole race.  I thought it was a good race.  

I think Nicanor was the class of the field, despite his second place finish.  Not only was he doing a little bit of gawking, he drifted wide around the last turn, which meant he had to make up a little extra ground as he made his final move.  It looked to me like he just ran out of running room.  At the very last, as he pulled up to Glitterman near the finish line, I think I detected a bit of the 'buckle down and go' attitude infect Nicanor.

I too think he had enough left to go further, if not 1 1/4 than most certainly 1 1/16 or 1 1/8.  Looked to me like Jose had a whole lot of horse left at the finish line.

Even better:  it looked like Jose was able to rate Nicanor this time out.  I saw a relaxed horse -- too relaxed at times -- all the way through until the final yards of the last furlong when it really appeared to me like Nicanor was ready to 'Git 'er done,' as Larry the Cable Guy likes to say.

He will only get better.  Of this I'm sure.

Kathy,

Nicanor is not playing on the track.  He is all out to be as far up as he has been for all three of his races.  We have to face it--the other horses who won Nicanor's last two starts were better horses on that day.

NIcanor ran as fast and as far as he could for all three of his races.  He seems very serious about racing.

I watched the race at my local OTB. Seems Nic needs to be a little more focused. I noticed in the gate he kept looking around and putting his head down. I was afriad he might not break well but he did. I really feel he will win his next race, seems he is still green. I watched the Swale and Custom for Carlos, who was the horse who beat Nicanor in his last race, came in third. To me that says our boy only needs to break his maiden and should be ready for hopefully a minor stakes race. All in all I thought he ran a very good race Saturday.

Nicky you silly little bugger, don't you know you're supposed to be doing your job. We all have jobs to do and you need to get serious about yours. My job is to love you, support you, and want the best for you. Your job is to get out there, trounce those other horses and show them who's the boss!. Have your fun of course, but run like the wind, because we know you can. Having said all this, I want you to know, you looked awesome out there. You're so grand looking and obviously have your familys talent, so love, it's time to do the big deed. Enjoy your trip, new sights and all and then get down to busines. Pay attention to your rider, your trainer and above all follow your heart. You were born to run and run you can. Demand more apples, carrots and mints if you must but get down to business darling, the world is watching and waiting with great anticipation. You're the man Nicky, you're the one! By the way, did I tell you that you make my face hurt from smiling so much?

Does anyone know what Nicanors Beyer was yesterday? His last race he earned a 93. Just wondering if he improved on it.

And now for a twist in the Swale,

www.bloodhorse.com/.../dq-drama-this-ones-for-phil-wins-swale

Big Drama was DQ'd making This Ones For Phil the winner and Custom For Carlos second...

KathyE is right, Nicanor was wide on the turn, looking at that other horse and then started to get serious. I laughed my head off because he's still so green and you could just see at one point, he didn't know what was going on, like he was saying to the other horse "What's UP"!  He'll get it all together, you can see the improvement with every race.

I wouldn't put any stock in yesterdays Beyer figure, the track was way to fast. I don't know why Gulfstream does that but I heard Quality Road had a 5 point drop in his Beyer figure, compared to his last race and he set a new record. Go figure!

JAJ, I respectfully disagree with you; Nicanor was just out for a good time.  Lezcano said that there was still a lot of horse left at the end of the race.  Do you think that blinkers would help? I said a long time ago that blinkers might help him to focus.  I think that you disagreed with me, or someone did.  Also, do you think that Matz is having a hard time reading him, you know his mind?  I just think he is a very talented horse, but I feel very strongly that there is something about Nicanor's psyche that they don't understand.  Please don't misunderstand me; I think that Nicanor is in excellent hands.  I suppose I'm thinking about Seabiscuit.      

ALSO, PEOPLE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT DYNAFORMER"S PROGENY ARE NOT USUALLY PRECOCIOUS. KEEPING THAT IN MIND I THINK HE'S COMING ALONG JUST FINE. IF HE WAS PLAYING IN THE STRETCH HE PROBABLY NEEDS BLINKERS. ALSO, I THINK WITH HIS PEDIGREE HE'S GOING TO DO HIS BEST RUNNING ROUTING.

I have been present for all three of Nicanor's races...and some here aren't going to like what I am going to say, so allow me to preface it with I am NOT being negative, but rather, observant, and merely expressing MY opinion.

The race yesterday was an absolute carbon copy of his 2nd start. You could lay the films right on top of each other, and never note a difference, except for distance.

Yesterday, Nicanor got into contention into the far turn, started spinning his wheels (not going anywhere) coming into the stretch, out came the whip, and Jose had his work cut out for him the entire length of the stretch.

The "problem" was Nicanor...he wasn't getting anywhere. They could have gone around 3 more time, and he wasn't going to catch the winner.

Jose looked absolutely spent when they returned...he did everything down the lane except pick Nicanor up and piggyback him across the wire.

My personal feelings on Nicanor, are PERHAPS he needs more time. Back off, and bring him back later in the year. He's a Dynaformer, and by definition, if they're going to become useful racehorses, they do it a bit later than as a 3yo in about 98% of the case.

In regard to the blinkers question; I've been around racing and race horses for three decades, and watching Nicanor run, he does not scream "I need blinkers" to me.

Once Jose got him straightened out yesterday, Nicanor was extremely focused, he was not gawking around and playing down the stretch as some young horses do. He just wasn't good enough yesterday. Of course, that is just MY opinion, but I'd be surprised to see him outfitted in blinkers anytime soon, short of them getting desperate to try anything.

I'd be interested to see them try the turf with him, but if that were to garner the same results as his last two efforts, then maybe back off for a while. Let him grow up, mature, and then SEE.

His fans may also have to somehow accept that he just may simply not have "it". That's not meant to offend, a LOT of horses don't have that intangible thing...that's why for every GOOD horse, there's another 5-6 thousand claimers running somewhere.

And no, I am not suggesting Nicanor is a claiming horse (that won't happen, they'll retire him if he can't compete)...I am merely saying that Nicanor may never become what everyone thinks he is, or wants him to be.

Barbaro was an anomaly for his bloodlines. Which is yet another in a long line of reasons why he may never be duplicated, nor come close to.

I know it's very hard for some to separate "Barbaro's Brother" from just a 3yo Dynaformer colt on his own merits, but they are 100% different things, but they are both contained within Nicanor. The former may be why people love him, but the latter requires objective analysis to assess him as a RACE horse.

To take Nicanor for himself, there may be some resigning to do, at least for now, of what he can and cannot do.

Good job Nicanor!You are doing great and are learning each time you race.Being curious is an ok trait,it means you are absorbing all that goes on around you,right?You are my stimulus package just like the other it does take some time to take hold,I am waiting optimistically and patiently as I have tons of faith in you!

Hi all, glad you liked the photos from yesterday.

Unfortunately, I am going to have to agree with "JAJ" on the race.

I have roughly 50 sequence shots of Nicanor all the way down the stretch, and he was absolutely all out, so was Jose poor guy!, LOL..and Nicanor just couldn't get there.

You can see in the 2nd photo above that Jose is just laying down across Nicanor's neck and whithers, pushing him with everything he had, and the whip was used quite a bit too. Unfortunately it just wasn't enough.

I didn't see any valid excuses yesterday, but he ran his eyeballs out, as the saying goes, just wasn't QUITE good enough yesterday.

Time will tell, he may need to grow and mature some more.

Rest in Peace Alysheba.....

Maybe we should hold a "meet n greet" for Nicanor with all the other contenders, so that he can get his need to socialize out of his system and then focus on the race.  Truth be told, I love that he is so playful, it just adds more to the Legend of Nicanor, so that when he does start to win, it will only endear him more to us.  (As if that's possible.)  Greg's right, "Good things come to those who wait."

Boys will be boys! He'll grow up soon and figure it out. Good job Nic, we love you!

Greg J, if he goes to Keenland, I'll be able to go down o see him!Mike Relva;

Hi! How are your horses running?

How's the injured one coming along?

Shhhh, does anybody else notice how quiet it's become on this blog since Nic's Race #2?

If an unfocused horse can come in second twice and his jockey state he still had plenty to give then think of what he can all accomplish.  Good things come to those who wait.  I have faith.

I too could see improvement from his last race.  He isn't there yet but he is learning and did seem much more relaxed.

I will love Barbaro forever, but now is Nicanor time!

Good job Nicanor!  Keep improving.  We have been your fans since day one and will not go anywhere even if you never win (although you are on the verge of putting it all together and crossing the wire first!)

Think maybe it's time to try Nic on the turf. Look at those humongous hooves in the second photo. Those are turf feet. Id like to see Nicanor on the grass at Saratoga or Belmont this summer.

Sucker bet ,Loser again,such a weak field comprised of mostly first timers.Get away from fl go to Delta Downs.

Nicanors two seconds.

1rst beaten by a length.

2nd beaten by half a length.

3rd ?????????????????  He is starting to bloom and someone said that he is stronger than Barbaro was.  I heard that somewhere.  He is a slow grower.  

Love you Nicky  

i just wanted to say that i was blessed to see this beautiful animal for the first time in person. he is a majestic horse and very calm and collected. he ran his heart out and i could see the fire in his eye as he chased the leader down the strech. if the race was any longer he would have won going away.

who knows, maybe he will be better in the north. Theres not as rough competition there and it be a good training session for him. He sure is growing mentally slower than Barbaro did. I wonder why...

Matz has this horse set up perfectly at a mile and could probably stretch him out another furlong and be successful.  He is so green, which is more evident when he gets to the top of the lane.  Just doesn't respond to pressure coming off the turn.  Yes he is all out in the last 3/16 or so, but twice now Lezcano had plenty of horse to win.  I don't think the pronounced speed bias helped him either Saturday; quite honestly, I think the Poly at Keeneland would be perfect for him.  He really is talented, and wasn't so rank this time out, but still needs to respond earlier.  I watched the thing on DVR 5 times and I could swear in the gate, while the outside horse was slow to load, Nicanor had his head down almost below the gate then turned his head back, then toward the 4 horse.  He broke a touch slow and was still on the pace @ the 1/4.  Cannot dispute though that he has alot of natural talent.

