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We at TrueNicks are pleased to announce our 4th anniversary this month! Time flies, and it's amazing to think that TrueNicks is now beginning its 5th Northern Hemisphere breeding season.

TrueNicks was founded in 2007 as a partnership between Pedigree Consultants (Alan Porter and Byron Rogers) and Blood-Horse Publications, with the calculation running off the database of The Jockey Club. Alan Porter authored our very first blog on December 18, 2007. Alan, who since age 19 had been developing a calculation for evaluating sire line crosses while accounting for opportunity, called TrueNicks "the completion of a full circle regarding my involvement in the Thoroughbred industry."

TrueNicks was immediately embraced by farms and breeders. Thanks to the work of Alan, Byron, Scot Gillies, and the Blood-Horse team, TrueNicks had 200 subscribed stallions within the first few months. The original member stud farms were Adena Springs, Ashford, Crestwood, Darley, Gainesway, Hartley/De Renzo, Journeyman Stud, Lane's End, Pin Oak Stud, Spendthrift, Taylor Made Stallions, Three Chimneys, Vinery, Walmac, and WinStar. Here's a brief timeline of important milestones:

• May 2008: Matt O'Neil signed on with TrueNicks, and he would double the TrueNicks stallion roster over the next two years, bringing the total to over 400 stallions.
• Jan. 2009: Broodmare Analysis Report launched, allowing breeders to compare matings of their mare with up to 50 stallions per report.
• Jan. 2010: Stallion Affinity Report launched, offering a comprehensive guide of a stallion's nicking patterns with all active broodmare sires.
• Nov. 2010: Enhanced Report launched, providing a second page of cross-specific data points for each mating.
• Nov. 2011: Broodmare Select and Broodmare Analysis Plus launched, offering breeders more report options for matings research and stallion selection.
• Dec. 2011: TrueNicks roster grows to over 700 stallions representing farms in 15 countries.
• Dec. 2011: Total TrueNicks reports generated reaches 1 million in a calendar year.

Stay tuned for new developments over the coming months and years as we continue to make TrueNicks more useful and relevant for breeders and stallion owners.

There's also been plenty of discussion and debate over the years on the TrueNicks blog. Here are some of our favorite blogs:

• "No Rating" Doesn't Equal "No Meaning" (1/14/08)
• As Easy as A, B, C? (1/28/08)
• Line-breeding to Northern Dancer and Nasrullah in Thoroughbred Stallion Pedigrees (11/30/08)
• Quite Contrary Exceptions (3/11/09)
• Your Turn: Analyze Rachel Alexandra's Breeding Opportunities (5/11/09)
• Developing a Stakes-Winning Thoroughbred Filly, Part I (7/22/09)
• Perfect Nicking (1/4/10)
• The Influence of Alydar (5/18/10)
• A Visit to Three Chimneys (12/9/10)
• Zenyatta to Bernardini (1/26/11)
• Derby Threat: Uncle Mo (2/9/11)
• Galileo/Danehill is "Nick of the Moment" (5/22/11)

Thanks to all the TrueNicks customers, users, and bloggers for four great years. We hope to see more of you in year 5!

Filed under: Products, Announcements, Pedigrees and Breeding, Suggested Reading