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Quality in Abundance

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 11:55 AM

Last Saturday, Quality Road erased the Gulfstream Park nine furlong track record that he himself had established in the 2009 Florida Derby (gr. I), earning a Ghostzapper ( TrueNicks , SRO ) -like 121 Beyer in the process. Quality Road’s sire, Elusive Quality ( TrueNicks , SRO ) can now claim to be responsible for three truly outstanding horses; Smarty Jones ... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Feb 10, 2010 | 0 Comments

It's All Relative, Part 2

Saturday, February 06, 2010 11:30 AM

In our most recent post we commented on some interesting duplications found in last weekend's stakes winners. There a few more that are also worth highlighting: Repent ( TrueNicks , SRO ) had a good winner last weekend in Sweet Repent, winner of the Sunshine Millions Distaff Stake. TrueNicks rated A++ , Sweet Repent has an intriguing pedigree. She is out of a... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Feb 06, 2010 | 1 Comment

It's All Relative

Friday, February 05, 2010 11:22 AM

Last weekend was relatively light on graded stakes action in the U.S., with just three races at that level. Two of the three, however, went to horses with interesting genetic relative inbreeding. Medaglia d'Oro ( TrueNicks , SRO )’s “other” grade I winning filly, Gabby’s Golden Gal, took her second race at that level, the Santa Monica Handicap (gr. I). She is... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Feb 05, 2010 | 2 Comments

Reader Q&A - Can You Explain the Significance of the TrueNicks Variant?

Thursday, February 04, 2010 8:00 AM

Fred asks: I just ordered two broodmare analysis reports and I was most pleased. While I understand the significance of BSI II (Broodmare Sire Improvement Index) I am unclear as to the significance of the True Nicks Variant. Could you please explain? Byron's response: Thanks for the email and we appreciate ordering the broodmare analysis report. I'm glad you... Read More...

Written by Byron Rogers | Feb 04, 2010 | 1 Comment

Corredor of Power

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 2:40 PM

El Corredor ( TrueNicks , SRO ) is off to a very good start in 2010, and when El Caballo took the Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes (gr. III), he followed the Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) victress Crisp, as the second graded winner of January for the sire. El Caballo, a six-year-old gelding who was beaten a nose in the Mervin Muniz Jr. Handicap (gr. II) in his previous... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 27, 2010 | 0 Comments

A Crowded Family Portrait

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 2:46 PM

We have to wonder if there has been a more prolific family in the last couple of years than that of the Verbatim mare, Right Word, the dam of three stakes winners: the graded scorer Ascutney and Words of War (both by Lord At War) and Word o’ Ransom (by Red Ransom). Ascutney is dam of two graded winners, headed by Raven’s Pass, winner of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 26, 2010 | 1 Comment

Winslow Homer-Variation on a Theme

Monday, January 25, 2010 2:26 PM

Winslow Homer has been a “talking horse” ever since his three lengths maiden win at Saratoga in August and he came through loud and clear in the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) on Saturday. Winslow Homer is the first foal of his dam, Summer Raven, winner of the Tempted Stakes (gr. III) at two. A daughter of Summer Squall, Summer Raven is out of Rahy Rose, a Rahy half... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 25, 2010 | 2 Comments

Amen!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 12:44 PM

Among the weekend’s fillies, the biggest win was that scored by Amen Hallelujah in the Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II). The daughter of Montbrook was overdue a good win, having finished third in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I) and Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I). She is out of Sara’s Success, a stakes winning daughter of Concorde’s Tune (by Concorde Bound, a son of... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 20, 2010 | 3 Comments

On the Road

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 3:24 PM

It’s only the third week in January, but the classic generation are already beginning to crank up. As far as the Derby is concerned the most significant race was the San Rafael Stakes (gr. III). This was won by unbeaten Conveyance, a son of Indian Charlie ( TrueNicks , SRO ). The dam, Emptythetill, is by Holy Bull ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , out of a Mr. Prospector... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 19, 2010 | 2 Comments

Spanning The Globe

Thursday, January 14, 2010 9:17 AM

Of the numerous orders we have received for the new TrueNicks Stallion Analysis and companion Pedigree Consultants Stallion Compatibility Report, one of the most intriguing was for Sabirli , who retires to Karacabey Farm in Turkey for 2010. While Sabirli may not be a very familiar name, he is a son of 1991 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner, Strike the Gold, out of... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 14, 2010 | 0 Comments

And Now For The Stakes Winners...

Wednesday, January 13, 2010 7:18 PM

Wildcat Heir ( TrueNicks , SRO ) ended 2009 with the frankly-staggering total of 39 individual juvenile winners. Despite this, he’d reached November before a stakes winner appeared. But surely enough, time has begun to reveal quality among Wildcat Heir’s great quantity of winners. On November 13, Karmageddon took the Jersey Juvenile Stakes, and the very next... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 13, 2010 | 0 Comments

Halo Effect

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 11:57 AM

Actually this post is as much about Prince John as it is about Halo, but “Prince John effect” doesn’t have quite the same ring. What turned our mind to the connection between the two, and more particularly it’s current effects, was the victory of Custom For Carlos in the Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. III). Custom For Carlos – who strikes us as having the potential... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 12, 2010 | 3 Comments

What's the Difference?