He's getting closer!

One of the horses was not loading well and held up the start a bit.  Saw that on another video.  Nicanor appeared to be looking around in the gate.  When they broke, he didn't break badly but he wasn't with the leaders.  It took a bit for him to get rolling but when he did, he rushed up to the front again.  Spent his race right there, IMHO.  Saw Lezcano sitting up higher than some of the other riders and was wondering if he was trying to get Nicanor to rate earlier. In the stretch, I don't think Nicanor was always running with his head straight, which may have to do with his sight seeing tendencies.  

I am also beginning to wonder about blinkers but also wonder if you do that to a curious horse like Nicanor, if you might just make them mad and cause them to  sulk.

This is the second time folks have commented that Nicanor came off the bridle near the stretch, or in layman's terms, seemed to slow down.(?)  I am beginning to think Nicanor is giving himself a breather, as he seems able to go on when asked. Which, of course, would be the wrong time to take a breather.

Still think he ran green, don't think Lezcano could rate him as well as he would have liked.  Nicanor needs to learn to relax and take a breather when the jock tells him too, not when he thinks its time.  You can also see Lezcano having to fight him a bit to get him pulled up after the race.  Nicky is not listening and when they fight, they are invariably inverted in the neck and that is not how any horse can work well.  But that's my .02cents worth.

To myself, I was, "Oh no, Kent Desormeaux again."  I think he's got Nicanor's number.  Knows the horse is going to run early and that all he has to have is a horse with the ability to carry his speed a mile, while they leave the others out of the race.  I think Nicky needs to learn to come from behind.  I want to see more versatility in him.  I also am wondering why they haven't raced him on turf.

Times for a mile that day that I got from Gulfstream site:

1:35:89

1:36:07 (Nicanor's race)

1:34:98 (Turf(?!))

1:37:80

Thanks to all for letting us share in this family of  horses lives.  Many people are getting an education on this blog and whether Barbaro's brothers win or lose, they are helping educate the public.

Nic, Dona is right, you are a little bugger...now no more goofing around, site seeing and such and let's get down to business...what I've seen every race is talent and improvement.  Your public is patiently waiting...sign me the ever vigilant fan waiting for Nic's first victory

i felt it was a good race. i think he had a slow start because i saw the assistant starter tugging his up and down and at the beginning of the start he shook his head and ran out. i hate assistant starters i know they can prevent a horse from acting up but i feel some tracks should have the european style where its just horse and jockey. most horses who have bad starts cause of the starter. turf next?

Congrats Nicanor.There is nothing wrong with a second place finish. Your learning and most importantly your healthy. I will continue to follow your career. Best of luck up north. Hope one day I get to see you run. Congrats to all Nic's connections.

Good job, Nicky! And thanks to Team Nicanor for all of the efforts. As for Nicky, coming in again in second place still shows talent and finishes in the money, as well. Also, last time Nicky lost out for first place by one length and this time by only a half-length. Of course, once Nicky matures some more, learns to better focus on what he's doing, and gains more experience, he may well have better chances for first place. At any rate, he's moving forward and that's what counts. As long as he's safe and happy as well, who could ask for anything more.

Although I loved Barbaro, I have held in reserve my praise of Nicanor, but I saw a very strong horse at the end.  I think when he gets down to business he may be unbeatable.  He did not look tired, but he did not look real serious either.  It is a look in the eye.  Nicanor is yet to come, but I think so is his best.  

I really think Nic is a horse that can run all day long, but he needs to be taught how to win, just like the great horse PharLap, he has the heart, and the staying power but is just content to follow the leader. If he is shown he can win in his works.... he'll win his races. Good luck next time out to all involved :o)

Why in the posting are people so hard on him?  He came in second, and not even by a whole horse.  Since when is second so terrible.  He is not Barbaro, and deserves his own time to get his own game on.  Too many are looking for Barbaro to jump out of him.  We need to enjoy the horse in Nicanor.  He is his own entity, and is being forced to race a ghost, and a good one at that.  

Some racing fans if they were leaving Gulfstream before the day's biggest race. I would've given my left pinky finger to be there on Florida Derby day to see Quality Road and Dunkirk. If the FOB want to consider themselves true racing fans, they can help support not only Barbaro's kin, but the sport, as well. That means cheering on new horses who are trying to follow in Barbaro's hoofprints.  

DONNA I AGREE WITH YOU NICANOR IS DRIVING ME CRAZY I WAS SCREAMING AT THE RACES YESTERDAY YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE HE IS LOOKING AT OTHER HORSES.  HE COULD HAVE WON BOTH RACES IF HE JUST SETTLE DOWN AND CONCENTRATE HE IS TAKING THIS LIKE HE IS PLAYING.  I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BE HAPPY FOR HIM AND SMACK HIM IN THE HEAD AND SAY KNOCK IT OFF AND QUIT PLAYING.  BUT HE IS BIGGER THEN ME SO I WILL HUG HIM INSTEAD  LOL.

May be telling that on a day of very fast times and track records, this race was run THREE SECONDS off the record - not saying it's a bad performance, just that the race may not amount to much.

Nice to see Nicanor safe and well though.

I am extremely happy with his race and his finish.   There are SIX other horses who would LOVE to have finished 2nd.

I, like most of you have watch all of Nicanor's races over and over again to really see what he's doing.  I also agree he needs to mature (mentally) and really figure out what he's supposed to be doing out there (like his brother figured out in the Florida Derby).  But again, Nicanor is not Barbaro and has to find his own way other there.  We all seem to concur that he has the talent and ability, it just needs to be channeled properly, like a overactive child.  Which leads me to my next comment for which I would really like to have some feed back on.  Here goes:  I would really like to see someone like Chantal Sutherland ride Nicanor, she's as strong as the men, but I believe she brings a different dimension to the table in her approach - she treats them like children, having a very calming spirit and we all know how horses have this unique ability to sense and read people.  So if anyone feels so led, please just give me a little input - I'm sure all of you have so much more knowledge than I do but this is something that has just been nagging at me since Nicanor's second race. Thanks everyone especially you Amanda and Marti for all your time, talent and effort you put into this blog.  

JAJ your comments are very understandable and I feel you are correct...

Nicanor is sooo cute and really is a special horse, I just wish he would get it, even if he doesnt he's loved...

This is one handsome colt.....he has got a lot in the tank, just wait and see, this horse has some awesome power......he has yet to show his true ability on the race track!!  What a magnificent horse.....he deserves respect and love at all times....No, he is not Barbaro, we may never see another like him....but Nicanor, you are loved by so many...I look forward to seeing you work out at Fairhill later this spring!!

Yes, that Nicanor really looked good on the track, such a great looking horse.  Looking forward for his next race, just cant wait...  Sony

we are proud of you nicky, anxious to see whats next in store for you. next time you catch up with first place, look him in the eye,wink, and fly on by (like seabiscuit) on another note, it is sad to hear of alesheba, kentucky derby and preakness winner, horse of the year, passing away this weekend. we have one heck of an equine heaven right now. rest in peace, dear one.

Still rooting for Nicanor! Better 2nd than last. I think he's still green but I can't wait for his first win!!

Could we please stop referring to Nicanor as Nicky-knocks.  Even though he's still young, he's being asked to perform as an adult and should be accorded adult dignity.

Does anyone know what Dynaformer was so hard to train? Maybe we all assume that Dynaformer was a biting grumping old cuss from the start. Dynaformer was 7-5-2 in his career. I am wondering if part of the problem with this guy was that he liked to look around during the race as well. Nicanor may just be a chip off the old block without the bite.

Peter Brette is the one that trains on the back of Nicanor. Maybe the styles of Prado and Lezcano aren't the same as Brette and Nicanor is just picky.

And since Nicanor appears to be a animal that likes to watch, maybe a visit to the track to watch a race or two might make Nicanor brain click on how he is suppose to run.

And JAJ, I don't believe Nicanor was playing with the other horses. I believe Nicanor raced fine and then he would slow up a bit to see something. And when Nicanor got to the final stretch, the other horse was just too far ahead. Nicanor didn't lose it in the final stretch, he lost it in the 3rd quarter of the race.

And has it occurred to anyone that perhaps M.M. has tried to put blinkers on him and Nicanor protested. Does anyone but the M.M. team truly know what Nicanor's psyche is? And I will almost guarantee you that Nicanor throw them a curve every now and again.

And before you jump JAJ, keep this in perspective, I believe Dynaformer, had he been easier to train, would have been a superstar and not simply a very good racehorse. Dynaformer's places almost equaled his wins. I think he was a looker.

Nicanor is one of the most beautiful horses ever - these pictures are great. They helped me get out of the dumps. This was a rough weekend. First, most of my favorites lost their races, then we lost Alysheba and now find out the Albertus Maximus was hurt (although it doesn't sound like it was serious). But when I saw Nicanor's pictures, I couldn't help by smile. Take your time pretty boy - there's no rush...

Nicky,  I'm so proud of you!!  Keep up the good work and keep your eyes on the track.

It doesn't bother me a bit that Nicanor finished second. He's not Barbaro. He's not going to win the Triple Crown. But the chances of that would have been about 1 to 36,000---whatever the foal crop was three years ago. He is who he is. He is in the best hands. The pictures were wonderful. Nicanor seems to be still growing and filling out. That rump in the last picture--definitely more muscular.  This experience has been a great opportunity to learn about the process of training a Thoroughbred, and all the work and patience it requires. When the fans are allowed "in" this world, we show up at the track, and plunk down our money. I thank Amanda, Jim, and Marti for their comments and pictures.

