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Coolmore Has Options with New Purchase Sea Siren

Thursday, May 09, 2013 4:30 PM

Yesterday Coolmore purchased multiple group I-winning filly Sea Siren , a daughter of Coolmore's champion sire Fastnet Rock (AUS) ( TrueNicks , SRO ). Below is a conformation video of the 4-year-old. Sea Siren will make her final start for her previous connections May 11 in the BTC Cup (Aus-I) at Doomben, a six-furlong race that she won last year. If she runs... Read More...

Written by Ian Tapp | May 09, 2013 | 7 Comments

A.P. Indy and Stallion Ratings

Tuesday, May 07, 2013 9:50 AM

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... Read More...

Written by Byron Rogers | May 07, 2013 | 15 Comments

Kentucky Derby 139 Pedigrees Examined

Thursday, May 02, 2013 5:00 AM

Now that post positions are set, what are your opinions on the Kentucky Derby this year? Below are some of my thoughts along with links to video of recent workouts and complimentary TrueNicks Enhanced Reports for each entrant in post position order. 1. Black Onyx (50-1) Black Onyx follows a similar form line to Animal Kingdom, who also prepped in a Gulfstream... Read More...

Written by Ian Tapp | May 02, 2013 | 26 Comments

Black Caviar's First Mating: Is Redoute's the Right Choice?

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 5:05 PM

Today brought the news of Black Caviar's retirement from racing. The big question now is which stallion will have the privilege of serving the great mare in her first season at stud? But first, to reflect on Black Caviar's remarkable record, her unbeaten 25-race career included 15 group I victories and spanned six consecutive calendar years. She was the world... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Apr 17, 2013 | 67 Comments

Frankel's First Mating: Lots of Inbreeding

Monday, March 04, 2013 7:00 PM

15.33%. That's the coefficient of relatedness between Frankel and Chrysanthemum, the first mare scanned in foal to the champion racehorse during his first season at stud. As a point of comparison, first cousins are 12.5% related and half siblings are 25% related. Chrysanthemum, owned by the Coolmore team of Tabor, Magnier, and Smith, won a pair of group III races... Read More...

Written by Ian Tapp | Mar 04, 2013 | 26 Comments

Filly 'Same Cross' is Bred on the Right Cross

Thursday, February 14, 2013 2:25 PM

This morning I spoke briefly with Brereton Jones of Airdrie Stud, who alerted me to a homebred filly of his with a very clever name. She is by Airdrie stallion Proud Citizen ( TrueNicks , SRO ) out of the winning Langfuhr ( TrueNicks , SRO ) mare Saramar—the exact same cross as Mr. Jones' Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner and champion 3-year-old filly Proud Spell... Read More...

Written by Ian Tapp | Feb 14, 2013 | 4 Comments

Announcing the All New Key Ancestors Report

Thursday, January 10, 2013 11:00 AM

Today TrueNicks is pleased to announce the new Key Ancestors Report, a breakthrough report that considers your mare's entire pedigree—all male and female ancestors—and identifies the key ancestors to seek out or avoid in the pedigrees of stallions in prospective matings. TrueNicks' Byron Rogers and Ian Tapp discuss the new report in the video below. brightcove... Read More...

Written by Ian Tapp | Jan 10, 2013 | 36 Comments

Frankel Highlights Success of Danehill Mares

Monday, October 22, 2012 11:00 AM

On a week when much will be written about the great Frankel (Galileo– Kind , by Danehill) as he retires to Juddmonte Farms to serve his first season at stud in 2013, this writer had pause to reflect on the outstanding performance of his broodmare sire, Danehill, who has thus far proved himself a phenomenon as a sire and broodmare sire in two hemispheres—a true... Read More...

Written by Byron Rogers | Oct 22, 2012 | 3 Comments

Dream Fulfilled

Wednesday, September 05, 2012 1:00 PM

With Danedream flashing her credentials for a shot at back-to-back victories in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) with a score in the Grosser Preis von Baden (Ger-I) at the weekend, we thought it was worth a look back at her pedigree from this article we wrote for the International Thoroughbred after her win in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Sep 05, 2012 | 8 Comments

Gary Hadden Discusses Mating of Reckless Abandon

Thursday, August 23, 2012 5:00 PM

Last weekend was an exciting one for bloodstock consultant Gary Hadden ( haddenbloodstock.com ). Gary recommended the mating that produced Reckless Abandon, a son of Exchange Rate ( TrueNicks , SRO ) who won Sunday's Darley Prix Morny (Fr-I) and solidified himself as the top European 2-year-old. The colt previously took the Norfolk Stakes (Eng-II) at Royal Ascot... Read More...

Written by Ian Tapp | Aug 23, 2012 | 7 Comments

Kauai Katie: Repeating the Pattern

Thursday, August 16, 2012 11:30 AM

It's still very early in the season for serious juvenile competition, but there is no doubt that one of the most impressive 2-year-old fillies seen to date is Kauai Katie. Successful by 12 lengths on her debut ( video ), the Stonestreet Stable color-bearer returned to action at Saratoga in the Adirondack Stakes (gr. II), and captured the 6 1/2-furlong event by... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Aug 16, 2012 | 5 Comments

Planets Aligned

Tuesday, July 17, 2012 11:45 AM

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... Read More...