Sunday, January 10, 2010 12:30 PM

Russell asks : Why are the ratings found in the Stallion Affinity Report not the same as the ratings obtained by running an individual mating? As an example, Storm Cat over Yonaguska gets a TrueNicks rating of A+ according to the sample affinity report shown for Storm Cat. I ran my Yonaguska mare, Bella Cherokee, with Frost Giant using the TrueNicks link on the... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 10, 2010 | 2 Comments

Keep On Rolling

Thursday, January 07, 2010 9:30 AM

Giant's Causeway ( TrueNicks , SRO ) celebrated his first Leading Sire crown in appropriate fashion, notching up his twenty-third stakes winner of the year when Tiger’s Rock captured the Gallant Fox Handicap at Aqueduct on December 31. This was the first stakes win for the three-year-old, who is out of the Afleet mare, Call Me Fleet (TrueNicks rated A ). What... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Jan 07, 2010 | 0 Comments

Perfect Nicking: When a Sire and Broodmare Sire Go Perfect

Monday, January 04, 2010 2:00 AM

One of the key parts of the TrueNicks calculation is that it does not calculate a nick based on stakes winners being produced out of the same mare. As good a mare that Cee's Song is, her results are effectively counted as one effort on the calculation of Relaunch with Seattle Song mares for example. However, Truenicks does calculate ratings where from two different... Read More...

Written by Byron Rogers | Jan 04, 2010 | 13 Comments

The Few The Proud

Tuesday, December 29, 2009 10:49 AM

We must admit, we did a double-take when we saw the pedigree line for the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) winner, M One Rifle, as the name of his sire, One Man Army, rang absolutely no bells whatsoever. It turns out that we weren’t having a senior moment, as One Man Army has very much been flying under the radar. Although not bred by Fred Hooper, One Man Army has a pedigree... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Dec 29, 2009 | 3 Comments

A Lucky Pair With Three of a Kind

Tuesday, December 22, 2009 6:26 PM

There was a 'lucky' ending to the last major two-year-old contests of the year with Looking At Lucky taking the Cashcall Futurity (gr. I) and Blind Luck the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I). Lookin At Lucky is a son of Smart Strike ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , who won’t repeat his Leading Sire titles of 2007 and 2009, but who has had enjoyed another excellent season... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Dec 22, 2009 | 3 Comments

Not Your Father's Cross

Thursday, December 17, 2009 5:10 PM

We were interested to note the victory of Apapane in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), the most important contest for two-year-old females in Japan. The race has been won in recent years by such stars as Buena Vista and Vodka, and Apapane was scoring for the third straight time in four starts. Apapane (TrueNicks rated A++ ) is by Kingmambo ( TrueNicks , SRO... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Dec 17, 2009 | 3 Comments

Family Rules

Tuesday, December 08, 2009 1:47 PM

Out of the Silver Deputy mare, Silvery Swan, El Corredor ( TrueNicks , SRO ) (by Mr. Greeley ( TrueNicks , SRO )) was the second grade I winner inbred to Mr. Prospector when he took the 2000 edition of the Cigar Mile (gr. I). He was also the first notable runner with such inbreeding to retire to stud and he quickly dispelled fears that his pedigree pattern would... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Dec 08, 2009 | 0 Comments

Some Gold For The Colts

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 6:32 PM

We’re very used to two-year-old descendents of Sadler’s Wells showing their classic credentials in major races towards the end of the European racing season. For example, Sadler’s Wells’ son, Montjeu, has recently been represented by St. Nicholas Abbey, Jan Vermeer and Joshua Tree, winners respectively of the Racing Post Tropy (gr. I), Criterium International... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Nov 18, 2009 | 3 Comments

Q&A - Why Does It Mean When a TrueNicks Rating is a 'No Rating'?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 7:16 AM

Kim asks : I did a TrueNick with Bertrando and Benson's Girl (by Buddha) and it said no rating. What does that mean? Alan's response: Thank you for the inquiry. For TrueNicks to compute a rating there must be either two stakes winners bred on the cross, or 15 starters. If there are insufficient stakes winners or starters on the sire/broodmare sire cross, the... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Nov 17, 2009 | 3 Comments

No Doubt

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 8:37 PM

It might seem hard to believe, but only a handful of years ago, Sadler's Wells' legacy as far as the extension of his male-line appeared to be in severe doubt. That is no longer the case, and we were treated to a number of reminders of over the weekend. Sadler's Wells' son, High Chaparral has been rather in the shadow of his stud companions Galileo and Montjeu... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Oct 27, 2009 | 5 Comments

Still Lucky, In Kentucky

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 4:43 PM

The juvenile filly grade I races over the weekend (including Friday) both went to stallions who made their names in a regional market before moving to Kentucky. The Frizette Stakes (gr. I) went to Devil May Care, who was making only her second start. She is by Malibu Moon ( TrueNicks , SRO ), who initially started very cheaply in Maryland, and out of Kelli's... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Oct 14, 2009 | 0 Comments

Juveniles Rule

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 6:39 PM

The surprising Pollard's Vision ( TrueNicks , SRO ) had leapt to the head of the Freshman class following the victory of Blind Luck in the Oak Leaf Stakes (gr. I) last weekend. That lead was short-lived, however, and Hill 'n' Dale's Roman Ruler ( TrueNicks , SRO ) now has the top spot after his son Homeboykris (TrueNicks A++) captured the Champagne Stakes (gr... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Oct 13, 2009 | 1 Comment

Good Vision

Thursday, October 08, 2009 8:53 AM

We've tracked the progress of freshman Pollard's Vision ( TrueNicks , SRO ) in several previous posts, but we must admit we didn't expect him to vault to the top of the Freshman Sire table. However, that's what happened when his daughter, Blind Luck, emerged from the Oak Leaf Stakes (gr. I) with a 2½ lengths victory. She is the fourth stakes winner from the first... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter 1 | Oct 08, 2009 | 7 Comments

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