Kathy,

Where do you get the information that Dynaformer was difficult to train?  His record looks pretty darn good to me.

I see quite a few are writing about Dynaformers not being precocious.  Some are even suggesting putting Nicanor away and waiting for him to suddenly be mature as if that will miraculously solve his inexperience.

A precocious horse is one who is running and winning in early summer of his 2-year old year.  Precocious refers to 2-year olds, not 3-year olds running for the third time in late March.

Most horses run green for quite a few starts.  It is a learning curve.  Some learn it quicker than others.  Putting him away does absolutely nothing but waste time and money.  He won't suddenly run less green--he'll be in pretty much the same spot he was in before he was stopped on.

I thought Nicanor ran a very good race.  He just was second.  Everyone, please accept he was second best on Saturday.

If Nicanor had a "lot left in the tank" after he crossed the finish line Saturday, it says something VERY bad about his character.  "Cheap" is the word used to describe horses that won't try.

Penny in Texas and brettzky99 both commented on his head movement while in the gate, I saw that too and thought that was a factor in the way he started. He looked like he wasn't ready to me. The one thing I did clearly see is that when he moved up, as in his first race, he has tactical speed like Barbaro had. That was one of the questions I asked a long time ago. Along with that tactical speed, he seemed to have the ability to go longer, he showed he could rate a little this time, he needs more work in this area. I don't believe blinkers are the solution for such a head strong horse like Nicanor, he needs to relax and control his speed and respond when asked. I think blinkers would just speed him up, make him mad, probably try to go to the front and the race would be over for him.

BarbC - I don't think Chantal would go back East just for Nicanor. I saw her in person when I went to Hollywood Park for Zenyatta day (can't wait for her 2009 debut)and she is an awesome jockey. Great seat on a horse and yes she is very strong and a good closer. Interesting point about having someone like her to ride Nicanor, I would love to hear Jerry Baileys take on Nicanor and what he thought about his race. Obviously, strong arming Nicanor is not going to work but I have confidence in Michael Matz figuring Nicanor out and getting him going. More time and more experience, I believe.

i love the fourth picture, but my goodness, look at the strength in the last picture. what a great looking fellow. nicky, i still say you can come visit me anytime (and you are welcome to bring the family) whenever i need a smile, i look at one of your pictures. you are so loved, darling.

Kathy, You are correct, Dynaformer was a handfull !, Assistant trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Dynaformer "was the most difficult horse I ever trained." Dynaformer started in 30 races, winning 7 of them, placing in 5, and coming in third twice. His career earnings amount to $671,207. At three years of age, he won the Grade II Jersey Derby, the Grade II Discovery Handicap, the Lucky Draw Stakes. He placed in the General George Stakes and the Grade II Gallant Fox Handicap. At four, he was third in the Grade II Dixie Handicap.

Also, If you would like to see him in action, Here you go...

Enjoy Everyone, Here is Dynaformer(Nicanor's Father) in action on the track...

1988 Travers Stakes:

www.youtube.com/watch

(He fades badly in stretch)

1988 Jersey Derby:

www.youtube.com/watch

(GREAT RACE!)

((I think Nicanor's Connections should show Nicanor this race of his father, and say, "Now, You see that, You are SUPPOSED to pass that horse in front of you down the stretch!"(lol)....

Now, Fast forward twenty years, to Dynaformer in his Paddock...

www.youtube.com/watch

Hope Everyone enjoyed seeing Nicanor's Dad in Action(By the way, He will turn 24 on April 1st, Wednesday), Happy Birthday Dynaformer......

WOW, Amazing Pictures of Nicanor !, It is very obvious to me the difference from his last race pictures to these, He most certainly is filling in, more definition to his muscles, looks a little taller...

The last Picture just shows his Size and Definition, And to think, He is still growing, Wow...

He has all the tools...Stunning!

Once he "Gets it", The Sky is the limit !!

Thanks Again

nicky, daddy's birthday is on april 1 (1986) may we all share the carrot cake! lots of love and horsey hugs!

Greg J.

Great Jersey Derby race.

I've seen the paddock video before. Other than his sweet feed belly, he is in pretty good shape.

Perchance did D. Wayne Lukas bring Dynaformer's stable mate in so they could give each other added incentive for the race?

Maybe once Nicanor breaks maiden, M.M. will race him with Rockland or Ice Road for incentive because he always seems to beat out Ice Road by a partial second or so.

JAJ,

I soak up anything and everything on Dynaformer so that is what I've read about the old boy. And if you check back, there is a blog strictly about Dynaformer where he is discussed at length by Sandy Hatfield. Dynaformer is legendary in his difficultness.

oops, sorry Dynaformer, wrong year, but Happy, Happy Birthday!! and thanks for the beautiful babies!

I was at all three of Nicanor's races. Personally, I think he is the cutest and most loveable horse.  But, what is amazing is that the crowd was really behind him. I overheard how beautiful he is, how strong he looks, and how fast he could be. EVERYONE wanted him to win. Someone made a comment about Edgar Prado should be riding him.  Which leads me to my questions

1. Is Edgar going to ride Nicanor in anymore races?

2. Is there any update on the new baby brother? (Pictures would be nice.)

3. How is Lentenor? Is he in Florida or Fair Hill?

4. When are they erecting the Barbaro Statue at Churchill Downs?

Amanda, if you could please give us some answers.

SUE NOVA Big Drama was DQ'd from first and placed second. So Carlos is still third. A badly beaten third. He was no where near the first two.

I think it was written in an article on BH, about having to always have two grooms taking Dynaformer to & from paddocks/breeding shed, one for each side

So close, NIcky-Knocks.so close!

Nicanor has obviously still not quite figured out what it is he is supposed to do.(That is to be in front of the other horses at the wire!)

Blinkers might help him sharpen him up and focus as he is apparently doing a lot of "sight seeing".

I just hope people finally give him a break and stop expecting him "the second coming of Barbaro."

I am not putting him down;in fact I feel bad for Nicanor. He reminds me of the  skinny kid on high school football team whose big brother was the star quarterback. Everyone expects him to be just as good as the big brother.

Does anyone know his foaling date?If he is a late season foal, this maybe why his mental maturity is coming along a little slow.

I think once he gets things figured out he will be a good racehorse.

Nikki, Edgar was in Dubai this last weekend, and was at Santa Anita, I believe, when Nicanor was racing on March 7.(He fell ill though), You have to remember, Edgar was in stakes races, where the money is huge when you hit the board, so he does have to provide for himself and his family plus they were probably prior commitments for him also. I do know that M.Matz primarily uses Edgar and Jose, when available, so they are top notch jockeys and I trust M.Matz's Judgement.

I also know that Jose is racing a couple races this weekend at Gulfstream and then that is it in Florida. He is scheduled to ride at Keeneland/N.Y after that, Where I think Nicanor will be sent for his next races(Just a educated guess).

Also, Amanda has stated that LVR and Baby Pictures will come when their schedules allow it.....Hope that helped ?

Beth,

    March 15, 2006 is Nicanor's Birth Date.

The Phantom

Sucker Bet?  LOL NOT!  I hit a good exacta on that race.  :)

Hi Kathy,

Yes, I know Dynaformer is/was VERY difficult to handle, but I don't know that he was difficult to figure out and get to win on the track.  

My understanding of the horse is that he is/was nasty and downright dangerous.  To me, that doesn't necessarily translate to being hard to train--other than he was dangerous to handle.

Maybe he was, but be careful not to confuse a really bad temperament around people with being difficult to train on the racetrack.

Many on the blog have never had the pleasure of following a horse this closely, so aren't aware of what is "normal" in a race.  Horses move around in the starting gates.  Ideally, you don't want them to, but they do.  The starter's job is to make sure all the horses are lined up and ready before he springs the gate.  He works hard to make it a fair start for everyone.  He doesn't spring the gate just because all the horses are loaded--he waits until they are all loaded and ready.

Yeah, there have been comments for years about Dynaformer's difficult behavior. I haven't personally read anything specific, but the Kiaran McLaughlin remark about "being the most difficult horse" has been quoted frequently. Recently, Sandy Hatfield called Dynaformer "opportunistic", whatever that might mean.

Nice finish Nicanor! You closer by inches everytime! I will once again watch for your next start in about 3 weeks probably! I almost missed the race thanks to a track meet and was glad I didn't! Congradulations!

We don't want to compare Nicanor, or his Brothers to Barbaro, who in my opinion, was the greatest of his generation. Sometimes, we forget how fast of foot he was, when he made his move, just before the Quarter Pole in all 6 of his win's. Everytime I review his races, I realize that I'm looking at Greatness.

I believe that Michael Matz will take Nicanor to Keeneland, train him on the both the Main track & the Turf course & where-ever he decides to run him, I believe the distance will be 1 1/16 and Edgar Prado will ride him to Victory.

GO NIC GO

A win is on the way for our dear Nic.  Before his next race, I'm sure he'll be reminding his groom to do brush him up nice for his win photo!  I was at the race and I think he was beat by a fine animal, no disgrace in that.  I was in the paddock to snap pics of Nic but also took some of Glitterman's Cartel because he looked like he had his game face on.  I can't wait to watch GC next out to see if he flatters Nic's respectable try for second by winning again.  One minor correction on an earlier comment about Nic's other foe, Carlos.  Drama was taken down but that didn't make Carlos second.  DQs only move a horse(s) back behind the horse he interfered with.  Carlos wasn't affected so Drama only dropped to second.  Carlos was thrown in the deep end of the pool running against Phil (and Big Drama), who has experience and astronomical speed, and he hardly disgraced himself.  Makes Nic's try against him look even better.  Nic will continue to be a fun horse to watch, as he is a tryer with talent.  When he puts it all together it's going to be beautiful.  I love the fans he is bringing to the sport, even if they are just Barbaro-family specific fans.  They watch and they care and that is so good for racing.  

