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While there is no doubt that nicks tend to run in sire lines, we've also often found it profitable to consider the dam of a stallion when attempting to predict potential crosses. For example, when Smart Strike ( TrueNicks ) retired to stud, we noted that he was a half brother to champion Dance Smartly, a daughter of Danzig. Since Smart Strike was a Mr. Prospector...
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Unbeaten filly Stopshoppingdebbie, a daughter of Curlin ( TrueNicks ), will try to become the first horse to sweep the Emerald Downs 3-year-old filly stakes division in tomorrow's Washington Oaks. She's bred on the emerging nick of Smart Strike ( TrueNicks ) and his sons over Wild Again mares. Photo: Erin Palmer/Emerald Downs Stopshoppingdebbie (right) wins the...
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While he is now considered an "elder statesman" of the Coolmore Australia stallion roster, there can be no doubt that Encosta de Lago (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ) is one of the premier stallions standing in Australia this year. The son of Fairy King has amassed a sensational record at stud with 6.3% stakes winners to foals and 7.6% stakes winners to runners (up...
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The wins of Orb in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Princess of Sylmar in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) further solidified the pensioned Lane's End stallion A.P. Indy as the premier sire line source of classic speed in the North American Thoroughbred. Indeed, with Normandy Invasion (by Tapit ( TrueNicks , SRO )), Dreaming of Julia, and Revolutionary (out of an A.P...
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It would be reasonable to suggest that while time may prove Coolmore stallion Galileo superior to his breed-shaping sire Sadler's Wells, with the exception of siring a group I winner over 4000m (which Sadler's Wells did in the form of the brilliant Yeats), right now Galileo is every bit as good a classic sire as his father. Like many elite stallions, Galileo...
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A few weeks ago, when looking at the emerging French second year sire Turtle Bowl , we noted that he conformed to something of a recent trend in France, the appearance of a number of good sires with relatively unfashionable pedigrees, other examples that come to mind including Linamix (by Mendez), Muhtathir (by Elmaamul), and Chichicastenango (by Smadoun). The...
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Recent discussion of the pedigree of the Australian supermare Black Caviar focused some attention on Tom Fool, whose son Silly Season is doubled in Black Caviar’s pedigree. Since he was a foal of 1949, Tom Fool will now, to many, mean little more than a name that is found in the more distant removes of modern pedigrees. But, if you want to know how good Tom Fool...
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Bearing in mind that stud fees have been ticking up again, and that proven horses are in demand, we were pretty surprised to hear recently about a stallion that you can still book to. While many other proven stallions are already full, this stallion can still be bred to for as little as $13,500 live foal (or $15,000 stands and nurses). He is sire of 39 stakes...
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While the equine Hansen ( TrueNicks ) – the champion 2-year-old of 2011 – is pointing to the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) and hopefully his first step on the road to the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), his owner and breeder, Dr. Kendall Hansen, is looking well beyond the Run for the Roses. With a long-term view to his star's eventual stud career, Dr. Hansen has subscribed...
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Congrats, photo by Louise Reinagel With the impressive victory of his daughter Turbulent Descent in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I), Congrats ( TrueNicks , SRO ) may well have sewn up the 2010 freshman sire’s race. The winner’s purse of $245,550 propelled him into what may well be an uncatchable lead over Bluegrass Cat ( TrueNicks , SRO ) (out of a mare...
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We already knew it, but with Rachel Alexandra's retirement it was announced again that the 2009 Horse of the Year will be bred to 2007-08 HOY Curlin ( TrueNicks , SRO ) in 2011. As Jess Jackson said, "We are eager to introduce Rachel to Curlin. Imagine what possibilities those two super horses might produce." Interestingly, both horses are winners of the Preakness...
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With the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) coming up this Saturday, let's take a look back at Princequillo , winner of the 1943 Jockey Club Gold Cup (then contested at 2 miles). He became the sire of Horses of the Year Hill Prince, Dedicate, and Round Table; champion Misty Morn; and influential sire Prince John. Princequillo was leading broodmare sire eight times...
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With the La Jolla Handicap (gr. II) set for this Saturday at Del Mar, featuring Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Sidney's Candy , let's take a brief look at the 1979 La Jolla winner – Relaunch . The three-year-old Relaunch won three starts at Del Mar during the month of August, 1979 – first was an easy five-length win in a 8.5-furlong turf allowance; one week...
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For Zenyatta 's eventual first year in the breeding shed, which of these high-profile, proven Kentucky stallions would you select? Explain your choice in the comments section below. Healthy debates are encouraged. Which stallion would you choose for Zenyatta? customer surveys Below are links to TrueNicks reports for each hypothetical mating. You may also click...
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Of the following older U.S.-based horses, who has the best stallion's pedigree? Cast your vote and explain your choice in the comments below. Battle Plan is a son of Empire Maker ( TrueNicks , SRO ) and Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Flanders, making Battle Plan a half brother to Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Surfside. View the TrueNicks report for Battle Plan . Blame...
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Who will have the greatest impact at stud? survey software
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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With Tapit ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , Sky Mesa ( TrueNicks , SRO ) and the over-achieving Stroll ( TrueNicks , SRO ) (now back at Claiborne from a sojourn in Italy), Pulpit ( TrueNicks , SRO ) has made quite a start as a sire of sires. Another Pulpit son, freshman sire Purge ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , has a smart performer in Macias. He scored a first stakes victory when...
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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...
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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...
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Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey have done a tremendous job with their stallion, Catienus, a Storm Cat son whom they claimed, then sent out to win a minor stakes, run second in the Suburban Handicap (gr. II), two renewals of the Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) and place third in the Whitney Handicap (gr. I). Catienus has never been a fashionable stallion, but...
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Sea the Stars has rightfully dominated the headlines from Europe but the other story of the weekend was the remarkable performance of horses bred and owned by the Aga Khan. We'll start with the 2½ mile Prix du Cadran (gr. I), which went to Alandi (TrueNicks A ), who is by Galileo out of the stakes winning Darshaan mare, Aliya, and is one of no less than five...
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