About the Files

    The Five-Cross Files will look at topics that concern breeders and pedigree enthusiasts.  We'll examine the bloodlines of successful horses and test the tools that are available to bloodstock professionals.  Some of the material we'll cover is going to be data-intensive and "serious" research; some will be just for fun.

     Regular followers of The Five-Cross Files will, I hope, be introduced to fresh approaches in the study of pedigrees and bloodlines, new tools to improve the chances of success, and novel concepts and ideas that lead to new avenues of research and understanding.

 In addition to evaluating data and reports that are available online, The Five-Cross Files will involve some independent research.  While compiling statistics for various Blood-Horse Publications products, I often find interesting bits of trivia or statistical oddities that are fascinatng (if only to pedigree geeks).  I'll also be running some special data pulls for additional research projects.

    Readers of the blog have an everpresent opportunity to respond, to argue, to scoff, to applaud, to correct -- and in a very real way, to help shape the direction of The Five-Cross Files. This is one of the first areas of BloodHorse.com where readers can interact.  I hope you'll feel a sense of community and will actively take part in the discussion.

    In the course of my writing, you'll occasionally read about my horses, my breeding theories, and my grand successes (okay, okay--and the failures, too).  To introduce myself briefly here, I'll give you some of my background in and out of the Thoroughbred industry.

• At Blood-Horse Publications: I started out as data coordinator for our Audience Development office and learned a lot about what our customers are really looking for. Receiving the magazine on time,  getting up-to-date racing and breeding statistics, and reading all the details about great horses both in the headlines and in history -- those are the obvious answers. Just as important, though, readers of The Blood-Horse want to find answers, to see the bigger picture, to have an insider's edge.
  
  Moving to an interim position as an editor for The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care, I worked with veterinarians and equine management experts to present technical health information to horse owners and professionals. The Horse reports each month -- and daily online -- on the best practices for raising, feeding, maintaining, and treating the horses we're responsible for, and is therefore probably the most important product of Blood-Horse Publications.
  
  In my current position as research editor for digital media, I work with our data providers to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness of our resources. As product developer for TrueNicks and as a team member on other data services projects, I am involved with several unique products that benefit Thoroughbred professionals. As an editor, I also get to read our experts' pedigree analyses before the rest of the world! 
  


• Horse ownership:  My horse ownership thus far has been as a breeder, selling my foals as yearlings to go on to their racing careers. My small herd includes a couple of broodmares and their offspring, and my goal is to improve my bloodstock over time and build up to five or six mares.  I also take care of several riding and harness horses, ranging from 3 to 23 years old.  Some of the horses I own alone, and some in partnership; I will discuss the advantages and logistics of these arrangements in the blog.
  


• Previous experience:  My background includes a decade of political consulting and several years as the compliance coordinator for a university surgical residency program.  While those jobs don't sound like they'd relate closely to Thoroughbred breeding and racing, they do share an important connection to my current position:  all of these positions have been heavily dependent on obtaining, organizing, and using large data sets to improve products and workflows.

    The best choice for commenting on any topics that I discuss is to use the comments feature. By doing so, you'll reach me as well as your fellow readers, so that we can all benefit from your feedback.  To reach me outside of The Five-Cross Files, please use the following particulars:

• e-mail:  sgillies@bloodhorse.com
• snail mail:  Please address to:
                    Scot Gillies
                    The Blood-Horse Building
                    3101 Beaumont Centre Circle
                    Lexington, KY  40513-1886
• phone:  859-276-6832
• fax: 859-276-6875