Thanks, Greg J. March 15th, eh?

Guess he was not born that late in the season after after all. Oh, well, so much for that theory.

Beth..

Nicky Nocks was born on March 15th.  He JUST turned three in real time.  He will be a good horse when he is older.  Matz isn't pushing him and he is on 4 healthy legs.  That is all that matters.  

Saw the video of Nicanors last race, I think he's starting to figure out this game.  Probably just a late bloomer.  I wonder if he will ever try grass-it's in his pedigree??  Anyway stay safe Nicanor your in my heart forever!

Here is a link to an interview where Kiaran McLaughlin discusses his form charge.

sports.espn.go.com/.../wire

And I personally don't believe Dynaformer is ugly at all.

Looking at the Keeneland condition book, there are a couple of possibilities late in April, both April 19, and both at a mile and an eighth.  Race 1 is a maiden on the dirt and later in the day is one at the same distance on the turf.  Could be interesting?  Twill be interesting to see how he continues to mature, he really acts like a 2 year old now.  I am looking forward to next year with him although, being a Virginian from near Colonial Downs, I would love to see him here in June and July.

yea sucker bet stardust, you should have seen the people complaining about his loss as such a heavy favorite at gulfstream. In previous blogs you claimed you didn't bet and was just interested in him coming out of his races safe and sound win or lose. You should think of what you say in previous blogs before contradicting what you said before. The people who bet any maiden so heavily to win are suckers and i saw a lot of torn tickets and bettors cussing about the results at the track. He needs to go to a cheaper track and race against a bunch of stiffs to get a win.  Eventually he'll win but it won't be in stakes competition.Quality Rd and Dunkirk showed what real good race horses they are , far Nic hasn't and is nowhere in the same class as those 2 or many others.He won't be in any major 3 yr old races he's just not that good.maybe turf would be worth aplay why not he hasn't proved he can win on dirt.

BRETTSKY99, I saw the same thing in the gate as you did. You are correct on that.

Phantom Sir or Miss, whatever the case, What possesses betters to place a bet to win on a 3/5 favorite? I maybe stupid or something, but when use the favorite, I almost always use the favorite with a combination of horses in a trifecta or superfecta, but never a win ticket. Isn't the trick to pick a long shot they may come in at say 40-1 on a win ticket? I don't know, I lost money on Nicanor on Saturday and you don't see me fussing about, creating a commotion or busting twigs with my fingers. You seem like a pleasant person, why would anyone bet the way those people did at Gulfstream on Saturday? And don't hold back.

GREGJ, Thanks for those utube clips of pappa D. I noticed that he wore blinkers. Also caught a clip of Dynaformer at Three Chimmneys in the stallion barn. I was surprised he was so mellow. From what I've read, I would have thought he would have gone after the people looking at him but he was calm as could be.

Rest In Peace.......Spenditallbaby

i'll keep this short, it is quite sad how such a pro-Nic person such as Stardust is one of the biggest pot-stirrers in these blogs.  i used to think all the pro-Nic people deserved some of the ridicule from their statements, and found some of the con-Nic statements to have truth in it.  but if you look closely, Stardust will say just about anything to get the flame-throwing going.  i won't point out all the examples in months past, it is quite clear to me.  the "i heard Nicanor is stronger than Barbaro" takes the cake though.  so sad that a "fan" is bringing a great deal of hurt and resistance to the real fans here and to Nic's blog, by baiting on those that don't want to dream (which is fine either way).

i get it now. and couldn't sit back any longer and let this go.  hopefully Stardust will stick to other Nic sites, and not the Bloodhorse.

On handicapping Nicanors race on Saturday the winner, Glittermans Cartel, clearly stood out. His trainers stats very much outweighed Matz stats. Unfortunately I decided to go with those two and Juliano for a tri insted of an EXACTA and wound up with nothing. Shoudn,t have let greed get the better of me. LOL.

I have no answer for you kathy on the way people bet, i don't know how much you bet. I only bet races in which i like a particular horse. some peole just bet every race just to bet which i'll never understand if they are there to win money.That's why there are so many losers. Betting a maiden with such low odds is crazy and intelligent big  bettors don't go down that road. Why bet a horse who has never won unless you don't care if you lose.If anybody had Nic on top of any combo bets they lost just like placing all the marbles on him to win.It's hard enough picking a winner without trying to pick first, second and third exactly. yea i know pick the winner and wheel him but that is not what i do or want to do.just my personal preference.I saw and heard a lot of whining about him losing as such a heavy fav and just laughed to think people go overboard on any maiden race.I am a  opinionated guy.good luck in your future bets if that makes you happy.

Great pics!! I love how you write, Amanda. Very descriptive and insightful. It's a shame that Nicanor was second again, but he came home safe and sound, and for that I am glad.

 NICANOR YOU MAKE ME SMILE!!!!!

I bet on you because of you, not with the intention of winning!!!!

 NICANOR you make me laugh with   pleasure!!!!!

 NICANOR you are such a joy!!!!

It has been a pleasure to meet you sweet one......

 DYNAFORMER what a beautiful,spirited horse!!

Stardust is not a sucker, phantom is not in the same class!!!!

LavasLegend said:

"Barbaro was an anomaly for his bloodlines. Which is yet another in a long line of reasons why he may never be duplicated, nor come close to. "

I would take that to mean that for a Dynaformer, he showed what he had early and well with possibly more potential than expected of a Dynaformer.

Good breeding will tell but I think most really spectacular horses are an anomaly or we would see them more frequently.

In truth, there was much yet to learn about Barbaro before calling him a great race horse- he still had a lot to prove including the Belmont and races beyond.  He fought gamely and well for his life, but facts are facts and for all the brilliance he showed, questions will forever remain.  Much as I respect the horse, he's in the category of "we'll never know."

That is NOT a put down.  Just facts.  For the time he was here, Barbaro did look like one of the phenomenons. Neither Nicanor nor Lentenor should be held up to that standard.  But it is an experience to share and learn more about them and racing on this blog. Thanks for letting us do so.

First, thanks Greg J. Computer was down, don't have a TV, so I didn't know about Alysheba. Was going to go see him and Funny Cide. Oh, well, I'll still get to see Funny. Sure will miss Sheba. He was an enduring tribute to his dad, who was one of the gamest horses I've ever seen.

Second, saw the race and I'm glad that I wasn't the only one seeing the "am I supposed to be doing something" look. Nic'll get it. I know it's coming. Shadow roll? Just an idea.

I think Dynaformer is still a handsome horse.A handful yes,but that is what makes his babies special.Happy Birthday Dynaformer!

Nicanor is starting to get veyr muscular.  I can really see the difference in his build between the first race and this one.

The Phantom

Not that it is any of your buiseness but I decided to start wagering again to help the horses.  I did put a win on Nicanor but I am not stupid either.  I know how to wager.  

Greg J, thank you for giving us a glimpse of the past. I really enjoyed the videos of Dynaformer. The pictures of Nicanor are fabulous! I love the last one, shows that muscled up rear end.

Yeah another thing.  A good handicapper doesn't just do wins. You don't make money that way.  It is the exactas, tris 3,4,5,6 picks that are where the money is.  I stopped wagering when I hit with Eight Belles but the horses need help and I cannot think of a better thing to do with my winnings than help horses find good homes.  

Kathy.  Remember you are talking to an obsession here so don't even sweat it.  :)

The Phantom

Really you should obsess on someone beside me.  I do what I want in life.  I decide to wager I wager.  I am over 18 LOL.  

Way to go Nic! You're getting better and better! Looking forward to the next race. And thanks for the awesome photos. :)

I've Seen The Light

I am not going anywhere and I am not the first person that said that.  I was adding to another ones post.  So are you obsessed with me too?  

"I LOVE Freedom of Speech",

   With that said, No Names, But you know who you are...You should really read this then look in the mirror...

Got me thinking....Negative thinking....It is as pervasive as the common cold, but far more damaging. It mutilates, cripples, and corrodes the human spirit. Those infected by it are broken MEN and WOMEN aimlessly plodding along. The dark clouds brooding over them obscure their vision and cause them to become confrontational, apathetic, and cynical. Their lives are like flat champagne, without any sizzle. So, how do we inoculate ourselves against such a harmful disease?, That is the question, Additionally, negative people not only harm themselves; they harm the world. They cease to make a contribution to it. Instead of helping, they spread gloom and misery everywhere. If they insist on infecting others, why not infect them with laughter? If they must carry something contagious, why not carry a smile?....

So SMILE, Be POSITIVE, and LAUGH, Life is too short, This Blog is many things(Interesting, Informative, Loving, Endearing, Educational, Positive & Negative), I just believe the Positivity of "Tracking Barbaro's Brothers" out weighs anything else...

Just one man's opinion....

Smile, Laugh, and Enjoy while it Lasts.......

wow we defantly know he is good at one thing finishing second what i want to know is when there are going keeneland i like the jockey i just want to know when they are going to stick him in the real race and when his first win is going to come to me he is almost become a parade animal and that makes me very upset here comes barbro's brother lets ohh and ahh over him i know he's not as good of a horse as his brother i have always said that and when i see his progress i mean here you have a horse who finish second or second to last or 10th as the case maybe i would think there is beter hope for him next year but you mark my words they wont run him as a 4 yearold when the should have run him as  a 2 yearold and i know he was injured but becasue of that he was alittle behind this year and when you dont run them at a 2 yearold the window is very small as we found out with dunkirk this weekend since he didnt race as a 2 yearold its just the experiance just isnt there im hopping nicanor get in to the preakness and i kind of think thats where they are going but i also know its on may 16th i dont know if he has enough time to prepare for that race of not or even if he is eligable for that race    

STARDUST, I could't agree with you more. Betting winners only is no way to make money. There's nothing wrong betting a favorite in an exacta or tri that's were you make the money.