Written by Byron Rogers | Jul 17, 2012 | 3 Comments

Chichicastenango's Never Bend Affinity

Wednesday, June 13, 2012 4:45 PM

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... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Jun 13, 2012 | 5 Comments

Poll: Choose a Stallion for Havre de Grace

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 2:00 PM

According owner Rick Porter, recently-retired Havre de Grace is currently for sale , and she could be offered at a broodmare sale this fall. Given that Royal Delta, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2011 realized $8.5 million at last year's Keeneland November Sale, we should expect fireworks if Havre de Grace—Horse of the Year and champion older filly or mare... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Apr 24, 2012 | 47 Comments

The Real Bend Or

Friday, April 20, 2012 4:00 PM

Pedigree historians have long been suspicious about the exact parentage of the 1880 Epsom Derby winner. The record books will tell you that the winner was Bend Or , a son of Doncaster out of the Thormanby mare Rouge Rose, bred and owned by the 1st Duke of Westminster. However, not long after the 1880 running of the Derby, the owners of the runner-up, Robert the... Read More...

Written by Byron Rogers | Apr 20, 2012 | 22 Comments

Taking Charge of the Pedigree

Thursday, April 05, 2012 4:45 PM

The most recent weekend saw two Kentucky Derby (gr. I) preps with $1 million purses, and both resulted in upsets. The Florida Derby (gr. I, video ) seeing longtime Derby favorite Union Rags and the well-regarded El Padrino finish third and fourth, respectively, behind gate-to-wire scorer Take Charge Indy. The Louisiana Derby (gr. II, video ) fell to another pacesetter... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Apr 05, 2012 | 7 Comments

Speed No Secret, Aptitude an Enigma

Thursday, March 22, 2012 11:45 AM

Continuing on the Secret Circle theme from today's Blood-Horse Pedigree Weekly Newsletter , there is certainly no question about the speed and courage possessed by this 2012 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) hopeful. Secret Circle's potential distance capacity – a weekend win in the 8½ furlong Rebel Stakes (gr. II) not withstanding – remains something of a mystery. If our... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Mar 22, 2012 | 8 Comments

Inbreeding Demystified

Friday, March 02, 2012 5:30 PM

There are few topics in the world of pedigree theory—and for that matter in the Thoroughbred community as a whole—that are more emotive than the subject of inbreeding. On one hand, inbreeding, and what is perceived as a consequential decline in genetic variety, is blamed for all manner of ills including a supposed decline in soundness. On the other, it has been... Read More...

Written by Byron Rogers | Mar 02, 2012 | 28 Comments

El Padrino's Breeder Takes Realistic Approach

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 3:00 PM

We're always happy to see TrueNicks customers succeed on the racetrack, and we were especially thrilled when Derby prospect El Padrino won the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) over the weekend. Emory Hamilton, breeder of El Padrino, uses TrueNicks broodmare reports for her mares, and a report for El Padrino's dam, Enchanted Rock, identified Pulpit ( TrueNicks , SRO... Read More...

Written by Ian Tapp | Feb 29, 2012 | 0 Comments

Pedigree Time Machine: Tom Fool

Friday, February 24, 2012 3:30 PM

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... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Feb 24, 2012 | 22 Comments

Deconstructing Black Caviar

Thursday, February 16, 2012 11:30 AM

The brilliant victory of Black Caviar in the MRC C.F. Orr Stakes (gr. I, video below) - which took her record to 18 wins in 18 starts - gives us an excuse to post an article of her pedigree that ran in the Australian publication Inside Breeding last year, which explored the potential reasoning behind the mating that led to her. Why is Black Caviar brilliant?... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Feb 16, 2012 | 12 Comments

Northern Afleet Still a Nice Value

Monday, February 13, 2012 4:00 PM

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... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Feb 13, 2012 | 1 Comment

Broodmares Ready for Valentine's Day

Friday, February 10, 2012 5:05 PM

I've had more than one customer describe TrueNicks as a "dating service" for Thoroughbreds. This might be a fair assessment, since increasingly more breeders are using TrueNicks as a research tool during their stallion selection process. With Valentine's Day just a few days away—and in hopes that breeders everywhere will find the right stallion match for their... Read More...

Written by Ian Tapp | Feb 10, 2012 | 3 Comments

Hansen Looks to the Future

Thursday, January 26, 2012 9:00 PM

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... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Jan 26, 2012 | 3 Comments

Finding Gold on the Coast

Thursday, January 19, 2012 11:48 AM

While horseman in the Northern Hemisphere are working their way through the dark, damp days of winter, a significant portion of the Australasian breeding and racing community were enjoying the sunshine at the Gold Coast in Queensland. From a racing standpoint, the highlight was the A$2,000,000 BMW Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic, run over six furlongs. In... Read More...

Written by Alan Porter | Jan 19, 2012 | 0 Comments

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