To I've Seen The Light...

Aint it the truth? ;-)

Glad the light dawned for you, it did for me long ago, too!

The poster you noted will now come back and claim people are "obsessed" with her (same old same old), as opposed to realizing it's just that she posts at LEAST 3-4 times more often than anyone else, adding up to dozens and dozens of posts a day it seems, so if you're reading here, you're sort of forced to "notice". Anything to deflect off the obvious, which is she enjoys the drama and the attention, so she creates it.

She seems to be the most anti-horse, anti-racing (I read a post once where she said she hated racing and didn't watch it unless it was a Matz horse), pot-stirring person here, IMO. I personally think she'd be better off joining PETA's fray. It fits a lot better than a blog about horse racing, don't ya think? :-)

Great prose, Greg J! (I'm not being sarcastic.) Philosophical and creative in nature...

Matt help me out here? I got lost in what your saying can you give me some help.What do you mean??

Matt H.,

   Just to better inform you, to help you understand a little better. Nicanor was not injured as a two year old, he was growing and his trainer stopped his work outs for months to let him mature into his body(Growth Spurts), It would have done more harm then good to race him as a two year old. Trust Me, ALOT of Horses don't race as two year olds these days, better safe then sorry(Kudos to M.Matz for allowing Nicanor to grow into his body). As far as not racing him as a four year old, It is in his Pedigree that as he gets older he should get better, stronger, more confident, So in my opinion, I believe He will only get better with age. You have to remember, Confidence is one of the biggest attributes a Horse can have, So they will continue to race him in MSW races until he wins(Breaks his maiden). As far as the Preakness, That is out of the picture with Nicanor(In my Opinion). M.Matz has shown that he is very patient with his horses, and Nicanor still has alot of growing up to do. He has all the tools, Just needs that experience Matt, and to clear up his races, His first race he grabbed a quarter(Very Slight injury), got bumped at gate, then came in 10/12. I throw that race out, even though I am sure Nicanor learned alot. Then he came in second the next two races, Trust Me, Coming in second twice in a row for only three races is very good for a late blooming three year old. He can only get better with more races....If you want to get more educated on Nicanor, you should go back to the first post on this blog and read from day one, Hope you do, It has been a great story so far....Hope that helped...

Thanks Karen...

   Just hope certain people understand its meaning and take it to Heart..., One can only Hope...

Greg J;

nice post!

Greg J.

You Rock.  Love your post!

DONNA

When I wager (which I am going to do again for the TC) I always bet the exactas, tris and the picks.  I do put in the winner usually in my exacta's etc. but if they don'thit like Nicanor didn't, it didn't really matter cause the exacta paid more than the win would have.  I always cross up with horses too.  Sure I have my favs and my emotions but when it comes to serious wagering you have to put the emotions beside you and go for things that are real.  I always do well and I love it cause it gives the horses a way to help other horses.  :)

Greg J.  I am going with you on the Derby.  LOL  no doubt there.  

BRAVO, Greg.  Says it ALL!  Great contribution to this blog.

ALL of us posting here should try to separate Nicanor from Barbaro.  No other 3 year old running today has the shadow of a superior horse like brother Barbaro hanging over them.  All other 3 year olds are being judged on their own merits.  Can't we do this for Nicanor, too??  If not, WHY not?  He's still a talented young horse, green but game, and learning.  Give him a break and watch him develop.

It could be fun and should NOT be such a contest between us for who has the final authoritative opinion.  What's the point?

I'm guessing Nicanor is headed back to Fair Hill [maybe a stop

over at Keeneland]. But his next race will be at Delaware Park in a 6 Fur. or 1 mile race with blinkers on.

Thanks,

Stardust,Marigold,Horsenut23.....

Stardust, I am still sticking with My Two Favorites, "The Pamplemousse & Friesan Fire", I Might throw in "Win Willy" for Trifecta. I am not changing, no matter what on top two though, I Have been with those two since day one, Even though Quality Road & Dunkirk looked good(Dunkirk will get in, some horses ahead of him in earnings will drop out for various reasons). I am sticking with my gut, it has served me well in the past....

Greg J, I second, third, fourth or what ever motion it is, great post.  You say it all.  Thank you

Stardust,

I don't believe that Mr. Phantom is obsessive, he is just a little grumpy. And I can deal with a little grumpy.

And I still believe that Nicanor will come around as a 4 year old. I've always felt that Nicanor was a little silly, perhaps a little too silly for Mr. Phantom and perhaps a little too silly to take racing seriously yet. Who knows, maybe Nicanor will only be able to win races that are a mile and a half, but he'll be winning the long ones.  

Love you Nicanor, you are the best.

HorseFirst, I have to take exception to what you said about Barbaro. He was a great horse and he proved that while he was racing. Look closely at his record, read the back issues and articles of the bloodhorse before the Derby and you will see that people were beginning to realize that "Before" the Derby.  He won on the grass, he won on the dirt and he won running in the mud. Only great horses do that. He won everytime he was asked. Only great horses can do that. When he fought for the Florida Derby, He answered the question "can he look defeat in the eye, nostrils flaring and eyes blazing", he could and did. He destroyed the best three year olds in the Derby and there was no way Bernadini was going to beat a horse with Barbaro's speed. He possessed a killer eye that all great champions have, Seabiscuit had it, John Henry had it, Native Diver had it, Dahlia had it and I believe Rags to Riches had it also. You can't teach a horse to win on sheer determination and guts, you know when a horse doesn't have it and you certainly know it when you see it.  

Don't talk about the Belmont being any obstacle for a horse that just cruised at 11/4m with plenty left, who was going to beat him? What 3yr old was going to step forward at that distance and beat Barbaro? Barbaro had tactical speed, he had blazing speed and he could relax until the cows came home to demonstrate his closing speed. In the video on HBO, several experts, yes I said EXPERTS said "he may have been the greatest turf horse we have ever seen". That's what he never had a chance to fullfill. Not prove. He had nothing to prove. He never had the chance to fullfill his destiny, that's not the same thing as proving his ability.  

I was just wondering how far along is Lentenor in his training. Would be nice if he could get a race in as a 2 year old.

In virtually every picture of Nicanor, you can see the curiosity to all going on around him, he reminds me of my current competition dog, a big goof, but the time spent training him will pay off in the long run as one of the best dogs I've ever bred..

let's just hope Nicanor is the kind 0f talented "slow" learner as Whirlaway was...hahaha! (of course I know there's no Triple Crown in his future)

Question, Amanda or anyone, What was Nicanor's Beyer Speed Rating for Saturday's Race?, Thanks...

Great Job, Nicky Knocks!

Let's see you win here in the north, buddy!

He's looking so bueatiful. Can't wait to see his brother's in action!

~Nicole

Dona, Perfectly Said....

Barbaro will go down as one of the best EVER, He just had "IT"

Well Stated...

Dona.

Barbaro will always be the best EVER! Love your post.  

Donna,

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion.  I did say:

"That is NOT a put down.  Just facts.  For the time he was here, Barbaro did look like one of the phenomenons."

But you cannot compare apples to oranges, or anything where there is no comparison to make.  Using  phrases like, "He possessed a killer eye that all great champions have...." or, "You can't teach a horse to win on sheer determination and guts, you know when a horse doesn't have it and you certainly know it when you see it," mean virtually nothing.  Even a two-bit claimer, with no more talent than a paddock pony, can have those attributes.  It matters not the talent where those kind of attributes are concerned, but the heart.  If they try their heart out no matter their talent or lack there of, you still have a very special horse and those kinds of talents are not limited to the champions.  The horses who go out again and again because they don't have the luxury of being a top-notch competitor, get a lot more respect from me because they still try.  C.W. Anderson, I think it was, wrote of finding the "Look of Eagles" in a non-champion horse.

As for, "You can't teach a horse to win on sheer determination and guts, you know when a horse doesn't have it and you certainly know it when you see it."  That's exactly right, they have to have some talent to go with that determination and guts.  But the horse that hangs on at the end, won't let another horse pass, or the horse that runs on determination and guts, loses, but gave it his all, is still a good horse.  I don't think Barbaro was ever tested quite like that, so that analogy doesn't quite make it.  Barbaro had tons of talent.  Man O' War had tons of talent but it wasn't until John P. Grier looked him in the eye, virtually sprinting head to head for a mile and an eighth,(Dorothy Ours book) after falling to his knees at the start, that "great" was an honor there was no further disputing that Man O' War deserved.  

No expert can claim a horse to be great with a campaign cut short.  It's just an opinion.  The great ones were lucky to prove they were great.  Barbaro did not get the chance.

Do not mistake what I said- for what we got to see, he seemed phenomenal. But he did not get a chance to go on to prove it and how many wonderful runners have we seen, "got to be Triple Crown champions", fail in the Belmont?  That 1-1/2 miles is the real test of a champion, after the 1-1/4 Derby and 1-1/8 Preakness, and run in pretty short order.  Barbaro did not get the chance he deserved to prove it.  He was a very, very good horse.  But the facts are, we will never know.  Again, that is not a put down of Barbaro- so many questions left unanswered.  I think that is why so many want so much from his brothers.  

Would Barbaro have been able to carry with the Dynaformer blood the Mr. Prospector speed a mile and a half?  The only horse I know of who combined a speed pedigree on one side with distance on the other and pulled it off as a sensation-we-may-never-see-his-like-again- was Secretariat- and the distance was a lot on his dam's side.  With Barbaro, the speed would be with La Ville Rouge, I would think.

Barbaro was a champion for the fight he put up for his life.  How good he may have been on the track and where his ranking falls in the hall of champions we will never know.

JAJ, on another blog I think that you misinterpreted what I was saying about Secretariat.  I was not comparing NICANOR to Secretariat.

Secretariat, his trainer, and his jockey all equally contributed to his greatness, a meeting of the minds, if you will.  Lucien Lauren and Ron Turcotte had not only an intellectual connection with this horse, but there was also a profound spiritual connection.  You might say that they had an innate understanding of Secretariat.  

There have been and are to this day Secretariats out there; the combination was and is just not there.

Maybe we cannot compare NICANOR to Secretariat on this day, but who knows what will happen tomorrow.  

BTW, NICANOR was goofing off in his last race.  The jockey said that he was; he was playing around looking at the other horses.  I hope that there is not a filly in his next race; he will really goof around if that happens.  

As I watched the replay of Nic's last race I couldn't help but laugh.  He's green and it comes off as him being a big, loveable goof.  It really does look as if he's playing- enjoying himself.  Once he figures out its a race, and responds down the stretch appropriately- he will be a good horse.  For now I think he's toying with all of us.  In the not- so-distant future though, he will show himself to be a true brother of Barbaro.  Just in his own time and in his own way.

I don't know what race everyone else watched, but I did not see a horse goofing off down the stretch.  A horse running his eyeballs out with his tongue hanging down to his knees the full length of the stretch is not playing around.

HorseFirst made a lot of good points in her recent post.

A horse can have tremendous courage and heart and still be in the bottom of the claiming ranks.  That is why it is so important to match a horse's talent with the  level racing the horse is raced at.

A courageous horse will not keep showing you that courage if s/he is constantly over matched.

Other really good horses "take care of themselves" by only trying when they have a decent chance to win.  I suspect these horses are a lot smarter than some of the horses that lay it on the line every single race.

Mary wrote:  "There have been and are to this day Secretariats out there; the combination [of trainers and riders] was and is just not there."

Mary, that is not the general consensus of the top trainers and riders I know.  Most of them just try not to get in a great horse's way.

It is usually really easy to train a good horse as long as you don't make major mistakes, and when you do make mistakes realize it really quickly and fix it.

You don't need a spiritual connection to get a good racehorse to win big races.  You don't even need to know what they are thinking.  The trick to getting a good horse to the races is to make sure he is fit, happy and sound.  If the horse is unhappy and stressed, they show it, so do something about it.  Ditto with soundness issues.

Having a horse peak for a particular race is a training skill, not some psychic phenomenon.

HorseFirst

I like your post too about Barbaro.  I would like to put in mu opinion here.  I strongly believe that had he not broken down in the Preakness we wouldn't be waiting for a TC winner.  The thing is though, his destiny was to do exactly what he did.  Look at all that has been accomplished since January 29th , 07.  NO other horse has EVER been able to do what our Barbaro did.  He is the ONE horse that has helped to change the rules for the better for race horses.  He has Congress back in session to stop over the border transport (with the help of the FOB's).  He has done things way more important in my eyes than win a TC.  Barbaro would have won it but he wasn't supppose to win it.  He was suppose to do put a stop to the abuse and neglect to the horses and he did a fine job at that.  I love race horses when they are taken care of right.  I am against the drugs and the little tricks the trainers use to cheat with their horses.  I love the natural born race horse that does it all by themselves without any help from anything. I admire trainers and owners that treat their horses right.  THAT is what Barbaro is on the way and almost has accomplished.  Really it had to be Barbaro.  It wouldn't have worked with another horse.  It had to be him because of the love that we as a nation had for him.  I really believe this was the plan all along and it was no accident that he broke down in the Preakness.  I mean no accident from the man upstairs.  Barbaro has a fan base that is the biggest in the world.  That makes a TC look pretty dim.

There will never be another Barbaro.  His brothers carry on the legacy.  THEY are loved before they are born.  How many horses do you see that are followed like this?  I don't see many.  Now we have Nicky Lenty and the baby.  THREE very famous horses that were famous BEFORE they came into this world.  THAT is the fame of Barbaro.  :)

JAJ

You are right but we must never forget the size of Secretariat's HEART.  It was huge and do other horses have that?  We may never know.  :)

Mary

I am confused.  Did Jose say that Nicky was playing around on the home stretch?  That would certainally take presidence over anyone elses take on it.  I never knew he said that.  Hmmmm I don't know what to think.  I'll watch the race again.  I think he got bumped coming around one of those turns.  Those horses were pretty close to each other.   I only watched it once and that was during the race.  Those horses were right next to each other for almost the whole race.  I know Nicky had a fair and good jockey on him. I won't say what I feel about KD.  You all know anyway.  

Stardust, Jose said that coming around the far turn Nicanor was playing around out there looking at the other horses.  See the Bloodhorse recap of the race.  Matz said that Nicanor was looking at the winner in the stretch.

The Bloodhorse article is posted at the top of this page.  

It is believed that Secretariat inherited the large heart gene from his mother, Somethingroyal.   The great heart is really a physical description of an extraordinary heart found in certain thoroughbreds that has passed down the female line on the X chromosome from the  great "Eclipse".

So more than likely there are horses out there carrying around a large heart.  

JAJ,

Are you an owner or trainer?

Mary.  If Jose said it, then it is as good as solid for me.  A good jockey doesn't make up excuses and MM wouldn't put one on him that wasn't.  Thanks.  I am convinced.

:)

wendyg

The only people that are being negative about Nicanor are the ones that really are not his fans IMO.  They are here to crash the party.  Those of us that love the horse all feel that he did just fine.  We get it.  :)  We all know that no horse will ever take the place of Barbaro but it sure is nice to keep the legacy going.  I would venture to say that Barbaro's legacy is the stongest ever.  

Dona..

About the eyes. Her is a really good example.  :)

"But if by chance a horse should come along whose deep amber eye strikes terror into the hearts of those who dare do battle with him, look deep into his pedigree, my friends.   Look for the name of a one-of-a-kind horse who lends to his kin a fierce tenacity, a will of iron, a look of eagles."

www.reines-de-course.com/seattle_slew.htm

Mary,

I am an owner and a breeder.

Hi Mary and JAJ-- I see you guys are in the heat of battle.  If I may add to the discussion... we might just have to face the fact that Nicanor is indeed a sweetie, unlike his fire-breathing big brother, and just like Street Sense he may not possess the killer-instinct.  Street Sense gave up sure Preakness victory by gawking at the the crowd and hanging around after he thought he had put away Curlin in deep stretch.  This gives me the opportunity to vehemently disagree with JAJ's assessment that Nic is "cheap".  If so, then you would need to apply that same description to Street Sense... which, of course, would be ridiculous.

Horsefirst, You obviously didn't watch the Florida Derby or you wouldn't say Barbaro was never tested. The fact that his race didnot follow his usual pattern of pulling away down the stretch, made many in the Industry and the public dismiss him as the favorite in the Derby. Many felt that the Florida Derby took too much out of him, plus his high leg action, and his 5 week layoff was too much to overcome in the Derby. Peter Brett said he went into the Florida Derby as a baby and came out of the race as a man. Barbaro's Florida Derby proved who he was.

Both Dynaformer and La Ville Rouge have speed and indurance in their pedigrees. You mention Mr Prospector but don't Mention Round Table, one of the greatest. He was a distance weight bearing champion that ran 1:58 3/5 in the 10 furlong Hollywood Gold Cup. The fastest time ever for a three year old. Yes, Mr Prospector was a speed demon but Native Dancer was a speed and distance horse that many people don't acknowledge, they only think speed and totally ignor his Belmont win.

I know Man O' War is rated #1 of all time but he never run a lick in Kentucky. How come every other horse is judged by whether or not they win the Derby, to be considered great. Another fact, he was never entered in a muddy track condition. His trainer didn't like the hard dirt at Churchill and didn't believe Man O' War liked the mud. He had a great career, some races were awesome but, he's not my pick for the two reasons I just stated.

In person I saw Round Table, I lived down the road from Swaps and watched him race many times. I saw Ack Ack, CougarII, Pretense, Kennedy Road, Native Diver (I played hookie from work just to see him), Damascus, Sunday Silence, Ferdinand, and the great John Henry. I know what a great great looks like, I've seen them in the paddock, parading before the race, watched them battle in a race, watched them lose and watched them win and to a one, I can say no matter how different they acted before the race when the gate opened, the were the same. Going for a win, or die trying. I've personally have never seen a great horse quit just to wait for

another day when it looked like they were going to lose.

Being at the track for the big races, I also saw my share of the claimers and the allowance horses, and the smaller stakes winners. I've seen their will to win, displaying that tenacity that will make a horse run even if his lungs are busting for air because they want to be  in front or first. I've heard it said that many a youngster will run like the wind but when it becomes difficult or painful to breathe, they won't run like that again, just one explanation out of many why a horse won't duplicate their previos effort or ever display speed on a sustained basis.

When I say a killer eye and the will to win, of course it applies to many but the great ones ALL have. Some have sweetheart personalities and some are as mean as a snake but they all have that it, whatever it is. In the book Barbaro, a nations love story, it 's described as Knowing, Confident, Fierce and "the look of eagles.

Barbaro was described as a good boy, not a trouble maker, big, lanky, real brawny with the nicest temperament. He grew not in millimeters but spurts, big growth spurts. Then he would develope and fill out. Some say they never knew he would be as great as he was, others say everybody near him knew it but wouldn't talk about it, they just said he was special but on the day of the Derby, they all knew they had a real chance to win. Oh, and he was hand ridden to the finish line in the Derby, there was so much more too come for this horse.

You were wrong when you said their was just one side distance in his pedigree and I think you were wrong in your assessment of Barbaro. I didn't think you were being mean or hateful, I just think you were not really looking at the whole picture, didn't know or whatever. However, your hypotheticals were not realist, I didn't look at Barbaro's potential because he fought so braverly for his life. I thought that fight was always there, no, I knew that fight was always there. I watched his races on television but knew of him lond before he was so famous. As I've stated before on this blog, I read what Anne Peters of Three Chimneys said when he was a two year old. I say he was great, I loved him and I've been around long enough to know a little something about the subject of race horses. It's been a lifelong passion, with both joy and sorry, as all great passions can be. Ask anyone who has truly loved something or someone. Barbaro was and will always be a great horse that never got the chance to live out his potential. I consider Ruffian, Pine Island,  Go for Wan, Eight Belles and Rags to Riches, in that same catagory. As much as each accomplished, there was more in store for each of them.  

JAJ and Mary

I have a question for both of you.  Do you feel that a horse is "born" with the natual ability to be a champion?  OR do you believe they are trained to be one.  OR could it be a little bit of both.  My first question is the one that I enforce the most weight on.  

You are right helsbelles.  Nicanor was playing around and did not run the race that he is capable of running. That is the opinion of Jose.  He'll win his next race.  He is a talented horse, just a late bloomer.

I am in no way an expert on horses, racing etc. and did not witness the race, although I wish I had.  It appears that Nicanor is still acting like a teenager and still has some growing up to do.  And just maybe he doesn't care about winning.  He just runs because that is what horses do.  For me, if he wins his races, that would be great If not, his fans will still love him and want him to be safe and happy.  He is a beauty.

Has anyone noticed how he has a tendancy to stick his tounge out during the stretch run. I have noticed that in photos of his last two starts. Didn't see anything in his first race though. I know many consider this a bad habbit but I know a horse that does this when he is relaxed and calm. Perhaps Nicanor is too relaxed in the stretch run? Any opinions?

Here is an interesting site and you can click on Barbaro and others for some information, track records etc:  

www.chef-de-race.com/.../classic_pedigrees.htm

Helsbelles,

I did not say Nicanor was cheap.  I said that a horse that won't put out is cheap.  My comment was in reference to everyone saying he had a lot left at the end of a race and "should have" won.  A good horse doesn't have a lot left after a race.

Nicanor is not in Street Sense's class.  Maybe one day, but certainly not today.  Don't cheapen some of the better racehorses of our time by comparing them to a 3-year old maiden with three starts under his belt.

A horse does not have to be of Curlin, Secretariat or Street Sense's caliber to be valued and enjoyed.  Enjoy him for what he is.  Enjoy being a part of the process of watching a young horse being developed.

JAJ, how do you know if a horse is unhappy and stressed unless you feel an emotional connection to him. Yes, you can have a good horse and not feel any kind of connection to him but that is all that you will ever have is a good horse.  Unhappiness and stress in human beings are emotional issues; and so they are with horses also.

Seabiscuit comes to mind and so does Phar Lap.  Both misunderstood and both rose to greatness.

Secretariat, with his large heart and other physical attributes, was simply an anomaly.

As far as soundness is concerned that has much to do with pedigree.

I am not a psychic, it's not about mind reading.

Thankfully, the trainer and the jockey I believe now understand the very complicated and free spirited nature of NICANOR. There is that special connection.  

Apparently, Nicanor runs his races as if they're workouts. That is, he thinks he is supposed to keep up with the leader. The two poor colts in the past two races were running all out to win while Nicanor was just goofing off. One of those colts was Custom for Carlos, who finished 3rd in the Swale.

I would say that if Nicanor runs 93 beyer figures and is barely trying, then he probably could beat any 3 year old, including Friesan Fire. I'd be curious, as fast as Nicanor is, whether he could keep up with Friesan Fire. I bet he would, and poor Friesan would be gasping for air.

If we made a movie of Nicanor, these races would be almost comedic. The superior talent barely trying against top flight colts going all out. The day that Nicanor decides to run will be one for the history books, as he will make top colts look like petting zoo ponies.

All kidding aside, this colt has phenomenal, but maddening talent. Seabiscuit ran like Nicanor, and Silky Sullivan ran upside down races, or not at all if he didn't feel like it. Maybe Matz shouldn't go to Keeneland, but Baltimore, or the Belmont. If Nicanor runs for second, he might as well run for richer purses, and competition will struggle to keep away from him. In other words, Nicanor will run superior races no matter who the competition may be.

I am very glad Nicky is showing such great promise. I had to (very sadly) watch a video of the race on my computer the next day. I find it very dissapointing that here where I live in NY the only horse racing we get are the important races....Triple Crown, Breeders Cup, qualifying races to get to the Kentucky Derby, etc. I am very annoyed that here I have over 250 channels on my Dish Network and have 3 channels saved on my DVR for all recording and yet no one covers the daily horse racing or all the races on the weekend. Unless someone can help me out and point me in the right direction. Watching the video on Bloodhorse is not the same as being able to sit for a few hours at home with my TV and enjoy all the races. I was very dissapointed they have not carried either of the 2 races Nicky ran in on TV.

But irregardless....he is sure one nice looking horse and I think is really shaping up good. And 2nd place is good. I think a little bit further on the track and he may have even won.

Mary,

All great animal trainers look at the behavior an animal presents and they avoid anthropomorphic conclusions.  You cannot ever know what an animal is thinking--it is an internal event that the animal and only the animal is experiencing.  Think about how often we humans are completely off base when judging our own species' unspoken thoughts.  If we humans can misunderstand each other so regularly, think how often we are so completely wrong when we cross species' lines.  

An unhappy horse does not keep it a secret.  They do a lot of things to show their displeasure.  They show a change in behavior.  They might act up going out to the track.  They sulk.  They go off their feed.  They might drop condition.  They act depressed and listless.  They might start doing stereotypic behaviors.  All kinds of things tell a trainer that the horse is not doing well mentally.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to notice these things about your horse in training.  Nor do you have to have a bond with the horse to see it and fix it.

The studies that have been conducted on soundness show that most unsoundness is caused by the trainer and accident and NOT by breeding.

Amanda, there was an article recently in "The Horse" that actually quantified the percentage of unsoundness attributed to breeding.  Do you have the link?

Elizabeth,

In North America virtually all racehorses have their tongue tied.  Before the horse is taken to the paddock before a race, the tongue is pulled out of the mouth and forward.  A soft cloth (a tongue tie) is tied around the tongue and under their chin.  It keeps the tongue forward and away from the throat so it cannot interfere with breathing.

It is common for horses to let their tongue hang out at the end of the race when they are gutting it out.

Stardust asked, "Do you feel that a horse is "born" with the natural ability to be a champion?"

Oh, my, that's a big question.  There are so many things that go into the making of a champion.

Luck is a biggie.  Don't discount the luck it takes to get a horse competing in the top echelons of racing.

He needs luck to not get hurt growing up.  He needs luck to get into the right hands, into the hands of a trainer who can actually get a horse ready for a big race.  He needs some racing luck so the races set up for the him to win.

He needs a good immune system to handle the stresses of training.  It is not good to have the most talented horse in the world only to have him get sick before the big races.

He needs enough soundness to be able to stand up to the rigors of training at the higher levels.  That requirement also is part of the luck issue--he needs to be lucky enough to have a trainer who can see problems developing before they are big.  He needs a trainer to back off when they should.

It is pure baloney that people can "tell" a foal/yearling is destined for great things.  If it weren't, I don't think the Coolmore gang would have paid a few million for Europe, a horse who has not shown much who they were prepared to sacrifice in the Florida Derby as a rabbit for Dunkirk.  Very few Kentucky Derby winners were high-priced yearlings.  What does that tell you about destiny?

Hindsight is so easy when you have a proven great horse in front of you.  Most million dollar yearlings are failures on the racetrack and in the breeding shed.  Someone looked at those yearlings and saw greatness in them.

Most really good horses are developed.  You cannot put talent into a horse, but you can develop a training program that brings as much of that talent out as is possible on race day.

Horsefirst, Great Link, Thanks.....

BigMomma...

with 250 chanels you should have those races.  I have cable and have a lot too and have to watch them on youbet cause that is where I wager.  I am so mad about this TV thing that I am getting rabbit ears for my HD and getting another HD for rabbit ears and telling the cable com. to you know what.  With rabbit ears and an HD you can get a lot of channels and some of them are satelitte.  Never have to pay another bill again for TV. It is really annoying.  Why spend the money?

jon from cockeysville...

I have a feeling that Nicanor is going to suprise all of us.  I think Lentenor is a lot more like Barbaro but Nicky Nocks will be a good horse when he is older.  I agree he should be running in bigger purse races.  

JAJ,

    Great Posts Always, I don't know if this is the link you were talking about(It is not a new article, though), Here you go:

www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx

Donna,

We can agree to disagree.  I don't base my analysis on passions and you're basing your results on a lot of "what if" hypotheticals because your examples don't carry over the span of time necessary to properly evaluate a great champion.

I didn't say Barbaro couldn't have been one of the greats- I said we'll never know.  In the end, passions aside, he simply did not get to run long enough to find out. He did not set any track records that I can find. (caveat)

Please quote me, from reputable sources and reliable information, that Man O' War didn't like the mud or that his trainer, Feustel, said the Churchill track was too hard. Please also remember that in those days, horses generally didn't race year round, they raced when the weather could cooperate a bit.

Another horse who ran with high leg action?  Man O' War.  He also ran with his head high and I wonder now what he might have done had he brought his head down a bit because I think he could have been more "through" his back and utilized that engine of his even more.

Man O' War used the same courage in the race he lost at two as when he and John P. Grier went eyeball to eyeball for most of 1-1/8 miles in the Drwyer, setting an American and world record.

No one has to win the Kentucky Derby to become a champion.  In MOW time, Sir Barton was the first to win the big three before they were ever referred to as the Triple Crown.  Riddle, MOW's owner, at that time would not race a 3 year old that far that early.

In MOW's time, the big money races were not in Kentucky and his connections were aiming for a record there, if they could get it. Nor was Kentucky the hub of racing during MOW's time, it was considered quite a bit out of the way.  Horses in those days shipped by rail and did not shuttle back and forth. The match race with Sir Barton was up for bid and if Kentucky had come up with the winning bid, they'd have raced there.  Churchill was not the  track at that time it was to become later and for many, it was deemed too far away to ship to.

Please show me where MOW was scratched on race day due to a muddy surface.  What Feustel was really concerned about, with just cause, was a deep, cupping track:

"With the track officially listed as fast and the sky clear, casual fans had no hint to expect anything less.  Lou Feustel, however, was uneasy....Red's weight assignment, while sobering, wasn't the worst of it. Most dangerous was the soil quality of the track itself. (Havre de Grace)

...Although combed into a racing oval several years earlier, the thick, rich soil still crumbled under foot like furrow sides in a freshly plowed field.  In October 1918, the big, long-striding champion Sun Briar didn't race at the Graw because his trainer realized that the colt had trouble getting traction as the loose soil cupped away from under his feet....MOW, another long-striding horse, faced the same problem....it wasn't until thirty-six hours before the Potomac Handicap, that Feustal knew Havre de Grace was worse than usual.  ...138 pounds..."

(Man O' War, Dorothy Ours, p. 221)

(This is a most thoroughly researched book)

Feustel wanted to pull MOW from the race that day.  Riddle in a bad decision, wouldn't let him.  It was not because of rain or mud but a track that had been carved out of farmland and was dangerous for a big, long-striding horse carrying those kinds of pounds.   Feustel was right and MOW came out of that having struck one of his front tendons with a hind leg.  That happens when a horse can't get his front feet out of the way of his back feet fast enough, just what that kind of a track would do to a horse like MOW.

MOW also ran two races having thrown a hind shoe.

The great Count Fleet was retired due to an injury from bad tracks.  He ran during the war, if memory serves, and little was spent in upkeep, even for the track surfaces.

But, all in all, Feustel was generally more worried about hard tracks due to MOW's speed and the weights he had to carry.

Did MOW set track records?  Yes, and he won and set records usually under great restraint, not being hand ridden.  MOW was HELD BACK.

Now, back to Barbaro.  While he may have distance influences in his pedigree, i.e., Round Table, they are further back than Mr. Prospector.  Additionally, and this is more telling to me, Barbaro came into himself faster than usual for a Dynaformer, so the Mr. Prospector influence may have had a part in that.  If it did, then he might also run closer to the Prospector side of his pedigree, which is fast but shorter.  

Who is not looking at the whole picture?

Did Barbaro set track records, consistently, under restraint?  Did he set any at all?

Did Barbaro run the distances all true champions can run?  (I'd say over 1-1/4 miles)

Did Barbaro run with 132 pounds and up, and get imposts like that in his two-year old year?

It is no fault of Barbaro's that he did not.  It is far different to call a horse a champion based on what ifs, rather than the facts at hand.

All I have said is that while Barbaro MAY have been a great racing champion, that laurel cannot be his because there is not enough objective criteria to base it upon and it is unfair to those who did meet that criteria.  His figure in that history would be:

Barbaro, great?

If you consider the WHOLE PICTURE, the tragedy is that Barbaro, while he may have been that rare strike of lightening, could not prove it and therefore, it is unjust to say he's better than those who did prove it.

I'll say it again, that is NOT a put down of Barbaro and he proved his heart and champion spirit in the fight he put up for his life.

But was he a great race horse?  All that can be said is, "maybe."

It is my hope that if Barbaro and the whole clan is dealt with in a more realistic manner on this board, that other racing related people like JAJ will chime in.

I've spent most of my life with horses of my own and I know the thrill, heartbreak, and dedication it takes to keep even a pleasure horse the right way, to lose a promising youngster, and to face the realities of the limitations of your horse and love them anyway.

There is no degradation of Barbaro intended in my posts, just the plain facts and why there will forever be that ? about him.  It is all too common for a good horse to find his limit over 1-1/4 miles and just because they looked good at that distance does not mean anything beyond it, especially up to 1-1/2 miles.  Barbaro left us before the questions could be answered.  What Barbaro did leave us was an awareness of the public about horse racing.  Keep in mind too that had it not been for all the hoopla by the media over the KD and spotlight put upon Barbaro resulting in that awful day at Pimlico, the public would have remained unaware.  Horses break down on the track and that never makes the news until there is a TV camera and big, sporting event broadcast to capture it, or it results in one of those awful spills with many riders and horses involved.

The KD and the Triple Crown creates a short period of media frenzy around horse racing, which, in the case of Barbaro, chronicled a tragic ending but one that culminated in something good happening.

Barbaro's influence may ultimately be more profound than the laurel of a great champion race horse.

I don't like the term "cheap" applied to a horse;  It is very derogatory and demeaning (and yes, JAJ, I understand the meaning... you don't need to "educate" me, thank you).  I will take the word of the experienced jockey, after all he was actually on the horse riding that day, as well as the word of the trainer, who has expertise at his profession and knows the horse, over a spectator you claims to know that Nicanor was all-out (running his eyeballs out) only to come up short.  It is clear to me from reading the info written by BH's Jim Freer (who was on-site) which describes Matz as being more relaxed before this race, that Matz was confident that he had the winning horse;  He knows Nic, and he knows what he's capable of. Trainer and jockey believe, and therefore so do I, that Nic had more in the tank and that he was fooling around in the stretch.

Mary:  here is an excerpt from an article on Bloodhorse that quotes the trainer of 3-yr old Atomic Rain.  I think it applies to our boy Nic.  "...we have had issues with him paying attention.  I hesitated to put blinkers on him because I kept hoping he would mature and figure things out on his own."

Stardust,

Whoa....you can't get satellite off rabbit ears.  If you really do, would you call your local TV station and cable company and tell them that?  They'll never have to go to the expense again of putting up dishes, aiming them, etc., to get their signals from satellites.

It would also put them out of business and would not enable companies to charge you for special channels, since they couldn't control who was getting what from the satellite.  

What you can get now, via digital, over the air, is a couple channels per station, which may be what you're getting.  Like a channel 8, 8.1, 8.2  But it does not compare to the multitude of channels you can get, if you want, via cable.

The downside of UHF digital is that it does not carry as far as VHF, although some stations across the country will do digital on VHF.

I think you're getting a couple more channels per station if they are digital.  We have one that seems to like to show winter sports on one of their sub channels. Others broadcast in other languages on the sub channels. (I don't know if sub is the right term, they're just not the main broadcast. PBS makes great use of these other channels)

Greg J.,

Here's another interesting link, for those who would like to take a look at some of the sires in the background of Nicanor, etc., if I haven't posted this before:

www.thoroughbredtimes.com/.../classic-gallery.pdf

JAJ

Great post!  I think of Seattle Slew.  17,500.00 (under 20 grand) and look what happened there.  Then there is SeaB and I can think of others.  I was just thinking that if the horse like how they mention that look of Eagles with Slew comes along, then it is probably a darn good idea to take that seriously and get that horse WITH the right owners, trainers, riders, jockeys etc...:)

HorseFirst

Very wise words in your post.  I need to add something OK?

Barbaro went down as one of the greatest.  He didn't have to be on the track to do it, however he supassed most horses.  :)

Helsbelles, who knows, they may have already tried the blinkers.  Hopefully as Nicanor matures he will focus, hope so. Thanks for the Atomic Rain information.

JAJ, do you train race horses?  I disagree with you concerning pedigree.  Your posts are interesting to read.

JAJ, Nicanor did not run his heart out in his last race.  The trainer and the jockey said that he was playing around, looking at the other horses. If you want to call it goofing off, that's okay too.      

If MM and Jose said that Nicky was messing around, then that is what he was doing.  I believe they would not lie to people and lead anyone astray.  They are good horse people.  :)  None of us really know because we aren't working with him.  THEY are.

Mary,

I think I mentioned earlier I am an owner and a breeder.  At one point, I did want to train my own horses.  I may still do it at some point, but it is not possible now.

What about pedigrees did you disagree with me about?

Greg J,

I don't think that is the article I was referring to.  Unfortunately, for some reason I can't log in to "The Horse" articles--I really need to call them and sort it out.  I think it has to do with settings on my computer to accept cookies or something like that.

The article I was referring to was a report on a study that assigned "blame" for lack of a better word.  Something like 70% was handler responsibility and less than 30% attributed to genetics.  Something like that.

The article I was referring to was very interesting.

Please give Nicanor a chance. he may need a little more time to be number 1. He needs more time than his big Brother BARBARO.

He'll get there, just give him a chance. I believe in You " Nicanor " and so do many, many more.

Way to go boy!!!! People have to realize he is NOT BARBARO! I loved Barbaro still to this day, and I love to watch Nicanor, but they are 2 different horses with different personalities. Just like Nascar Dale Jr. does not race like his father dale sr. Nor will he ever! I'm 100% behind Nicanor no matter what!!! There will only be one Barbaro and he can never be replaced! Ever! All we can do is stand behind his brothers (or sisters) and cheer for them the way we did for Barbaro...

Horse First:

my bro set up his 46" high def tv lives on a hill and he picked up over 100 channels from Sat. course he lived near towers, but dont know if that was why.  

Just loved the HRTV update with Jockey Jose Lezcano, who stated, that Nicky has it, he is just too green yet.....all give the fella a break...

JAJ:

Just wanted you to know that your help really has made a difference...I had a group of horse people that live not to far from me came by and gave me an evaluation of the land, they told me it would probably take a year to get all of the work done to make it really horse friendly.

that will really give me plenty of time to finish fencing since this rain will not quit..and build some shelter for them...Many thanks!!